3 pounds beef chuck, lamb shoulder or pork shoulder, rimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium large onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup Houma Brewing Company Parish Porter

1/2 cup dark port

2 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 medium boiling potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup frozen peas thawed

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Sprinkle meat cubes with salt and pepper. Heat tablespoons oil over medium high heat in large ovenproof Dutch oven. Add half of meat and brown on all side, about 5 minutes. Remove meat and repeat with remaining oil and meat.

2. Add onions to empty Dutch oven and sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until lightly colored 1 to 2 minutes. Add beer and porter, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the pot. Add stock, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a simmer. Add meat and return to a simmer. Cover and place pot in oven. Cook for 1 hour.

3. Remove pot from oven and add potatoes and carrots. Cover and return to oven. Cook just unit meat is tender, 1-to-1 1/2 hours for lamb and 1 1/2 to 2 hours for beef and pork. Remove pot from oven.

4. Add peas, cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, discard bay leaves adjust seasonings and serve.

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Chapter Two: Diving Head First Into Your Work

Shrimp Sauce Piquant

Makes 9 servings.From Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen Cookbook Morrow Publishing, 1984

2 Tbls unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped celery
3 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 cup canned tomato sauce
3 tablespoons minced jalapeño peppers (or less for a less hot piquant)
2 bay leaves
5 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/4 basic seafood stock
1 1/4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds peeled large shrimp
4 cups cooked rice


Melt the butter in a 4 quart saucepan over high hear. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery; sauté about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeños, bay leaves, ground peppers and garlic; stir well. Continue cooking about 3 minutes, stirring often and scraping the pan bottom well. Stir in the stock, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors are married, about 20 minutes, stirring often and scraping pan bottom as needed.

Add the shrimp to the hot (or reheated ) sauce and stir. Turn heat to high, cover pan, and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Stir, remove bay leaves and serve immediately by mounding 1/2 cup rice in the center of a plate and pouring about 1/2 cup of sauce around the rice. Arrange about 8 shrimp on top of the sauce.

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Chapter Three: Eat, Love, and Pray You Get A Light Sentence

Deirdre's Bourbon Mardi Gras Cheesecake

Inspired from and adapted from http://www.lhj.com/recipe/chocolate/new-orleans-cheesecake/

Crust
2 cups pecans, finely chopped
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with foil.
Combine all ingredients in the pan until well mixed; press into bottom.

Filling
32 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup bourbon (The Secret Sauce! I used Jim Beam!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Purple, Yellow and Green Food Coloring

Beat cream cheese in a mixer bowl at high speed, until smooth. Scrape side of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in sugar and cornstarch until light and fluffy. At low speed, add bourbon and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until mixture is smooth.

Pour natural colored filling in springform pan to just coat the crust. In three separate bowls, pour about 1 1/2 cups of filling in each and color one purple, one yellow and one green. Then just alternate all 4 colors throughout the cheese cake until you have used all the filling. Be as creative as you like.

Place springform pan in a roasting pan (make sure there is at least 1 inch between the edges of the pans). Add enough hot water to come halfway up side of springform pan. Bake 1 hour 30 to 40 minutes, until sides of cheesecake are firm and center is just set. Remove pan from water bath; transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Meanwhile, make topping.

Topping
8 ounces semisweet chocolate squares
1/2 cup half-and-half

Combine chocolate and cream in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Spread topping over cheesecake. Refrigerate until set. Remove springform ring.

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Red Bean and Adouille Soup

From Williams and Sonoma "New Orleans," Oxmoor House, 2005

1 lb dried red kidney beans

1 meaty ham bone, about 1 lb, trimmed of fat

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 celery Stalk, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chapped

1 large bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 lb andouille or other lean smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 slices

chopped green onions, including tender green parts for garnish

Makes 6-8 servings.

Rinse beans and drain. Place in large bowl, add cold water to cover and let soak overnight.

In a large soup pot over high hear, combine the ham bone and 6 cups water and bring to boil. Rescue the heat to medium low and cook at a lively simmer for 1 hour, skimming frequently to remove any foam.

Remove pot from heat. Using tongs, carefully lift the ham bone out of the pot and set aide on a plate. When cool, remove meat from bone, discarding fat. Set meat aside. Using a large spoon, skim off any fat from the surface of the stock. Return the bone to the stock.

Drain the bans and add to the stock along with the yellow onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Place the pot over high hear and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently to preventing sticking, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours.

Remove and discard the ham bone and bay lea and let the soup cool slightly. Scoop out 2 cups of the beans with a little liquid and place in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, then return the puree to the pot. Cut the reserved ham into bit sized pieces and add to the pot. Season to taste with the Tabasco, salt and pepper.

In a large frying pan over medium high heat, brown the andouille slices on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each serving with sever slices of andouille and a sprinkle of green onions. Serve at once, preferably with a Houma Bayou Cane Bitter.

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Chapter Four: There's No Place Like Houma

Portered Chocolate Pudding
From Cooking with Beer by Lucy Saunders, Time Life Books, 1997.

1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
2/3 cup Houma Brewing Company Parish Porter

Blend the cornstarch, half and halt 1/2 cup sugar, and chopped chocolate in a heavy nonstick 1 quart saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the sugar and chocolate melt. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute.

Beat the eggs and HBC Parish Porter together until frothy.

Stir the egg- porter mixture into the chocolate base and set over low heat. Whisk constantly, until the pudding thickens. For a perfectly smooth pudding, strain the mixture. Pour into custard cups and let cool at room temperature, then chill. Dust with the 1 tablespoon of sugar before serving.



Wisconsin Cheese Soup
From Cooking with Beer by Lucy Saunders, Time Life Books, 1997.

8 ounces grated De Queso Sunrise Style cheddar cheese (medium aged)
2 ounces crumbled De Queso "I'm So Bleu" Gorgonzola or blue cheese of your choice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups defatted chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup Houma Brewing Company Swamp Boogie ESB
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Let the cheese warm to room temperature on a sheet of wax paper.

Melt the butter in a 2 quart heavy nonstick saucepan placed over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. The flour and butter should just begin to brown before adding other ingredients. Whisk in the chicken broth, bit by bit. At first the mixture will seem lumpy, but keep stirring as you add more broth and it will become smooth. Add the thyme. Simmer and sit until slightly thickened and smooth. Remove from heat.

When the soup base is no longer steaming hot (about 5 minutes) slowly whisk in the half and half. Add the cheese in 1/4 cups, whisking well after each addition. Return the saucepan to the stove, placing it over medium low heat.

Whisk in the HBC Swamp Boogie ESB and the salt and pepper. Continue to whisk the soup until it is completely smooth and the cheese are melted. It should be steaming, but not simmering or boiling. Do not let the soup boil; this will cause the proteins in the cheese to coagulated and you will wind up with a stringy mess. Serve with garlic croutons or fresh sourdough baguettes on the side.

Decadent ESB Brownies
Submitted by Joy Will to the Alaskan Brewing Company's Recipe indexand modified.

8 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 c. butter
5 eggs
3 c. white sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 c. warmed Houma Brewing Company Swamp Boogie ESB
1 1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-by13-inch baking pan.

In a saucepan, combine unsweetened chocolate and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth and well-blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick and pale. Stir in the chocolate mixture, then stir in Alaskan ESB. Fold in the flour. Spread mixture evenly into the pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes of the center mostly clean. Do not over bake. Cool for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.



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Chapter Five: Hot Tamale Belly

Curried Oysters
From the Brennan's New Orleans Cookbook Grager and Company,1961

Oysters Rockefeller
From the Brennan's New Orleans Cookbook, Grager and Company,1961

1 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups chopped young spinach
1/2 cup flour
1 cup melted butter
1 cup oyster water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cayenne
1/4 cup minced anchovies
4 ounces absinthe
3 or 4 dozen oysters

Fill a pie pan with rock salt for each serving. Place in over to preheat salt. While salt is heating, make sauce by putting shallots, parsley and spinach through food chopped. Stir flour into melted butte and cook 5 minutes; do not brown. Blend in oyster water, garlic, salt and cayenne. Stir in chopped greens and anchovies. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove cover, stir in absinthe and cook until thickened.

Place half shells (6 per serving) on hot rock salt. Fill each shell with an oyster. Put sauce in a pastry bag and cover each oyster. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for about 5 minutes or until edges of oysters begin to curl. 6 to 8 servings.

Champagne Vinegarette
Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2006

Ingredients 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation: Whisk together all ingredients. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

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Chapter Six: The Flambeaux Hambeaux Slam

Scarlett O'Hara
From Class Act, New Orleans School of Cooking, 2000.

1 jigger (1 1/2 oz.) Southern Comfort
juice of 1/2 fresh lime
1/2 jigger (3/4 oz.) Ocean Spray cranberry juice

Shake well with cracked ice. Strain into cocktail glass.
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Chapter Seven: R-O-Q-U-E-F-O-R-T. Roquefort.

IKO IKO IPA Doughnuts
Adapted from http://www.slashfood.com/2005/12/21/cooking-with-beer-ipa-beer-donuts/

1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder
2 large eggs
3 oz. IKO IKO IPA beer from the Houma Brewing Company
4 tablespoons melted butter, cooled

Preheat oven to 375 F. Melt butter and let cool. Sift all dry ingredients together into large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter and beer until well-blended. Grease the donut pan with a generous amount of butter or shortening (can also use mini bundt pan). Pour the liquid blend into the dry ingredients all at once, and mix just until blended (do not overmix, or the donuts will be tough). Fill each donut form half full. Bake in the preheated oven in the middle rack for 8-9 minutes for mini donuts, 9-12 minutes for regular size donuts. The donuts should not be browned on top. Remove pan from oven, let cool for a minute, remove from pan and roll in powdered sugar.

Yields 6 regular donuts, or 24 mini donuts.


Houma Bon Temps Raspberry Wheat Beignets

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Houma Brewing Company Bon Temps Raspberry Wheat
corn oil (for frying)
confectioner's sugar
cinnamon

Instructions:

In a frying pan, heat the oil to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and beer to the well and mix.
Turn the dough on a floured surface and knead until firm. Let stand, covered, for one hour in a warm place in the kitchen.

Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch and slice. Fry the fritters in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Apple Beignets

Ingredients:
4 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2- inch thick
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Calvados, plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4-ounce yeast
3/8 cup flat HBC Skeleton Key Lager
3/8 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Half an egg white, stiffly beaten
Oil for deep frying
Confectioners' sugar for dredging
1 pound canned apricot halves
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup Slivovitz (see note)
Grated rind of half an orange
3/8 cup cream
1 egg yolk

Place apple slices in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and 1/4 cup Calvados and allow to macerate 15 minutes. Make batter by placing sifted flour and salt into a warm bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the yeast, beer, apple juice and olive oil. Combine to form a smooth batter. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to stand 4 hours. After this period add a little more beer if necessary and fold in the half egg white stiffly beaten.

Heat oil for deep frying. Place macerated apple slices into a small frying basket and then place this basket into the batter. Allow all the apple slices to become well coated in the batter. Drain and then place into the hot oil. Fry the beignets for 3 minutes, or until batter is crisp and golden, drain and dredge in confectioner's sugar and serve accompanied by the apricot sauce.

Apricot Sauce:
Place apricots into a pan on high heat. Add the butter and allow to melt. Flavor with cinnamon. Pour in Slivovitz and light. When flames have almost died down, add the remaining 2 tablespoons Calvados. Add the grated rind of half an orange, and then stir in the cream. Puree in blender and then pour mixture back into the pan and heat. Whisk in the egg yolk and then place sauce into sauceboat. Serve.

Note: Slivovitz is a dry, colorless, slightly bitter plum brandy.

Brennan's Banana Beignets

Source: Brennan's of Houston

3/4 c Flour
2 tb Sugar; plus 2 tsp
1 ts Baking powder
1/2 c Milk; plus 2 Tbps
1/4 c HBC Skeleton Key Lager
1 Egg
Oil; for deep frying
4 Bananas; each quartered crosswise
Powdered sugar
Mint leaves

Caramel Sauce
1 c Whipping cream
1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 tbl Bourbon

Beignets:
Mix flour, sugar and baking powder in bowl. Add milk, beer and egg and stir until smooth.
Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy deep skillet to 375F. Working in batches, dip bananas into batter and then carefully add to oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour caramel sauce onto plates. Set bananas atop sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish plates with mint leaves and serve.

Caramel Sauce:
Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Cook sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until brown. Gradually stir hot cream into caramel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil until thickened to sauce consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bourbon. Serve hot. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat.)
Makes about 1-1/3 cups.



Skeleton Key Pancakes

3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 cup HBC Skeleton Key Lager, room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.Beat the egg yolks with a fork. Stir in beer, milk and butter. Add to dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.Drop batter by spoonfuls onto a hot, greased griddle. Turn when batter rises and entire surface is dotted with holes.

Yield: 18-24 pancakes, depending on size
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Chapter Eight: The Black Pot Chef Competition

Submitted by: Tom West to the Alaska Brewing Company Recipe Website and modified here. For more Alaska Brewing Company Recipes, go to Recipes

Ingredients:

4 pound boneless pork butt
3 cups HBC Atchafalaya Amber
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. pepper
12 - 16 cloves garlic, peeled & mashed
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. salt

Cube pork. In heavy casserole or large skillet, heat beer and water to boiling. Add meat, one handful at a time, allowing the liquid to return to boiling. Continue until all the meat has been added. Lower to medium and simmer, skim foam. When foam has subsided, add all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is very tender. Remove lid, raise heat to a slow boil and continue cooking until liquid has completely evaporated. Remove from heat and serve hot.