Suggestions for boozey-food dinner party.

[ChillWill]

Ok, so me and a few friends are doing a take it in turn dinner party type thing, and my theme (not that we specifically need themes) is to incorporate some form of alcohol into every dish (being a home brewer, what else was I going to do!). So far I've got:

Starter: No idea.

Main: Pork Loin stuffed with bramley apples with hefe-wizen mashed potatoes, cider braised/sautéed/caramalised red cabbage, some form of green veg and cider gravy.

Dessert: Chocolate & chili pudding with a chocolate stout sauce.

Still very much in the ideas floating around phase so ANY suggestions you've got would be appreciated (even if it's criticism of things like the hefe-wizen mash pairing with cider gravy... maybe I could do bramley apple mashed potatoes).

I don't think I'll be pairing beer with these as half of the guests are girls, and I know one doesn't like beer and I don't want her left out (or reluctantly drinking my lovingly crafted home brew just to fit in!).

 

[Wakadaka]

http://www.easypizzacrusts.com/bpc.html

I have been meaning to make that for a while. Could make it into some sort of appetizer. And I would reconsider the pairing idea. At least have a recommendation on what would go well with each. Properly matched food tends to bring out the flavor of a beer

 

[ChillWill]

I've hosted beer pairing events before and love doing them and I will have some homebrew on hand with ideas as to what to pair it with (got a nice oaked bitter for the main and Belgian dry stout for dessert for example). However I won't officially be pairing these as not to leave people out... nothing like going to a dinner party and feeling alienated.

Pizza with beer crust would probably be fine, but it doesn't really fit in with the food I'm doing, I'm after a starter that's pretty light.... but not a salad. Hmmm beer battered asparagus? I know beer batter isn't particularly light, but the thought just popped into my head.

 

[Kittyfeet]

Appetizer: (I haven't tried any of the recipes, just did a quick search)
if you like eating sea creatures:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/coquilles-st-jaques/detail.aspx

if you like mushrooms:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/savory-crab-stuffed-mushrooms/detail.aspx

fondue:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/wine-fondue/detail.aspx

if you like cheese spread:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blue-cheese-port-and-walnut-spread-2/detail.aspx

salad: could have some type of red wine vinegar dressing

Dessert:
Rum balls
Irish Car Bomb cupcakes
linky: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/

Pears/peaches soaked in some type of liqueur. there are probably tons of recipes out there.

for a boozy name, there's margarita pizza.

Tell us what you settled on when the time comes!

 

[gratus fermentatio]

It may be a bit cliche, but how about beer battered fish fingers or shrimp as an appitizer?
I've made a marinade/glaze using reduced porter & berries, usually huckleberries or blue berries that works well with shrimp kabobs.
How about crimini and/or morel mushrooms in a champagne sauce to go with the pork?
Maybe ginger/whiskey glazed baby carrots, or spent grain bread?
Brown ale, porter or even stout makes a nice little sauce when combined with soy sauce & maybe a dash of liquid smoke, though I'll bet you could get nice results by using a smoked porter or rauchbier instead. Reduced with some onion and/or garlic it goes well with meat or green veggies like brussels sprouts or broccoli.
Regards, GF.

 

[ChillWill]

Thanks for the replies! Keep them coming.

I like the idea of the reduced smoked porter on broccoli. However smoked porter is impossible to get in the UK lol. Maybe I could use a stout. The main problem would be having it on a plate with cider gravy.

Maybe I could do garlic fried mushrooms in white wine and cream sauce, that would go with the mash and instead of cider gravy do more of a cider reduction just to drizzle on the pork?

Getting there... still struggling with the starter though... plenty of ideas, but the problem is finding something that'll precede a pork entree well.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

The cider reduction drizzled on pork sounds like an absolute winner!
As for a starter, hhhmmmm...
I've heard of beer soup(s), but I've never tried one; besides, if there are people who don't like beer, it could be a bit awkward. Maybe a sort of tomato/red wine bisque & soda bread? Tho that could be rough on the palate when followed up with something in a white wine sauce.

Maybe artichokes steamed in white wine & served with drawn/herbed butter for a starter? A little garlic & fresh rosemary would go well in the butter. I know you've got your dessert planned, but I just remembered that somebody on this forum once made a kriek lambic sorbet, I think that sounds pretty darned good. Found it:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f56/lambic-sorbet-126774/

That's all I got for now but I'll keep thinking. Regards, GF.

 

[jd3]

I've hosted beer pairing events before and love doing them and I will have some homebrew on hand with ideas as to what to pair it with (got a nice oaked bitter for the main and Belgian dry stout for dessert for example). However I won't officially be pairing these as not to leave people out... nothing like going to a dinner party and feeling alienated.

Pizza with beer crust would probably be fine, but it doesn't really fit in with the food I'm doing, I'm after a starter that's pretty light.... but not a salad. Hmmm beer battered asparagus? I know beer batter isn't particularly light, but the thought just popped into my head.

beer battered asparagus is nummy.

LIghten it up by making a light dipping sauce. Though little makes me happier than the sauces like Sweet Baby Ray's dippin sauce or Famous Dave's Fry Sauce.

THe "dippin Sauce" is pretty light, but tangy. You can find lots of recipes for similar sauces.

 

[ChillWill]

We used to do a beer soup where I worked in the states. It was awful. Vegetables with loads of cheese melted in and London pride pail ale. Far too sickly.

A friend who is a pretty good chef recommended king prawns in a butter and pernod sauce, might look into that a bit more... as I've forgotten what pernod is.

The red wine and tomato bisque sounds good as well.

Lambic sorbet sounds tasty, bet it's very refreshing, maybe I could do it as a pallet cleanser between entree and dessert?

 

[ChillWill]

I think I'm going to give the asparagus a miss... I'd probably just burn the house down with the oil on gas stove top.

Unless I did some just in A white wine and butter sauce?

 

[ChillWill]

Ok, so here's what I've come up with..... don't have anything on hand to pair the starter with, maybe just use some cocktails or something that guests will be supplied with when they arrive... maybe even use some left over white wine to make spritzers with (but do them quite weak as not to make it strange drinking the beer with the main & dessert).

Starter: Garlic mushrooms in a white wine and cream sauce

Main: Bramley apple stuffed pork loin with a cider reduction, Hefe-weizen mashed potatoes, cider braised red cabbage and garden peas
Paired with: Oak aged bitter

Dessert: Chocolate, chilli & stout cake with a chocolate & stout sauce
Paired with: Belgian dry stout

 

[remilard]

I like tartar with a bit of shallot macerated in lemon juice and bourbon.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

For your app I would do steamed mussels or scallops (or both?) in a creamy white wine sauce with garlic and shallots.

mmmmmmm.

 

[ChillWill]

I did contemplate wheat beer steamed muscles but we're meant to be sticking to a budget that I'm pushing already (and cheating a little by using home brew).

On another note, I tried my Belgian dry stout yesterday which used cold steeped roast barley and choc malt and wlp550, has come out really well, very smooth and dry with good flavour. Not as much yeast profile as I wanted though. Will see how it ages as it's only 2.5 weeks in bottle so far.