So I put on a specialty craft beer dinner tonight and one of the local pub style restaurants. I go into the evening thinking we'll put out some food, talk about some beer, be home by 9. Its now midnight, I just got home and every minute was a wonderful learning experience.
First off, most people don't realize that beer and wine are great to pair with food but are also amazing in food as an ingredient. The chef tonight, Nicki, used to work for The Palm restaurant in Philadelphia. Let's put it this way, this guy knows what he is doing. Nicki quit the high end hustle and bustle restaurant life so that he could carry on a relationship for more than a few months. Nicki has absorbed all the tricks of the trade and truly understands the art of cooking. I was fortunate enough to be in the kitchen with him preparing each entree to be served with a specialty beer. We brought a Belgian style brand called Unibroue. Four beers were included and four entrees were produced.
Nicki created these phenomenal courses with this simple thought in mind... a few fresh ingredients combined with proper technique creates true masterpieces.
First trick of the trade that they don't show you on foody type channels... you want a creamy delightful vinagrette for that salad you're making for dinner? Start with a raw egg. This egg will eventually bind the ingredients together and make a smooth dressing. For years I have been making citrus vinagrettes with olive oil, fresh herbs, and shallots and have not been able to figure out how to make it creamier and more balanced. He taught me to start with a raw egg, add the citrus and olive oil and there is the base. Add a touch of sugar, shallots, garlic, herbs, red/white wine vinegar, and in the case of tonight- beer. He added Ephemere Apple Belgian white ale brewed with fresh granny smith apples. Poured over a bed of fresh greens with shavings of asiago cheese and thin sliced of pear... a perfect start to the evening.
The next entree... duck con fit, scallops with a pistachio dressing. Trick number 2... duck is an under-rated meat. Tender, juicy and way more full of flavor than chicken. The pistachio blend on top of the scallops was truly delightful. This course was paired with Fin du Monde, a golden ale with light citrus notes. The beer was Incorporated into the duck con fit.
The main course... cedar planked pork tenderloin, shallot infused mashed potato, and garlic broccoli rabe. The pork was marinated in Maudite, a amber ale that brings out spice in food. Nicki made a delightful cognac sauce to pour on top. Trick number 3... pork is amazing to serve slightly rare. The salmonella scare really only applies to chicken. They solved the pork issue decades ago. The meat is so much more tender and flavorful with a little bit of pink. Trick number 4... broccoli rabe is a great alternative to the vegetables your used to. Its hearty and has much more spice than most vegetables. Sauteed with a bit of garlic and olive oil and your done.
The desert.... dark chocolate mousse with strawberries covered in white chocolate. Dark sambuca infused whipped cream to accompany the mousse. This dish was paired with Trois Pistoles - a dark ale that is described as the meeting of port wine and beer. Last trick from Nicki... take a simple dish and add your own spin. The sambuca in the whipped cream created an entirely new dimension to the desert.
Go to http://www.unibroue.com/index_eng.html to learn more about these beers or
http://www.pjspub.com/ to find out when the next beer dinner is. Hope to see you there!
First off, most people don't realize that beer and wine are great to pair with food but are also amazing in food as an ingredient. The chef tonight, Nicki, used to work for The Palm restaurant in Philadelphia. Let's put it this way, this guy knows what he is doing. Nicki quit the high end hustle and bustle restaurant life so that he could carry on a relationship for more than a few months. Nicki has absorbed all the tricks of the trade and truly understands the art of cooking. I was fortunate enough to be in the kitchen with him preparing each entree to be served with a specialty beer. We brought a Belgian style brand called Unibroue. Four beers were included and four entrees were produced.
Nicki created these phenomenal courses with this simple thought in mind... a few fresh ingredients combined with proper technique creates true masterpieces.
First trick of the trade that they don't show you on foody type channels... you want a creamy delightful vinagrette for that salad you're making for dinner? Start with a raw egg. This egg will eventually bind the ingredients together and make a smooth dressing. For years I have been making citrus vinagrettes with olive oil, fresh herbs, and shallots and have not been able to figure out how to make it creamier and more balanced. He taught me to start with a raw egg, add the citrus and olive oil and there is the base. Add a touch of sugar, shallots, garlic, herbs, red/white wine vinegar, and in the case of tonight- beer. He added Ephemere Apple Belgian white ale brewed with fresh granny smith apples. Poured over a bed of fresh greens with shavings of asiago cheese and thin sliced of pear... a perfect start to the evening.
The next entree... duck con fit, scallops with a pistachio dressing. Trick number 2... duck is an under-rated meat. Tender, juicy and way more full of flavor than chicken. The pistachio blend on top of the scallops was truly delightful. This course was paired with Fin du Monde, a golden ale with light citrus notes. The beer was Incorporated into the duck con fit.
The main course... cedar planked pork tenderloin, shallot infused mashed potato, and garlic broccoli rabe. The pork was marinated in Maudite, a amber ale that brings out spice in food. Nicki made a delightful cognac sauce to pour on top. Trick number 3... pork is amazing to serve slightly rare. The salmonella scare really only applies to chicken. They solved the pork issue decades ago. The meat is so much more tender and flavorful with a little bit of pink. Trick number 4... broccoli rabe is a great alternative to the vegetables your used to. Its hearty and has much more spice than most vegetables. Sauteed with a bit of garlic and olive oil and your done.
The desert.... dark chocolate mousse with strawberries covered in white chocolate. Dark sambuca infused whipped cream to accompany the mousse. This dish was paired with Trois Pistoles - a dark ale that is described as the meeting of port wine and beer. Last trick from Nicki... take a simple dish and add your own spin. The sambuca in the whipped cream created an entirely new dimension to the desert.
Go to http://www.unibroue.com/index_eng.html to learn more about these beers or
http://www.pjspub.com/ to find out when the next beer dinner is. Hope to see you there!
Wow, everything sounds amazing! That's so cool that you were able to help out with something like this. Sounds like a fun night!
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