To accompany the resulting dishes, the best option is the beer with which it is made, because it will guarantee a harmony of flavours related to each sip and each bite.
Pitu de caleya in stout
For those who don't know, the pitu de caleya is what a free range chicken is called in Asturias. We are talking about animals whose breeding is prolonged, are fed with grain and other natural nutrients. Due to its breeding, the pitu de caleya’s meat is darker than the usual chicken, and it is also tougher and, certainly, tastier.
Ingredients and elaboration
- A pitu de caleya (or, failing that, a free-range chicken) between 3 and 4 kilos
- 3 medium-sized sweet onions
- 1 green pepper
- A head of garlic
- Olive oil
- 50 cl stout
- ½ litre of meat stock
- Salt
Season the chicken with salt, crush half of the garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle and spread the chicken pieces with the garlic. Place them in a recipient together with the beer. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours.
Now prepare a sauté with oil, finely sliced onion, sliced garlic cloves and chopped pepper. While all this is sautéing, drain the chicken pieces and brown them in the pan with a little oil and set them aside.
When the onion and pepper are well cooked, add the chicken, stir for a few minutes and, last of all, add the beer and cook on high heat until it boils. Then lower the heat, add the previously heated dark meat stock and leave to cook over a low heat for not less than 2 hours.
At the end of this time, you can check the dish by pricking a piece of chicken to see if it is ready to eat and if not, continue with the cooking, adding water if the stock is significantly reduced.
Serve with chips and accompany it with the same beer.
Birramisú
A version of the classic tiramisù with stout instead of coffee.
Ingredients and preparation
- 20 sponge fingers
- 33 cl stout
- 250 gr mascarpone cheese
- 4 eggs
- 8 spoonfuls of brown sugar
- Madagascar vanilla
- Powdered cocoa
- A pinch of salt
Separate the yolks and beat the whites until stiff, adding a pinch of salt. Now do the same with the yolks, 4 spoonfuls of sugar and a hint of Madagascar vanilla to taste, until you get an even texture.
Finally beat the mascarpone cheese with the rest of the sugar and add it first to the yolk mixture and then to the white mixture. When everything is well blended, put it in the fridge.
Now fill a tiramisù mould (it can be any sufficiently large rectangular piece of Tupperware) placing a layer of the cream, followed by the sponges, which will have been previously soaked in stout, and then another layer of cream.
Sprinkle cocoa powder on top, cover with clingfilm taking care not to touch the top of the dessert and leave it in the fridge for 3 or 4 hours before serving.
Have it with the same dark beer used in the preparation.
Chocolate ice cream and stout
A simpler recipe than it seems and one you are sure to want to repeat.
Ingredients and preparation
- 600 ml of liquid whipping cream (better if it has 35% or more fat content)
- 250 gr condensed milk
- 33 cl stout
- A few drops of vanilla essence
The first step is to whip the cream. For this you will need a recipient and a whisk. If you put both of these in the fridge a few minutes before, the whipping will be a sure success.
Start by patiently whipping until stiff or, on turning the recipient upside down, the cream does not fall out. It is just as important to whip enough as not to whip too much.
In another bowl, put the beer, condensed milk and vanilla and mix.
Then mix everything together and stir with circular movements to get a smooth mix. Cover with cling film and put in the freezer for at least 5 hours.
At the end of this time, you can take it out and serve it.
Cheers!
Julio Cerezo - Beer Sommelier
Director of Sabeer Academia de la Cerveza
