Food And Beer

Source: All About Beer Magazine Presents Holiday Fare

Yield: 4 main courses

2 pounds braising beef (from the flank)
3-4 slices smoked bacon
Freshly ground salt and pepper
2 onions
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 stalk celery
1 bay leaf
10 crushed pimento seeds
10 crushed coriander seeds
12 peppercorns
12 ounces dopplebock
2-3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar beet or apple syrup

Arrange the slices of bacon in a large braising pan with a heavy lid that closes tightly.  Season the meat with salt and pepper, and place it on top of the bacon.  Chop the onions, carrot, parsnip and celery into large pieces, arrange them on the meat and cover with the remaining seasoning.

Mix water with the beer at a ratio of 1:2 (the quantity depends on the size of the pan) and add it to the ingredients until they are slightly more than half covered.  Mix together the vinegar and the syrup and stir them into the stewing liquid.  Seal the pan and simmer for approximately 2 hours.

Remove the meat and keep it warm.  Remove the bacon; sieve the stewing liquid, vegetables and spices, stirring to ensure that all the stock passes through the sieve.  Bring the liquid to a boil again. Season if necessary. Slice the meat and serve with sauce.

Serve with steamed vegetables and pasta.

Suggested Beer Pairings: Weihenstephaner Original Lager

Source: Rheinlander Restaurant Cookbook

A co-worker gave me this recipe, knowing of my love of beer and cooking with beer.

2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
1 clove
4 tbs butter or oil
3 cups beef stock
2 cups dark beer
1 small bay leaf
1 pinch of nutmeg
2 tbs clarified butter or olive oil
rye bread
caraway seeds
salt & pepper to taste

Slice onions in julienne.  Crush garlic.  Saute onions in fat until golden brown.  Add the garlic.  Stir and let the onions sweat a little longer to release the sugar and starch.  Now add the beer.  Cook for tow or three minutes to cook out the alcohol, then add beef stock.

For flavoring, float in one small bay leaf and one clove.  Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

Take a few slices of rye bread.  Remove crusts and cut into small cubes. Heat Clarified butter or olive oil in a skillet.  Fry rye bread cubes until nice and crispy. Grind up a few caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle over the croutons.

Season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.  Serve the soup with rye bread croutons. Add the croutons as you serve the soup. DO NOT PUT THEM IN TOO EARLY OR THEY LOSE THEIR CRUNCHINESS.