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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 5 Issue 95 - November 7, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, I'd like to thank our friend, Chef Brenda Palmer for her week of "Musings from an Unemployed Chef" Actually she goes back to work this weekend fully mended from her surgery. Good luck Brenda and come back anytime. Here is her last musing. Happy Friday all you hard working people! Never thought I'd say it, but I wish I were one of you! Musing number 5: BEER is good food! Not being able to partake for a month, I felt I was lacking a whole food group! And no, I don't bowl! Beer has become if not sophisticated, artistic and inspired! With variety and health benefits that rival wine, American beer is no longer chosen by the size of the mountains on the label depicting the quality of spring water its made from (always disturbing when you know the area coal industry is still alive and well). Americans did what they've always done and that is to go back and learn the techniques of handcrafted beers from the masters of the world, then gone on to make it uniquely American. In the culinary world beer batter has made a name for itself everywhere and the now almost famous beer-butt chicken made a stir a couple years ago. As I was experimenting with an apricot wheat ale I bought from my friends at Otto's Pub and Brewery in State College, PA, USA, it occurred to me that anywhere you would use wine in a recipe such as deglazing a pan, you can use beer instead! Think of the whole new palate of flavors you'll have! Look into the great flavors from the small breweries and brew pubs that are popping up all over the place, beer comes in many more flavors than, regular, lite and imported, so be adventurous! To kick off our Friday we'll have my rendition of an appetizer from Otto's Pub and Brewery, Mussel's Biere simmered in Helles Lager. Lagered Scallops and Pears for the main course along with a new beer-inspired twist on a squash recipe I published in the State College Magazine last year. And for kickers, a super good and easy chocolate silk pie made with Black Mo Stout, Thanks to Davo and Tyler from Otto's! If you'd like to hear more about Otto's their website can be seen here: Http://www.ottospubandbrewery.com -------------------------------------------------- Replacements.com Founded by Bob Page in 1981, Replacements, Ltd. (located in Greensboro, NC) has the world's largest selection of old & new china, crystal, silver, and collectibles. Our 300,000 square foot facilities (the size of five football fields!) house an incredible inventory of 10 million pieces in more than 180,000 patterns, some over 100 years old! http://www.replacements.com/index.htm?s1=c2c&5& -------------------------------------------------- Helles Mussels Ingredients: 16 oz. Helles lager or any light, smooth tasting lager. 2 oz. each celery, carrot and onion. 3-5 black peppercorns 1 clove finely minced garlic 1 oz. finely sliced leeks 12 mussels (the cooked, frozen prepackaged ones are fine for this) Pinch of chopped Italian parsley Bring beer, onion, celery, carrot and peppercorns to a boil and reduce by a third. Strain and return broth to pot, add remaining ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with the broth poured over the mussels and crusty bread. -------------------------------------------------- DietDivas.com FREE Weight Loss Newsletter Lose 2-5 pounds per week eating real food! The healthy & safe way to lose weight. Eat in restaurants and cook for your family too. Learn how to shed those unwanted pounds and feel great. Personalized plan - Personalized support. Start feeling great TODAY! Get your FREE weight loss tips, click below: http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=363 -------------------------------------------------- Lagered Scallops and Pears Serves 4 1 lb. Sea scallops 1 oz. Diced shallots 2 Tablespoons butter 1 red pear, quartered and sliced 2 Tablespoons medium bodied lager 1 oz. Roasted sweet pepper, small dice 8 oz. Heavy cream Sauté scallops and shallots in 1 tablespoon of butter. When your scallops are half done, remove from pan, leaving as much of the shallots in as you can. Deglaze your pan with beer. Its going to cook down to nothing almost immediately. You don't want your pan to go dry so be ready to add your cream after giving the beer a quick swirl around the pan. Add roasted peppers, salt and pepper to taste, easy on the salt since you are reducing the cream it will increase in saltiness. When your cream starts getting thick, add the scallops back in, add the pears, stir in the last tablespoon of butter and turn the heat off. -------------------------------------------------- Freddy Guys Filberts Oregon Hazelnuts lend a gentle, naturally sweet addition to your holiday baking. Freddy Guys are growers who specialize in providing you with fresh direct shipments of recipe ready ingredients that include pieces (sliced or diced) and meal as well as raw and roasted whole kernels. Hazelnuts are the perfect low carb snack, packed with antioxidants, poly unsaturated fats, and folate, all of which reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers. Freddy Guys has all this goodness snack-packed as well for lunches and outings. Try our sampler. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=366 -------------------------------------------------- Harvest Acorn Squash with Nut Brown Ale Serves 4 2 Acorn or Delicata squash 3 Tablespoons butter 6 oz. quinoa 6 oz. Diced dried fruit (apples and apricots are nice) 6 0z. Walnuts or pecans 3/4 cup nut brown or apricot wheat Ale (I wouldn't use anything too bitter from hops like an India Pale Ale) 3/4 cup water 3 Tablespoons brown sugar Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut squashes in half and seed. Dot butter around rim of squash, salt and pepper, bake until insides are fork tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile rinse quinoa in cold water, drain and simmer with beer and water for about 10 minutes or until the quinoa hulls start to open and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the remaining Tablespoon of butter, brown sugar, fruits and nuts. Fill acorn halves with quinoa mixture and serve as a side course or vegetarian main course. -------------------------------------------------- DietDivas.com FREE Weight Loss Newsletter Lose 2-5 pounds per week eating real food! The healthy & safe way to lose weight. Eat in restaurants and cook for your family too. Learn how to shed those unwanted pounds and feel great. Personalized plan - Personalized support. Start feeling great TODAY! Get your FREE weight loss tips, click below: http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=363 -------------------------------------------------- Black Mo Chocolate Silk Pie "One bite and you'll want Mo!" 12-oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 24 large marshmallows Pinch of salt 2/3 cup Black Mo Stout, Guinness or any creamy/chocolate tasting stout beer 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 Tablespoon bourbon, cream de cocoa or Kahlua 1 graham cracker piecrust Place chocolate chips, marshmallows and salt in blender. In separate saucepans heat stout and heavy cream until very hot but not boiling. Add stout and cream to blender; blend on medium for 1 minute. Add vanilla and liquor, continue blending until very smooth. Pour into prepared piecrust and chill for 4-6 hours, garnish and serve. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |