FOOD REVIEWS

FOOD REVIEWS WHEN BEER MEETS CUISINE COOKING WITH BEER IS BECOMING EVER MORE POPULAR

cooking with beer or drinking alongside Without a doubt, a traditional South African braai is always on the cards. While wine is commonly used in cooking, either in a marinade or as an ingredient, cooking and pairing food with beer is a trend which is gaining traction as interest in the beverage accompaniment to food with its many flavours and textures. Celebrity Chef and Master Chef judge, Pete Goffe-Wood, says beer is an exciting pairing partner. “It works beautifully with food on a number of levels – everything from a flavour perspective all the way to the cleansing mouth feel.” The common rule when pairing beer with food (whether a dish), is to look for common flavours between the two. For example, light beers should be cooked with light food flavours, heavy with heavy. To help you along your way, The South African Breweries (SAB) and established South African foodies have some tried and tested beer recipes for you. continues to grow. Beer is an excellent

CARAMELISED BUTTERNUT & GOATS’ CHEESE ROTOLO, CRISP SAGE & PINE NUTS (Serves 8) Recipe by food alchemist Pete Goffe-Wood (“A Life Digested”, 2014, page 170), paired with Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Ingredients:

• 2 kg butternut, peeled • 1 tbsp nutmeg • 2 tbsp cinnamon • 50g soft brown sugar • 100g butter • 1 egg • 1 log chevin goat’s milk cheese • 1 cup Parmesan • 3 x 100g fresh pasta sheets • 1 x egg white • Extra virgin olive oil • ½ cup pine nuts • 1 cup sage leaves • 20g rocket • Butter

Method:

Cut butternut it into large chunks and place it in a roasting tray. Season with spices, sugar, salt and pepper and dab with butter. Bake in a hot oven (200˚C) until the butternut has cooked and is caramelised. Put cooked butternut in a bowl and add the egg, crumbled goat’s cheese and half a cup grated parmesan and seasoning. Lay one pasta sheet on top of a clean tea towel. Brush the bottom long edge with egg white. Lay another pasta sheet along that edge so that they just overlap (about 2cm). Repeat this process with a third piece of pasta. You should end up with a large rectangle. Spread the butternut mix evenly over the paste, leaving a 2cm gap the length of the edge nearest you. Brush this with egg white. Using the tea towel, roll up the pasta towards you into a neat roulade, enclosed in the tea towel. Tie each end of the rotolo tightly with string and place in a rectangular bainmarie 9it should fit in the bath with ease), filled with boiling water. Poach the rotolo for 40 minutes, turning it after 20 minutes to make sure it cooks evenly. Remove from the water and leave to cool. Remove the tea towel or it will stick to and tear the pasta. When the rotolo is cooled, brush with olive oil and refrigerated. To serve, cut the rotolo into thick slices, bruh with butter and warm in a pan or under a grill until golen brown. Heat a little butter in a pan, add the pine nuts and sage leaves and fry until the sage is crisp and the pine nuts are golden brown. Spoon this garnish over the rotolo. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan and some rocket leaves dressed with olive oil.

BEER INFUSED FRUIT LOAF RECIPE (Serves 8) Recipe by The Star Angela Day (www.angeladay.co.za)

Ingredients:

• 500g mixed cake fruit • 440ml can of Flying Fish Crushed

Orange flavoured beer • 60ml orange juice • 10ml orange rind • 80ml oil • 2 extra-large eggs • 375ml brown sugar • 4 x 250 ml flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Method:

Soak fruit in the beer overnight or for at least 5 hours. Combine mixture in a large bowl. Add orange juice and rind, oil, eggs and sugar. Sift in the rest of the flour and mix well. Spoon the mixture into two 20 x 10cm loaf tins Bake at 160 ° C for 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean when tested. Remove the loaves from the tins and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy your fruit loaf with a cup of tea, or paired with a Flying Fish!

T-BONE WITH MUSTARD AND SUNDRIED TOMATO BUTTER (Serves 8) Recipe by The Star Angela Day (www.angeladay.co.za)

Ingredients: Method:

• T-Bone steaks (make sure they are Cover the steaks with marinade and thick cut with a healthy portion of refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Make sure all meat on the fillet side) the steaks are well covered. We find a re• Castle Steakhouse Marinade sealable zip-loc bag works best for this. • Castle Braai Shaker Just add all the steaks and marinade and • Sea Salt and freshly ground Black shake well.

Pepper • Flavoured Butter* Another recipe by The Star Angela Day (www.angeladay.co.za) BEER-COOKED SWEET AND STICKY PULLED PORK

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 2kg pieces of pork neck • 30 ml paprika • 30ml brown sugar • 30 ml ground cumin • 10ml salt • 5ml pepper • 2 green apples, sliced • 2 onions, sliced • 440ml Carling Black Label • 500 ml bought barbeque sauce

Method:

Mix all the spices together and rub into the pork. Leave for a few hours, or, even better, overnight. Place the apples and onions in the base of the slow cooker and then place the pork on top. Pour the beer over the meat, making sure it is all covered. Cook for 8 – 10 hours in the slow cooker. Remove the meat from the pot and shred it, containing it in an oven proof dish. Pour the barbeque sauce over the shredded meat, cover with foil and place in the oven at 180° until it’s heated through. Serve on a hot, fresh bread roll with a chilled glass of Carling Black Label.