Cookin’ W/Booze
COOKING with BEER Photo courtesy Old Kan
ONE MORE REASON TO KEEP COLD ONES ON HAND IN THE FRIDGE WARMER DAYS herald the season of crisp, cold beers—and that means for cooking too. But latesummer cooking with beer means more than simply beer-can chicken, especially if you examine the profile of the beer you want to cook with. So, before you start planning your menu, have a beer. At Oakland’s Old Kan brewery (www.old-kan. com), chef Raiden Brenner breaks down a beer into basic characteristics: how malty, hoppy, and fizzy the brew is. Easy to overlook, the carbonation of a beer is an important trait, since it contributes tartness from the dissolved carbon dioxide in the form of carbonic acid. All of those traits help Brenner decide what type of dishes will benefit most from that particular beer. “Beers with more malt character lend themselves to soups, braises, brines, and marinades,” says Brenner. “Hops, you gotta be careful with. The bitterness will only increase with reduction so steer away from braises and stews. Instead, lean into sweet for balance. Like a dry-hopped honey mustard.” For this time of year, chef Brenner is all about the Àokèlán (the English trans-literation of the Chinese word for “Oakland”), an Asian-style rice lager made by Old Kan with local California malts and rice, very lightly hopped, and designed to be crisp and refreshing. Brenner utilizes the high carbonation and clean flavor of the Àokèlán for his fried pickle batter, since the “bubbles keep the structure of the fry batter light, and the acidity helps balance out the fat flavor of deep frying.” — By Lou Bustamante Chef Raiden Brenner, Old Kan Brewery
AOKELAN FRIED PICKLES Ingredients:
Malted Mayo
1 lb. pickled cucumbers, sliced into 1/4” coins 1-½ C all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 4 Tbs cornstarch 1-¾ C Aokelan beer (or similar style) Fresh herbs, chopped Malted mayo* (see separate recipe)
2 oz. malt vinegar 1 lb. fresh malted barley, whole 1 qt. canola oil 1 whole egg Salt to taste
Slice the cucumber pickles into 1/4” coins (coin cuts give a superior crispy batter to hot pickle ratio). Make the batter by whisking together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and beer. Dip in the pickles in the batter and fry at 375 °F, until crispy on the outside. Toss with a little salt and fresh herbs and serve with malted mayo.
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In a pot over medium heat, cook the malt and oil until the grains become aromatic. Remove the mixture from the heat, cover, and store at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain the oil and discard the grains. In a blender, add the egg and malt vinegar, and blend until frothy. In a slow, steady stream, add all of the reserved oil to the blender. If the mayo becomes too thick, add a little water to loosen up the mixture. Season with salt to taste.
November 14 is national pickle day.
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