Blue Moon Recipe: Honey Glazed BBQ Chicken Wings

I love chicken wings. A lot of people love chicken wings. One of America's biggest food debates is over chicken wings.  Traditionally, these suckers are fried, then tossed in a Louisiana style hot sauce.  I decided to twist this up a bit for a Blue Moon summer grilling recipe.  First I took the wings and let them soak in a mixture of Summer Honey Wheat Ale, honey, fresh squeezed orange, and some orange zest.  Separately in a sauce pan, I added half a bottle of the Summer Honey Wheat Ale, a good amount of Franks Red Hot, Honey, and fresh squeeze orange. I let this simmer and reduce until it became a glaze.

The wings then went on the BBQ.  Basting every now and then with the marinade, the wings cooked until nicely caramelized.  Once finished, they were thrown into the glaze on the stove and coated.  

I'm not trying to stir any big debates, but these wings were incredible.  The BBQ added a wonderful char and flavor. The sauce was perfectly spicy and sweet.  My friends and I ended up licking the plate!  This all was also accompanied by a very simple roasted corn salad, which added nice balance to the wings.  

Get those grills ready and impress your friends with this one!

Summer Honey Ale Glazed Chicken Wings
12 Chicken Wings
1 Bottle Summer Honey Wheat Ale
1/4 cup of Clover Honey
2 tbsp Hot Sauce (Im using Franks red hot, any hot suace will do. Add more if you like it spicy)
Orange peel
1 tsp White Pepper
salt


Roasted Summer Corn & Arugula Salad

4 cobs of corn
1 shallot, diced
1 lemon, juice & zest
1tsp honey
1 bunch of Baby Arugula
1 Handful of Flat Leaf Parsley
3 Tbsp Extra Vigin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Lentil soup with BACON.

I don't think I have ever had left over lentils in my fridge to date. So, I took the opportunity to try out a soup... it was screaming split pea. The nice thing was that the lentils were already cooked, so this was a very fast meal to make.  I started by cooking bacon. I mean, really, why wouldn't I?  After my 2 strips were nicely crisped, i drained the fat, then added the lentils into the pan and began the re-heating process.  Once bubbling, I added some home made chicken stock and let the soup hangout for a bit.  Eventually I took a stick blender to it with just a touch of cream.  Ready to serve, garnished with parsley, Parmesan, and some big chunks of bacon.  

The soup was delicious, and perfect for a cold foggy SF day.  Easy tip, leftovers make a great and easy soup. Just add stock!

Blue Moon Recipe: Summer Honey Ale Brined Pork Chops

In this latest edition of the Blue Moon Recipe development, the task was summer grilling and the beer was Blue Moon's Summer Honey Ale.  Brining has become very popular in lots of restaurants, and is a great way to treat pork.  I took this idea and added the Summer Honey Ale to my brine along with a handful of other classic brining ingredients.  The bone-in pork chops sat overnight and acquired all those lovely flavors.  To accompany, I used some more of the beer to make a Mustard Ale sauce. A light gravy which added a great compliment to the pork.  

The pork chops turned out awesome.  Moist and juicy, there was plenty of drippings on everyone's chin.  I served these up with some classic mashed potatoes, cut with some Ricotta cheese, and a take on "apple sauce," which was caramelized onions and sauteed apples with some spices. This dish is very easy to execute, and very delicious.  Don't forget to enjoy with a Summer Honey Ale!

Summer Honey Ale Brined Pork Chops & Mustard Ale Sauce

Brine:
4 Bone in Pork Chops (the thicker the better, boneless works as well)
1 bottle Summer Honey Wheat Ale
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Clover Honey
1 Orange, squeezed & rind added
1/4 cup Kosher Salt
2 cups water

Sauce:
1/2 bottle of Summer Honey Wheat Ale
2 Tbsp Honey
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Salt

Scallops, Steak, Scotch and a 30th Birthday.

 It's pretty flattering when your friend decides he'd rather eat at your house than go out to a nice dinner in SF. So, for my friend Chris' birthday, we put together a feast of great ingredients, a comprehensive menu, and lots and lots of wine.  

The request was surf & turf. Scallops mainly, and then whatever to follow. So, I decided to try something new, something old, and create a well balanced meal.  A small lightening bolt struck when discussing the scallops; lentils.  I have had a protein served on top of lentils before and absolutely loved it. I thought, why not seafood? The idea was a riff on bacon & scallops.  Using plenty of bacon in the lentil cooking process, as well as finishing it with some crispy bacon bits. The scallops were lightly pan seared in some coconut oil, along with some beautiful U-15 white shrimp. The dish turned out great. A lot of cleaned plates, and a few "are there more scallops?" 

The second dish was some beautiful bone-in NY steaks I did florentine style, accompanied by my 'Itallian Chimichurri.'  The steaks required very little seasoning since they were of such high quality.  Salt, pepper, olive oil, and a bit of the chimichurri sauce, they were grilled to medium rare. The chimichurri uses white balsamic, instead of red wine vinegar, and basil instead of mint.  I also added a squeeze of fresh lemon to keep it very acidic.  The steaks were served on top of watercress and topped with some crispy shallots.  A fabulous compliment to the scallops, and great with all the amazing red wine at the table.  

And finally, a shout out to the guests.  It's not often that people are featured on the blog, but I'm taking this moment to thank the frequent test eaters & guests of Kellan's Kitchen.  We may have had a few too many glasses of scotch in addition to the wine, so let this be a disclaimer for the blurry photos.  Big thanks to Chris, Cara, Keith, April, Matt, Anna, Darcy, Kristy, and Christina!!

 Matt & Anna, and a bottle of scotch in the foreground.

 April & Keith lookin' sassy.

  

Christina posin'

 Darcy at a 7.

Cara drinking Chris' scotch.

Blue Moon Recipe: Harvest Ale Braised Short Ribs

The Harvest Ale from Blue Moon is a very seasonal selection with lots of bold spices such as cloves, alspice, and nutmeg.  The dish I created for this beer definitely warms the belly.  It was nuking snow outside, a fire roaring, and the house needed some pleasant aromas.  

Braised short ribs immediatley came to my mind with this beer.  The braising liquid was created using the Harvest ale, spices, and some aromatics.  Combined with some hearty root vegetables, this dish would certainly fill all requirements for a snowy, stay at home evening.  

The ribs braised for about 2 hours, but could have easily gone longer if you have the time and patience.  The meet was tender, the yams and leeks melted in your mouth. And the house smelled of all the spices that had been simmering away for the past few hours.  A delicious warm meal that also warms the soul.  Keep this one for those cold nights!


Harvest Ale Braised Beef Short Ribs

4-8 Beef Short Ribs
2 Bottles of Harvest Ale
1 Large Leek - large chopped
1 Carrot - large chopped
2-3 yams - peeled and quartered
6 Cloves
1 tbsp Ground Allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1/2 cup apple Cider Vinegar
3-4 tbsp honey (possibly molasses)
Salt
Pepper
 

Blue Moon Recipe: Belgian White Beer Can Chicken

This is a fun recipe.  And also one of, if not the best whole roasted chicken I've made AND had (that includes you, Zuni chicken).  The idea came from the summer grilling direction.  The beer can chicken recipe is very easy, and very delicious.  The only trick is you need to keep an eye on the chicken during the first 10-15 min so it doesnt fall, or catch fire.  

The method of cooking, and combination of aromatic spices produces an incredibly moist, and delicious chicken.  The Belgian White is perfect for this recipe because of the subtle spices and hint of citrus. Just writing about this is making my mouth water! Try this recipe this summer!!

Blue Moon Belgian White Beer Can Chicken

1 (4-pound) whole chicken
1 can Blue Moon Belgian White beer
Orange Rind
1 tsp coriander seeds
5 Cloves
1 tsp honey
3 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp seasoning salt
2 tbsp pepper

Blue Moon Recipe: Spring Blonde Wheat Ale Brats

 

In this first edition of Blue Moon Recipe development, the good people on the account had me gear recipes for summer grilling.  The first set of recipes were to use Blue Moon's spring offering, the Spring Blonde Wheat Ale (you can read more about the beer here! http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/).  This beer was brewed with orange & lemon peels giving it a very refreshing taste and finish.  I wanted to use those flavor profiles on a classic method of cooking bratwurst. 

Going off of a traditional method for cooking brats, I used a base of onions, and then built the cooking liquid from there.  Using the beer, orange and lemon peels, and some additional spices, the brats were cooked till just done.  The brats were then finished on the grill, and accompanied by the flavored onions, and a home-made roasted red bell pepper aioli.  

They turned out amazing.  The flavors that were infused into the sausage were succulent and delicious.  I probably ended up eating about 3 before the night was done.  What a great way to start the spring!

Spring Blonde Wheat Ale Bratwurst

2-3 Pounds raw bratwurst, stabbed with a fork
6 bottles Spring Blonde Wheat Ale beer (or enough to cover the brats)
2-3 cups of water
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 large onions, sliced thin
2 red bell peppers, sliced thin
1 lemon, peel included (try to keep rind separate from pith)
1 orange, peel included (try to keep rind separate from pith)
1 tsp Mustard seeds


NOTE: These recipes were made exclusively for Blue Moon Brewing Comapny. 

Blue Moon Recipe Development!

I am very fortunate to have worked in advertising and in turn I've met some awesome friends along the way. About two months ago I received a phone call from a good friend who is now working in Chicago on the Blue Moon account.  Her offer was pretty simple - submit some recipes using Blue Moon Belgian White beer and hopefully a business relationship can be formed.  Well, it has!  Kellan's Kitchen is now partnering with Blue Moon to create hand crafted recipes using signature beers in the cooking process and pairing food with seasonal selections of fine ales.  The recipes created will be simple, approachable, and of course, delicious.  They will live online, and may make some cameos at in-store displays and possibly other outlets.  Watch this space for exciting recipes using BEER!!!

Check the site, and like them & Kellan's Kitchen on Facebook! 

http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/bluemoon