Cape Grim Steak and Beernaise matched with Stone and Wood Jasper Ale

Kris: It’s nearing the end of another Tasmanian winter and the Stone and Wood Jasper Ale was a great beer to savour on a mild day in Hobart. It is based on the German Altbier style and I thought I would match it with a steak dish with beernaise sauce, which turned out to be an amazing lunch enjoyed in the winter sun. The Jasper Ale has a slightly sweet, nutty malt character and complimented the char grilled steak and the earthy character of the mushrooms.

Kris: Bearnaise sauce is one of the classic french sauces, quite similar to hollandaise, seasoned with peppercorns, tarragon, chervil and shallots. Instead of using a reduction of white wine and white wine vinegar, I opted to use some Cantillion 100% Bio Lambic, a sour barrel aged belgian beer. I actually think I enjoy the flavour of beernaise as opposed to the classic bearnaise sauce made with wine and vinegar.

Beernaise Sauce

 120ml Lambic beer

 8 peppercorns

 2 peeled eschalots

 2tbs fresh chopped tarragon

 2 tbs fresh chopped chervil

 2 egg yolks

 140 g butter (cubed)

 salt and pepper

 extra fresh tarragon

Method

Lightly crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pessle

Finely chop the eschalots

Place the eschalots, peppercorns, chopped herbs amd lambic beer in a small saucepan

Bring the liquid to the boil and reduce by half 

Remove from heat and strain

Place a stainless steel bowl over a half filled sauce pan

(Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl or the sauce will overcook)

Bring the water to a slow simmer 

Add the strained liquid and the 2 egg yolks to the bowl

Whisk continually for 5 minutes

Begin adding the butter one cube at a time

(Make sure you don’t add the butter too quickly)

Keep adding the butter and whisking until you have a creamy sauce

Remove from the heat and stir in some extra finely chopped tarragon

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Kris: To compliment the Cape Grim steak and beernaise, I made a parsnip and cannellini bean puree and some beer braised onion and huon valley shitake mushrooms. I also kept the parsnip peels to deep fry and use as a crunchy garnish.

Parsnip and Cannellini Bean Puree

3 parsnips

 1/2 can of organic cannellini beans

30g butter

salt and pepper 

Method

Place the peeled and chopped parsnips in a saucepan of salted water

Cook until soft

Drain and place back in the saucepan

Add the cannellini beans and butter to the saucepan

Blend until smooth 

Season with salt and pepper

Beer braised Onions and Shitake Mushrooms

1/2 brown onion finely sliced

250g shitake mushrooms

60ml Stone and Wood Jasper Ale

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh parsley

Method

Fry off the onion in some olive oil over a medium heat until translucent

Add the mushrooms and the beer

Cook for 3-4 minutes and add some fresh chopped parsley

Season with salt and pepper

Plating Up

Place some of the Parsnip and bean puree  on the plate

Stack some of the onions and mushrooms on top of the puree

Place the steak (cooked medium on top of the mushrooms and onions)

Pour over some of the beernaise sauce

Garnish with fried parsnip chips and parsley

Scallops, Minted Peas and Beer Blanc matched with Mountain Goat Steam Ale

Kris: Nothing like a weekend away in the big city. I can’t go to Melbourne without visiting the Queen Victoria Markets. An amazing selection of fresh produce, cured meats, cheese, beer, wine and seafood. I thought it would be a great idea to cook dinner using Victorian produce, matched with some Victorian craft beer.

The entree I decided to create was Pan fried scallops, minted peas and beer blanc (Beurre Blanc is a classic french butter sauce, made with a reduction of white wine and vinegar. I decided to do my own version using a reduction of Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene, a classic Belgian Gueuze. It is a funky, sour blend of 1,2 and 3 year old barrel aged lambic)

Caroline: One of my favorite things about Melbourne is the Queen Victoria Markets! SO much fresh produce, so many spices, so much cheese, wine, seafood, and meats! If I died and went to heaven, I think it would be Queen Vic. Luckily We stayed with a friend who lived right by the markets and scored a ton of great snacks…

Scallops, Minted Peas and Beer Blanc

400g scallops

300g peas

10 finely sliced mint leaves

olive oil

180ml Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene Gueuze

2 peeled eschalots

5-6 pepper corns

180g chilled butter

1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

Method

Kris: This sauce can be a little intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. The key is to make sure the butter is really chilled and you add it in small amounts so that it emulsifies and doesn’t split.

Beer Blanc

Place the beer in a saucepan over a medium heat and reduce by half

Add the eschalots and pepper corns

After a few minutes, slowly add small cubes of the chilled butter and whisk

After all the butter has been added, simmer until the sauce thickens

Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste

Steam the peas for 5 minutes until tender

Add the peas and mint to a mortar and pestle

Add some olive oil and mash

Season with salt and pepper

Heat a frying pan to smoking point

Add a small amount of olive oil and sear the scallops for a couple of minutes each side

Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper

Place the minted peas on the plate 

Place the scallops on top of the peas

Spoon over the Beer Blanc

 

Caroline: The scallops were so soft and tender, perfectly cooked, and the mint added so much freshness and lightness to the mashed peas! and Beurre blanc (beer-blanc) how can you go wrong?? Such a delicious dish, rich and still light and summery.

Kris: I have been thinking about making the Beer Blanc for quite a while now. It was a great success. The dish was also a great match with the Mountain Goat Steam Ale. It is a great interpretation of the Californian Common, an ale brewed at a low temperature. It is clean and crisp with a nice touch of citrus hop flavour and aroma.

Caroline: Matching our Melbournian dinner with a Melbournian beer seemed only natural, and Mountain Goat is one of our favorites! If only we had been in town on a Wednesday or Friday to go down to the brewery for brewskies and pizza! We drank the Steam Ale with our seafood dish. The Steam Ale is not only certified organic, but is also really delicious! Clean, crisp and refeshing; a perfect match for seafood.