Beer: Way beyond pizza and hot dogs

Pork Schnitzel With Grilled Vidalia Onion Salad, Peanuts and Parsley

4 servings

Hands on: 40 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Chef Shaun Doty features this take on Austrian or German schnitzel on the menu at his restaurant, Shaun’s. Prepared with flavorful Berkshire pork (available at specialty markets), breaded and lightly fried and topped with a salad that combines the flavors of Vidalia onions and peanuts, it’s perfect fall seasonal fare, worthy of Oktoberfest celebrations or a simple weekend supper.

Pair with a hearty, malty Oktoberfest, marzen or biere de garde.

For the onion salad:

2 Vidalia onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the pork schnitzel:

1 pound pork tenderloin

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

2 lemons, sliced into wedges

To prepare the onion salad: Preheat a grill to high. Skewer onion rings and blanch in boiling, salted water for about 3 minutes. Remove, brush onions with olive oil and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly charred, but still somewhat crisp. Coarsely chop onions and place in a bowl. Add cheese, parsley and peanut oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Top with peanuts and reserve.

To prepare the pork: Cut pork into 4 (4-ounce) portions. Pound to scaloppine (thin cutlets) about 1/4-inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dust with flour, coat with egg and dredge in panko until thoroughly coated.

In a preheated large skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil and brown pork on each side until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You will probably have to do this in 2 or more batches. Keep pork warm while cooking remaining schnitzels, adding remaining oil as necessary.

Divide the pork schnitzels onto pre-warmed plates. Divide onion salad equally atop schnitzels. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

Per serving: 618 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 39 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 36 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 188 milligrams cholesterol, 475 milligrams sodium.

Belgian-style Mussels With Wheat Beer

4-6 servings

Hands on: 30 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Belgian-style steamed mussels may be the classic example of beer cuisine. Nowadays, almost every gastropub worthy of the name has some variation on the menu. Taco Mac executive chef Matt Deckard mixes aromatic fennel, onion and garlic with the coriander and orange-infused flavors of Hummer Belgian-style wheat beer from Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing Co. The final addition of heavy cream gives the dish a silky, decadent finish. Pair with a crisp, light wheat beer, saison or pilsner-style lager.

Serve in bowls with a slice of grilled sourdough bread.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 bottles Sweetwater Hummer or other wheat beer

1 cup white wine

Juice of 2 lemons

2 pounds fresh mussels, washed, beards removed

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add oil. Saute fennel and onion until very soft. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add beer, wine and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add mussels and continue cooking until all mussels open (you can cover the pan if the mussels aren’t opening). Add heavy cream and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Per serving (based on 4): 588 calories (percent of calories from fat, 58), 30 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 34 grams fat (15 grams saturated), 148 milligrams cholesterol, 714 milligrams sodium.

Barleywine Sweet Potato Flan

6 servings

Hands on: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling time

“This recipe is great in the fall when we have such great local, organic sweet potatoes,” says David Larkworthy, Five Seasons Brewing Co. chef. Working closely with brewer Crawford Moran, Larkworthy often incorporates beer into his recipes. In this case, it’s a strong ale called barleywine, which he likes for its great balance of sweetness and bitterness and intense caramel flavors from roasted malts. Of course, flan is also known for its sweetness and caramel flavors. Pair with a vintage barleywine or dark, rich imperial stout.

This dessert isn’t the eggy custard that many people associate with flan. It has more of a pie-filling texture but is served like a flan with a caramel sauce. Microwaving the potatoes saves a lot of time, but you can also bake them.

1 teaspoon butter

2 medium sweet potatoes, preferably organic

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup (5 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup (2 ounces) barleywine

1 small pinch lemon zest

1 small pinch orange zest

1 small pinch cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 pinch kosher salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a baking dish, about 7 inches in diameter, and set aside.

Cook, cool and peel potatoes. Pass the flesh through a strainer to remove any strings. You should have 1 cup of puree. Place the sweet potato puree in a bowl. Mix in the egg, stirring well to combine. Add the condensed milk and barleywine. Add lemon and orange zests and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and water, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring frequently with a high-heat spatula or whisk, for 10 to 15 minutes, until it turns a reddish, nearly mahogany, color. Watch carefully; once the mixture starts to color, it will deepen quickly. Add kosher salt. Pour into the buttered pan in an even layer. Be careful, it will be very hot. Top with the sweet potato mixture, smooth the top and place in a baking pan large enough to fit the baking dish. Fill the baking pan with water until it comes up to about 1/4 to 1/2 of the baking dish.

Bake for 15 minutes and then rotate the flan to ensure even baking. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just set and no longer make waves like a liquid. Carefully remove from water bath (using oven mitts being careful not to get water on the flan). Cool to room temperature.

To serve, place a plate on top of the flan pan. Carefully and quickly flip the pan upside down so the flan is on the plate with the caramel sauce around it. Don’t be concerned if some of the sauce sticks to the pan.

Per serving: 211 calories (percent of calories from fat, 16), 4 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 45 milligrams cholesterol, 80 milligrams sodium.