Pairing Beer With Food

Beer writer and judge John Holl traveled around the country to gather more than 150 recipes from America's best breweries and beer-centric restaurants. The result is "The American Craft Beer Cookbook — 155 recipes from you favorite Brewpubs and Breweries."

John Holl, beer journalist

Salsa Fresca

11/2 cups seeded and diced plum tomatoes

1/4  cup diced yellow onion

1/4  cup seeded and finely diced jalapeño peppers

1/4  cup lime juice

2  tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Arrogant Bastard Ale Battered Avocados

2  cups Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale, chilled

3/4  teaspoon Cajun spice blend

1/2  teaspoon ground dried chipotle chiles

1/2  teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2  teaspoon kosher salt

1/2  teaspoon smoked paprika

1  cup all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

41/2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and quartered

2  cups panko breadcrumbs

Salt

Tacos

1  cup Stone Levitation Ale BBQ Sauce, or similar barbecue sauce

18  small corn tortillas

1  cup grated Asiago cheese

Microgreens or chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Make the salsa fresca: Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, lime juice, and cilantro in a bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days to allow the flavors to mingle.

Make the batter: Pour the ale into a narrow high-sided container. Stir in the Cajun spice blend, chiles, garlic, salt, and paprika.

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl, then add them to the beer mixture slowly, whisking well until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Add more flour if necessary to create a tempura-style batter for coating the avocados. Set the batter aside

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Prepare a deep fryer or pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a deep cast iron or heavy pot that is at least 4 inches deep. Heat the oil to 360°F. Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish.

Use tongs to grab the avocado quarters and dunk them in the prepared batter. Shake off any excess and roll the avocados in the breadcrumbs to coat all sides. Fry the avocados in batches until golden brown, 1 to 21/2 minutes each. (Do not overcrowd the pot, as this will lower the temperature of the oil significantly.)

Transfer the cooked avocados to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Season with a sprinkling of salt and keep them in the oven until the entire batch is ready.

Assemble the tacos: Heat the barbecue sauce in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Warm the tortillas on a griddle or in the oven, if desired.

Place one avocado quarter on each of the tortillas. Top each avocado with the warm barbecue sauce, salsa, cheese, and microgreens. Serve immediately.
Makes 6–8 servings

2  (12-ounce) bottles Alaskan Amber, or similar beer, or 13/4 cups fruity, non-tannic pinot noir

3  garlic cloves, minced

3  tablespoons grated ginger

2  cups cranberry sauce (preferably homemade)

11/2 cups pomegranate juice

1/4  cup dark soy sauce

6  pounds whole black cod (sablefish), cut into 8 to 10 fillets

1/2  cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1  cup granulated sugar

Bring the beer to a light simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Do not boil. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 1 hour. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool completely.

Mix the garlic, ginger, cranberry sauce, pomegranate juice, and soy sauce into the reduced beer. Place the cod in a baking dish or roasting pan and cover with the sauce. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Uncover the cod and braise for at least 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes and taking care not to overcook it.

Combine the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the cod on a large serving plate and sprinkle each fillet with a fine layer of the sugar mixture. With a kitchen blowtorch, melt the sugar until it forms a crispy topping. Serve immediately.
Makes 8–10 servings