Today’s Pairing is a Beer Pairing
Dinner was thin cut pork chop in a Dubbel beer sauce, creamy quinoa and sautéed rapinni .
This dish had a spicy kick from black pepper, although the sauce had some essence of the Dubbels light crispness. Normally this dish would have had too much spice for me but when paired with the Dubbel it became nicely balanced. The Dubbel offered a nice cooling from the peppery food.
This dinner is based on using a common ingredient or bridge ingredient in its most literal form- the beer in the food and as the beverage.
The Food:
http://thankheavenforbeer.com/2010/09/28/belgian-dubbel-pork-chops/
This is the recipe I used for the pork that inspired the pairing. Although I made my own changes, I did not have any figs or plums so used some dried cherries I had that had been soaking in wine and adjusting the seasons for our personal tastes. These changes probably are what added to the extra spiciness of the dish.
For the rapinni, which is similar to broccoli rabe, I simply sautéed in olive oil and seasoned.
I cooked the quinoa as per the box, then added a touch a butter, salt, pepper, and sour cream.
The Beer:
Dubbel Overhead Abbey Ale (8-10-2009)
7.2%
The beer pours a deep red color with aromas of apple, pear and caramel. The complex flavor consists of raisin, dried fruit, cherries and toffee. The carbonation is high and hop bitterness is non-existent.
what you think of the quinoa? I just purchased some for the first time, and although there is a tabouli recipe on the back of the package, I'm really not sure what to do with it.
ReplyDeleteHave you eaten this very often? Would you have any other suggestions as to how to use it?
I love qunioa, it has a really nice nutty flavor to it. I would eat it a lot more but it is hard to find in stores near my house.
ReplyDeleteTypically I don't use a recipe just cook it as per the box and mix in veggies, nuts, or meats like sausages. It works great as a side dish but can be a great main dish too.
I have made stuffed squash with quinoa, pan sausage, and veggies. Topped with some cheese and broil it for a few minutes. Yum!
This is a recipe I really enjoy
http://www.chow.com/recipes/27466-baked-quinoa-adobado
I love the look of your blog!
ReplyDeleteThat Dubbel Overhead Abbey Ale sounds right up my alley. I don't really enjoy darker beers - the dark flavors are a bit too intense for me. I'm told that as my taste for beer "matures", I'll come to appreciate darker beers. I don't know. I'm 32 and still prefer lighter beers as well has hard cider.
Great idea for your blog, I'm inspired. We made quinoa at Qwest Field last week and served it, stuffed in a tomato, then baked it. It was a vegan, gluten-free option for a banquet. I like the red variety.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get that beer? It sounds amazing. I would love to repeat the meal sometime because it sounds like everyone in my house would like it. The combination of flavors sounds very complex and layered and I love the idea of the nutty quinoa as the compliment to the pork. Does the alcohol from the beer cook down when you make the sauce? It would be nice to be able to serve it to my daughter!
ReplyDeleteChef Bacon- the beer used for this dish was a home brewed beer my boyfriend made. But you should be able to find a similar beer in many bottles shops stores: Bottle Works, The Beer Junction and Full Throttle Bottle to name a few.
ReplyDeleteThe sauce comes to a boil and simmers, which would evaporate most of the alcohol. If you are worried you can always simmer it longer, but I would think it would be just fine to serve to your daughter.