Vegetable tempura recipe with beer
Serves 6
For the batter
75g cornflour
75g plain flour
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
190mls light beer (e.g. Stella Artois)
For the vegetable tempura
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 medium aubergine
2 medium courgette, thickly sliced
150g baby sweetcorn
1 small cauliflower, divided into florets
Soy or sweet chilli sauce, to serve
Method
1. To prepare the vegetables slice the aubergine, score the flesh lightly and place in a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt and leave to stand for 30mins. Wash the aubergine and pat dry with absorbant kitchen paper. Blanch the cauliflower a pan of boiling water for 60 seconds then cool in ice cold water, drain well and pat with kitchen paper.
2. To make the batter, sift the cornflour and flour together into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the egg and beer and whisk until just combined (it is okay if the batter is a little lumpy). Allow the batter to stand for a few minutes in a cool place.
3. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it.
4. Dip the vegetables into the batter and carefully add to the hot oil to deep-fry in batches for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
5. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper
6. Serve warm with a bowl of soy or sweet chilli sauce for dipping
* Subscribe to Country Life and save 40%
Warm chicken and potato salad with beer
Serves 4
For the marinade
150mls Stout (e.g. Guinness)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or finely chopped
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp brown sugar
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
4tbsp olive oil
For the salad
4 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 large bag mixed salad leaves
300g baby new potatoes, halved
6 radishes, thinly sliced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
1. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Turn the chicken in the marinade from time to time.
2. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water until tender, drain well.
3. Heat a griddle pan or heavy based frying pan. Once the pan is hot, remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the hot pan. Cook for 3-4minutes on each side or chicken cooked through.
4. Toss the salad leaves with the radish, potatoes, tomatoes and chicken and serve
Beer salad dressing
A light slightly spicy dressing would work well with prawns or chicken combined with cooked rice noodles
Makes 300mls
170mls light beer (e.g. Stella Artois)
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 small red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 fat clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
3 tbsp white wine vinegar – you can also use balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
1 tsp runny honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Toss with salad ingredients and serve.
Summer fruit salad with fruit beer
Serves 4
250g caster sugar
500g strawberries, hulled
1 egg white
250mls fruit beer (e.g. Liefmans)
Strawberries and red currants to garnish
Method
1. Put the sugar and beer in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Cool completely.
2. Whizz the strawberries in a food processor and push the mix through a fine sieve. Stir in the beer syrup.
3. If you are using an ice-cream machine, lightly whisk the egg white and add it to the strawberry mixture before churning the whole lot. Then put into a freezer box and freeze until ready to serve.
4. If you are using your freezer, tip the strawberry mix into a freezer box and freeze until it is almost set (check after 3 hours). Then break it up with a fork and tip it into a food processor, along with the egg white, and whizz it into an icy slush. Tip the mix back into a freezer box and refreeze.
5. Serve scoops garnished with redcurrants and few fresh strawberries.
