homebrew cooking!
What a shame they had to coincide. You’d think after yesterday’s pizza-sans-photographs dinner I would have secured a few AA’s today, but the sun was shining when I got home and I couldn’t resist taking the bike for sunset spin.
So it was unfortunate when, after rushing inside to both beat the 7 pm darkness and start firing up some heat under the beans so we could eat before 9, I forgot all about batteries. So sorry, no visuals again.
But I can promise some homebrew. And some recipes. And what turned out to be an incredibly comforting, soul-satisfying meal. I recommend streaming the forthcoming Bob Dylan bootleg series vol. 8 from NPR while cooking. There’s something to be said about slowly simmering a timelessly comforting combination of bacon, beans, and greens while Dylan’s Mississippi lyrics slowly unfold from the kitchen speakers.
Vanilla-Porter-Braised Black Eyed Peas
1 cup dried black eyed peas
2 strips bacon, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups vanilla porter
1 cup water
rosemary sprig
Tabasco sauce
soak beans in 2 cups water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, remove from heat, and let soak for 1 hour (this is a good time to go for a spin on the bike around the block). Drain beans. Heat large, ovenproof saucepan over medium high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Return beans to pan. Add porter and water and bring to boil. Transfer pan to oven and cook for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. Add rosemary and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Tabasco on side.
Saison-Sauteed Collard Greens
1 head collard greens, washed thoroughly and diced
2 strips bacon, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/4 cup saison beer
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add greens and cook 10 minutes, until wilted. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Squeeze out excess water and set aside. Cook bacon in large saute pan until crisp, transfer to paper towel to drain. Add onions to bacon grease in pan and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Return collard greens to pan. Add saison and stir, breaking up greens and coating in beer. Cook 3-5 minutes, until liquid has evaporated and greens are warm. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pan-Seared Coulotte Steak with Vanilla Porter and Mushroom Sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 8-oz coulotte or other boneless-cut steak
salt and pepper
6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup vanilla porter
1 tsp honey
1 sprig rosemary
pat steak dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and heat until just smoking. Add steak and sear 4 minutes on one side. Flip and cook 2-5 more minutes, until desired doneness. If thick cut steak, hold with tongs and briefly sear edges of steak until browned. Transfer steak to plate and tent with aluminum foil. Meanwhile add mushrooms and 1/2 of butter to skillet. Cook until just softened, 3-4 minutes. Add porter and turn heat to high. Cook, stirring often, until liquid is reduced by 2/3. Add honey and remaining butter and stir to incorporate. Slice steak into 1/2″ thick slices against the grain, spoon mushrooms over steak, and drizzle sauce over mushrooms.
Tags: bob dylan bootleg series, comfort food