Cooking with Beer

Hot and Sour Singha Soup (serves 1)

Soya sauce	1 tablespoon
chicken	30g / 1oz
Vegetable stock	112ml / 1/4pt
Lemongrass	¼ stick
Mushrooms	2
Spring onion	½
Coriander	1 sprig
Red chilli	½
Lime	½
Singha beer	splash
Fish sauce	1 tablespoon

Beat the lemon grass with the back of your knife to extract the maximum flavour. Slice the mushrooms and chicken. De-seed and finely shred the chilli. Remove the stalks from the coriander. Place the stock, lemongrass, chicken and coriander stalks in a pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Take out lemongrass. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 1 minute. Add the vegetable, lime juice, spring onion, coriander, chilli and sauces. Add beer. Serve.

Blue Moon Rolls

strong flour	350g
salt	1/2 teaspoon
easy blend yeast	1 packet
olive oil	4 tablespoons
tepid Blue Moon beer	250ml
maldon salt	1 tablespoon

First, make the dough. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl.  Stir in the yeast. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and all the tepid beer. Mix to form a dough and knead for 5 minutes. Now put in a greased (or oiled ) bowl and prove in a warm place for 1 hour. Once this is done, knock back the dough and knead for another 2 minutes. Shape the dough into rolls. Leave to rise for 30 minutes. Cook in a pre-heated over for 20 minutes.    Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and season with salt. Return to the oven for the final 5 minutes.

Chicken Fricasee with Modelo Negra or White Shield

Chicken supreme	1 – diced
Mushroom	2
Onion	2oz
Salt	To taste
Pepper	To taste
Butter	1oz
Plain Flour	1oz
Double cream	2 fl oz
Modela Negra or White Shield beer	2 fl oz
Chicken stock	½ pint

Slice mushroom and dice onion. Rub flour and butter together to make paste (beurre manié). Poach chicken and vegetables in stock for 5 minutes or until cooked and remove. Boil stock and thicken with beurre manié, simmer for 4-5 mins and add cream. Bring to boil and add chicken mix and beer.  

Poached Salmon with a Lemon Animee Beurre Blanc (serves 1)

Salmon	1 fillet (3-4 oz)
Butter	Knob
Fish stock	4 fl oz
Lemon Animee beer	2 fl oz
Parsley	sprig
Cream	1 tablespoon

Poach the fish for 6 minutes in the water. Remove salmon and keep warm.

Chop the parsley. Put the stock in a pan. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add beer. Turn down to a simmer and stir in the cream. Whisk in the butter and then the herb. .

Raspberry O’Cranachan (serves 4)

Oatmeal	15g / 1/2oz
Honey	2 tablespoons
Double Cream	225ml/ 1/2pt
Caffrey beer	2 fl oz
Raspberries	Punnet
Sponge	60g / 2oz
Mint	1 sprig

Toast the oatmeal in the oven. Whisk the cream into a soft consistency. Add the oatmeal, honey and half the raspberries. Roughly mix. Put sponge at bottom of glass. Soak in beer. Pipe the mixture into the glass (disposable piping bags are adequate) layering rest of the raspberries (leaving one). Garnish with one raspberry and fresh mint.

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Soup

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 1)

Butternut squash	¼ large one or ½ small one
Onion	¼
Garlic	½ clove
Orange	¼
Parsley	sprig
Vegetable stock	150ml / 1/3 pt

Peel and chop the squash. Chop the onion and garlic. Sauté the onion and squash in a pan with a little oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Squeeze in the orange. Put into a blender. Garnish with parsley.

Cullen Skink (serves 4)

Smoked haddock undyed	2
onions	2
potatoes	600g / 1.25lb
Full fat milk	450ml / 1pt
Unsalted butter	25g / 1oz
White pepper
chives

Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the potatoes. Put the haddock in a large pan with 300ml ( ¾ pt) water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Remove the fish and flake into large chunks. Add the onions and potatoes to the pan with plenty of white pepper. The water should cover the vegetables. If not, add some milk. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes. Then add the milk and butter and bring to the boil. Then simmer for 3 minutes. Season to serve.

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crouton (serves 6)

onions	450 g / 1lb
Beef/chicken stock	900ml / 2pt
Plain flour	Pinch
Red wine	Splash
Vegetable oil	Splash
Olive oil	1 teaspoon
Butter	112g / 4oz
Brandy/cognac	2 tablespoons
garlic	3cloves
herbs	optional
French mustard	2 tablespoons
baguette	4 slices
Olive oil	Drizzle
gruyere	225g / 8oz

Thinly slice the onions. Crush 2 cloves and then crush the third but keep separate. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a pan. When hot add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and mustard. Cook for 6 minutes until dark. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stir well, scraping the pan. Add the red wine. Add the stock nd mix. When soaked up, cook for another 10-15 minutes. Add brandy before serving.

For the croutons – lace the slices of baguette with the remainder of the garlic and the olive oil and bake one side till its crusty. Add the grated gruyere to that side and glaze. Pop a crouton on top of each bowl of soup.

Minestrone Soup (per person)

Dried spaghetti	30g / 1oz
Potato	¼
Celery	1 inch stalk
Garlic	1 clove
Cabbage	30g / 1oz
Flat leaf parsley	1 sprig
Small carrot	¼
Small onion	¼
Tomato	1
Stock	112ml / ¼ pt
Tomato puree	1 teaspoon
butter	60g / 2oz
Bacon	1 slice

Chop the potato, celery, onion, and tomato. Shred the cabbage. Heat the butter in a pan. Add all the vegetables and puree, except the garlic, add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Wrap the spaghetti strands in a tea towel and break into small pieces. Add the spaghetti and simmer for 5 minutes. Fine chop the bacon, parsley and garlic to paste and drop into soup to cook.

Mushroom Soup (Serves 1)

mushrooms	4 oz
Onions	1 oz
Garlic	¼ pint
Chicken stock	¼ pint
Butter	½ oz
Thyme	1 sprig

Chop mushrooms, onion and garlic and pick thyme leaves. Add butter to pan then sweat onions and garlic adding mushrooms and thyme, then cover with stock. Boil then simmer to cook. Blend soup and serve.

Pea and Ham Soup  (serves 4)

split peas	200g
Onion	2
Celery Stalks	2
Leek	1
Bouquet garni *	1
Vegetable Stock	3 pints
Ham hocks	1
Salt and white pepper

*(For the bouquet garni place 2 cloves garlic, a sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves, 8 sprigs parsley and 1 all spice berry into muslin and tie into a parcel)

Wash, peel and chop the vegetables. Wash the ham hock. Wash the peas and pick through. Place all ingredients in a pot, season with salt and pepper and simmer until tender- skimming as required. Remove the ham, bouquet garni and puree the soup in the liquidizer. Return to the pot, taste and season and adjust the consistency if required.

Potato and Watercress Soup (serves 1)

Watercress	60g / 3oz
Potato	1
Onion	½
Vegetable stock	1/2pt

Side Dishes – Vegetables

Asparagus Hollandaise

asparagus	8 spears
Salted water
White wine vinegar	Splash
onion	¼
butter	250g / 9oz
Eggs	4

Peel and trim asparagus. Clarify butter. Separate the eggs – you only need yolks. Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. Reduce vinegar and onion to a syrup. Clarify butter. Add reduction to yolks. Whisk over boiled water to froth. Slowly add the butter and whisk to a sauce. Serve with asparagus.

Aubergine Parmigiani (per person)

aubergine	½ large or
onion	1/8
celery	1/8 stick
red pepper	½
Green pepper	½
tomatoes	4 cherry
eggs	½
Olive oil	1 tablespoon
parmesan	1 tablespoon

Chop the onions, celery and peppers. Dice the tomato. Halve the aubergine. Scoop out the flesh, being careful not to break into the shell. Warm the oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the aubergine, celery and tomato and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg. Fold the mixture into the shells. Sprinkle with grated parmesan. Place in oven at Gas mark 4.

Puy Lentils

Puy lentils	60g /’ 2oz
onion	1/4
Wine	½ glass
stock	¼ pt

Chop the onion. Place all the ingredients in a pan and cook till soft.

Skirlie 

butter	60g / 2oz
onion	1 medium
Rolled oatmeal	60g / 2oz
Chicken/veg stock	112ml / ¼ pt

Slice onions. Sweat in the butter until soft. Add the oatmeal for 2 minutes then the hot stock. Mix together.

Slow Roasted Tomato

Tomato	1
Chilli	To taste
Garlic	To taste
Salt and pepper	To taste
Caster sugar	Pinch
Thyme	Sprinkle of leaf
Soya sauce	Splash
Vegetable oil	Drop

Finely chop garlic and chilli. De-core and half tomato. Put all of the above ingredients on the tomato. Place on lightly greased, grease proof paper or silicon mat. Bake in the oven at 120 deg C for 90-120 minutes.

Tomato Confit (serves 4)

Cherry tomatoes	1 punnet
Thyme	1 sprig
Olive oil	1/4 pt
garlic	1 clove small

Smash the garlic. Put the oil in a pan along with the herbs. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Put the tomatoes in an oven-proof dish and pack close together. Pour the oil over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt. Cover with foil shiny side down. Cook in oven at 180-190deg for 8 minutes.

Feast of Fish

Basic Fish Stock (serves 6)

Lemon	½
Leek	½
Onions	3
Celery	3
White Fish bones	1lb
Coriander seeds	Teaspoon
Water	3pt

Chop the leeks, onions and celery. Put into pan with crushed coriander seeds, salt and pepper and fish bones. Add the water. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Bourride of Mackerel (serves 6)

Mackerel	3
Garlic	1 cloves
Celery	1 stick
Black peppercorns	8 crushed
Dry white wine	1 cup
Fish stock	3/4 litre
Leeks	½
Tomatoes	4
Orange	½
Bay leaf	1
Thyme	2 sprigs
parsley	2 sprigs

Cut fish down the middle. Gut and remove bones. Cut half fish into 3 or 4 pieces and season. Julienne the leeks and celery. Smash the garlic. Chop parsley and celery. Zest and juice the orange. Seed and chop the tomatoes. Put stock in pot. Bring the stock to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add all the other ingredients except the parsley. Cook for another 8 minutes. Add the fish and poach for 3-4 minutes. To serve, place the fish in the middle of the plate. Ladle the sauce around. Garnish with parsley.

Sardines & Pont Neuf Potatoes with Tomato Salsa & Balsamic Reduction

Sardines

Sardine	1
Vegetable oil	splash
Salt and pepper	To taste

Scale gut. Remove head and bones. Put a splash of oil on a tray and place sardine on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a hot oven for 5 minutes max.

Tomato Salsa on Salad Leaves (serves 2)

Ripe plum tomatoes	2
Pepper	¼
Red onion	¼
Olive oil	4 tablespoons
Leaves	2  handfuls
Coriander	1 sprig
White wine vinegar	1 tablespoons

Chop the tomatoes, onion, pepper and coriander. Finely chop two tomatoes along with the pepper, onion, coriander, oil and vinegar. Mix together.

Balsamic Reduction

Balsamic vinegar	½ pint
Sherry / Madeira	1/8 pint
Soya sauce	1 tblsp
Thyme	Branch

Add all together in a pot. Reduce to a syrup under a medium to high heat. Pass and cool in a bottle.

Pont Neuf Potatoes (serves 4)

Sweet Potato	4
Vegetable oil	4 tablespoon

Peel the potato and slice longways. Place in oven tray. Drizzle with oil and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Poached Halibut with Asparagus (serves 4)

Halibut	4 x 6oz pieces
Asparagus	3
Carrot	1
Leek	1
Vegetable oil	1 tablespoon
Fish stock / Water	2 tablespoons
Butter	60g / 2oz

Very finely slice the carrot and leek. Into a pot, throw in the carrot and leek with the 2 tablespoons of water and simmer till the water disappears. Then add 30g / 1oz of butter and stir till it begins to caramelise. Remove from heat. Grill the asparagus. Season. Poach the halibut in the fish stock.  To serve, pile up the julienne with fish and asparagus on top. .

Poached Salmon & Lemon Beurre Blanc

salmon	1 fillet (3-4 oz)
butter	Knob
Fish stock	4 fl oz
Dry white wine	1 fl oz
Lemon	¼
Parsley	sprig
Cream	1 tablespoon

Poach the salmon for 6 minutes in the water. Remove the salmon and keep warm.

Chop the parsley. Juice the half-lemon. Mix the stock and wine together in a pan. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Turn down to a simmer, add lemon and stir in the cream. Whisk in the butter and then the herb.

Easy Home Cooking

Lentil Soup (serves 2)

Red lentils	4 oz
Onion	¼
Veg/Ham stock	½ pint
Parsley	1 or 2 sprigs
Butter	1 oz
potato	½ large

Soak lentils 24 hours before. Chop onion and potato. Gentle sauté potato and onion for 2 minutes without colour and add drained lentils for further 2 minutes; add stock and boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes etc are cooked. Season and garnish with picked sprigs of parsley.

Macaroni Cheese with Béchamel Sauce (Serves 2)

Macaroni pasta	6 oz
Grated cheddar cheese	4 oz
Plain flour	2 oz
Milk	½ pint
Butter	2 oz
Worcester sauce	Dash
English mustard	½ teaspoon
Tomatoes sliced (opt.)	1 large

Boil macaroni for recommended time or until soft and refresh in cold running water. Put butter in a separate pot to melt, add flour and mix to roux on low heat. Add milk slowly mixing little at time to form sauce beating lumps! Add grated cheddar cheese, Worcester sauce and English mustard, mix well till cheese melted and season with black pepper. Drain pasta well and add to sauce, heat through. (Optional: retain some cheddar, place pasta in ovenproof dish and lay sliced tomato on top, sprinkle with grated cheese and place in pre-heated oven 200 deg C for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and crisp)

Chilli Con Carne (Serves 2)

Minced beef (lean)	8 oz
Onion	½
Fresh chilli (seeded or not)	½ preference (or dried teaspoon)
Green pepper	½
Garlic	1 clove
Carrots	½
Celery	½ stick
Tinned tomatoes	14 oz can
Tomato puree	1 tablespoon
Veg stock	¼ pint
Oregano dried	Pinch
Kidney beans	8 oz can (drained)
Flour plain	2 oz
Grated cheddar cheese (optional)	1 oz

Chop peppers, onion, garlic, celery, carrot and fresh chilli. Put seasoned mince in hot pan and stir browning, quickly add chopped vegetable and oregano, stir for 2 minutes. Add flour and tomato puree, after 2 minutes addtinned tomatoes (with juice)and stock (or red wine if preferred); stir well to mix and thicken. Simmer slowly for 20-30 minutes. Serve with hot plain rice, sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese (optional).

Can also be served in baked potato with cheese.

Boiled rice

Long grain rice	2 oz
Water	½ pint

Boil water with little salt and add rice for 10-12 minutes or until soft, cool in cold running water. Microwave or plunge into boiling water to heat and serve.

Fisherman’s Pie with Mash Potato (serves 1)

Maris piper / red rooster potato	1 large
Butter	2oz (2 x 1oz)
Double cream	1 splash
Grated cheddar	2oz
Haddock fillet	1
Peeled prawn	1oz
Butter	1oz
Plain flour	1oz
Double cream	1 splash
Onion	¼
Water	¼ pint

For the mash topping peel and boil potatoes until soft, drain and dry out on stove. Mash with butter and cream until soft. Place haddock fillet in water and bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes with lid on. Remove fish and flake into chunks removing any bones. Mix butter and flour together to paste. Finely chop onions and add to stock. Bring to boil and whisk butter and flour mix slowly until thickens, add cream and season. Put fish into sauce and prawns, then into “pie dish”. Smooth or pipe mashed potato on top, sprinkle with grated cheddar and bake in oven until golden brown.

Apple Crumble (serves 1)

Eating apple (granny smith etc)	1
Plain flour	2oz
Butter	2oz soft
Granulated sugar	2 x 1oz
Cinnamon	1 pinch

Chop and core apple. Put butter, apple, half of the sugar and cinnamon in pan and gently cook for 4-5 minutes. Rub soft butter, flour and other half of sugar until sandy texture. Place apple mixture in dish and top with crumble mix pressing down quite firmly. Bake in oven (pre-heated to 180 deg C) for 10 minutes until mixture is bubbling under crumble mix. Serve with cream, ice cream or crème fraiche.

French

Asparagus Hollandaise

asparagus	8 spears
Salted water
White wine vinegar	Splash
onion	¼
butter	250g / 9oz
Eggs	4

Peel and trim asparagus. Clarify butter. Separate the eggs – you only need yolks. Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. Reduce vinegar and onion to a syrup. Clarify butter. Add reduction to yolks. Whisk over boiled water to froth. Slowly add the butter and whisk to a sauce. Serve with asparagus.

French Onion Soup (serves 6)

onions	450 g / 1lb
Beef/chicken stock	900ml / 2pt
Plain flour	Pinch
Red wine	Splash
Vegetable oil	Splash
Olive oil	1 teaspoon
Butter	112g / 4oz
Brandy/cognac	2 tablespoons
garlic	3cloves
herbs	optional
French mustard	2 tablespoons
baguette	4 slices
Olive oil	Drizzle

Thinly slice the onions. Crush 2 cloves and then crush the third but keep separate. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a pan. When hot add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and mustard. Cook for 6 minutes until dark. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stir well, scraping the pan. Add the red wine. Add the stock and mix. When soaked up, cook for another 10-15 minutes. Add brandy before serving. For the croutons – lace the slices of baguette with the remainder of the garlic and the olive oil and bake one side till its crusty. Pop a crouton on top of each bowl of soup.

Coquille St Jacques

Scallops	1
Button mushrooms	3
lemon	¼
Fish stock	225ml / ½ pt
butter	60g / 2oz
Plain flour	60g/ 2oz
Double cream	8 fl oz
Gruyere or gouda	112g / 4oz
Herbs	optional
Eggs	4

Maris piper

2 large

Slice the mushrooms. Juice the lemon. Heat the stock and lemon juice in a pan  with the mushrooms and scallops for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon remove the scallops and mushrooms. Set aside. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in flour for 2 minutes to make a roux. Add the scallop stock to make the sauce. Beat to smooth consistency. Separate the eggs. Mix 2 yolks and cream and add to the sauce. Remove from heat and season. Peel and roughly cut potatoes and boil potatoes until soft. Drain and dry gently on stove. Add 2 yolks and mash to smooth consistency. Using a piping bag, pipe the mash  round an ovenproof dish. Place scallops in the middle with the mushrooms and cover with the sauce. Add the gruyere on top and glaze under a hot grill.

Quiche Lorraine

Savoury mini-tartlets	12
Back bacon	2 rashers
egg	1
Double cream	Splash
chives	3

Cook the bacon and shred. Chop the chives. Mix cream, egg and chives and season. Add the bacon and egg mix to pastry and bake for 10-15 minutes at 200 deg c / Gas Mark 6 until firm in the middle.

Ratatouille  Tarte Tatin (serves 4)

butter	90g / 3oz
aubergine	1/2
Red pepper	½
Yellow pepper	½
garlic	2 cloves
tomato	4
courgette	2
puff pastry	300g / 10oz
plain flour (for rolling pastry)	60g / 2oz

Roll the puff pastry into 24cm diameter. Rub the butter onto a round ovenproof pan (23cm diameter).

Cook all the vegetables and garlic in a frying pan. Place the puff pastry on top. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200degC until the pastry is crisp and brown.