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Beer Lime Grilled ChickenAccomplished chefs have long known that beer and liquor can add a distinctive flavor to both savory and sweet recipes without making you tipsy.

The following delicious recipes have been tried and tested in our Hopscotch kitchens.

Peppered Salmon with Whiskey Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
  • ½ tablespoon white peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 x 175g (6oz) salmon steaks
  • 1 level teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • freshly ground sea salt
  • 15g (½ oz ) butter
  • 1 tablespoon whisky
  • 150ml (¼ pint) double cream
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives,
    plus extra to garnish

Directions:

  1. Mix together the crushed peppercorns. Smear the salmon steaks all over with the mustard and then press the peppercorns into the cut sides of the salmon - just enough to give it a nice thin coating. Season with salt.
  2. Heat a frying pan until hot. Add the butter and, as soon as it starts to foam, lay in the salmon steaks. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the steaks for about 3 minutes on one side to brown them.
  3. Turn up the heat, flip the steaks over, then splash in the whisky. Boil fast until the whisky has almost disappeared, then pour in the cream. Carefully scraping up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan around the steaks, bring to a fast bubble.
  4. Boil for 1 - 2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken, then taste and season with more black pepper if necessary, and some salt. By this time the salmon should be just cooked - test with the tip of a knife; if it is still a wee bit pink, simmer over a low heat for a further minute. Stir in the chopped chives and serve immediately, garnished with the extra chives.

 

Scotch Medallions of Lamb and a Marmalade of Red Onion Fennel

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1 head of sliced fennel
  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 lamb strip loin, trimmed of all fat
  • 2 red sliced onions
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (5g)
  • 1 tablespoon Scotch
  • 1 oz (50g) butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of rosemary
  • 1 1/4 pints (850ml) lamb stock
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) tomato puree
  • 1 oz (25g) diced cold butter

Directions:

To make the Scotch sauce:

  1. Put the lamb stock into a pot. Place over a high heat and reduce to 1/4 pint
  2. In a small pot, warm the tomato puree with 2 tablespoonfuls of the reduced stock, stir until smooth; add more stock if necessary
  3. Add Scotch whisky, whisk in the diced butter
  4. Slice the medallions of lamb from the loin, flatten slightly and sprinkle with rosemary and season.

To make the marmalade:

  1. Saute red onion, fennel and fennel seed in 1oz butter over low heat til soft
  2. Add sugar and cook for one minute. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
  3. Melt the rest of the butter in pan. Quickly fry the lamb for one minute on each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.
  4. Quickly fry the courgettes until just hot, then slice into thin shoelace strips. Put a swirl of courgettes in the centre of a warm plate, place four medallions around the outside and fill the spaces in between with the marmalade.
  5. Serve with the Scotch sauce.

 

Crab-Stuffed Filet Mignon with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients:

Crab Stuffing

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced green onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced celery
  • 1 teaspoon minced green bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons shrimp stock or water
  • 1 (6 ounce) can crab meat, drained
  • 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Peppercorn Sauce

  • 1 1/4 cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 fluid ounce whisky
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Steaks

  • 4 (6 ounce) filet mignon steaks
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked lightly salt / cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot
  • 1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 fluid ounce whisky
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

Make Crab Stuffing:Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onion, green onion, garlic, celery, and green pepper until tender. Stir in shrimp stock, crab meat, bread crumbs, and Cajun seasoning. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Prepare Peppercorn Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine beef broth and cracked black pepper. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently. Add1 ounce whisky and 1 cup cream. Continue simmering until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Prepare Steaks: Slice a pocket into the side of each steak, and stuff generously with crab stuffing. Wrap bacon around side, and secure with toothpicks. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and shallot for 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, and saute until tender. Remove mushroom mixture, and set aside.

Place steaks in skillet, and cook to desired doneness. Remove from skillet, and keep warm. Deglaze skillet with 1 ounce whisky. Reduce heat, and stir in peppercorn sauce and Dijon mustard. Add mushroom mixture, and reduce sauce until thickened. Remove toothpicks and bacon from steaks, and arrange steaks on a plate. Top with sauce.

 

Whisky Peaches

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 cups sliced fresh peaches
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger whisky

Directions:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the peaches, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, and whisky; simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until peaches are soft and the sauce has darkened. Serve as a side dish or over ice cream.

Beer Lime Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 (12 ounce) bottle pale ale style beer
  • 1 teaspoon honey salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. When grill is ready, brush the grate lightly with oil. In a shallow bowl, mix together the lime juice, beer, honey, cilantro, salt and pepper. Place chicken into the sauce, cover, and marinate for about 30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from marinade, and place on the grill. Grill for about 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear, and the internal temperature of the meat has reached 175˚ F (80 ˚ C).
Discard leftover marinade.

Belgian Beer Beef Stew

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound bacon, diced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 20 small boiling onions, peeled
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 16 ounces dark beer
  • 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested

Directions:

Blanch the bacon for 1 minute in boiling water. Drain.

Place bacon and butter or margarine in a large covered pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until bacon is browned. Add onions; cook until golden. Add garlic, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes; take care not to burn the garlic. Remove bacon mixture from pot, and set aside. Add beef to the fat left in the pot, and brown on all sides. When meat is browned, return bacon mixture to the pot. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add enough beer to just barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove pot from heat, and stir in parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Serve hot.

Stout Steak Marinade

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz Bottle Stout Ale
  • 1 c Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Green Onion; chopped
  • 2 tb Brown Sugar; (about)
  • 1 tb Ground Garlic
  • 2 ts Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tb Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tb Honey

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients together; check seasoning.
  2. Marinade steak and grill or broil.

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