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
