Gasthof ‘t Hommelhof Brasserie

Where to start? Anywhere is perfect, but the sleepy village of Watou in the southwest part of Flanders, almost a stone’s throw from the French border, is as good as any.

“I arrived 17 years ago from Antwerp in a village between two breweries, so it was an easy decision to cook with beer,” said Chef Stefaan Couttenye of Gasthof ’t Hommelhof Brasserie in Watou. The two breweries Chef Couttenye referred to are Brouwerij Van Eecke, a three- minute walk past the church and across the village square, and Brouwerij St. Bernard, also in Watou.

As a result of all this, Chef Couttenye has not only turned ’t Hommelhof into a destination restaurant for food and beer lovers, he’s also become a beer cookbook author with Het Bierkeukenboek (The Beer Kitchen Book).

One of Chef Couttenye’s great-grandfathers was a brewer in nearby Dranouter, so he figured that “beer was in my blood.” He was raised in Antwerp and, against his parents’ wishes, he studied cooking at the Hotelschool Ter Duinen in Koksijde, Belgium. After years of apprenticeship and working as a sous chef in restaurants in Belgium and France, he was presented with the opportunity to open his own restaurant in what was a run-down dance hall in Watou. At that time, the village was becoming a summer destination for artists and poets. To set himself apart and attract customers, he focused on beer in his kitchen.

“It was clear in which direction I had to go,” Chef Couttenye said. “I would start experimenting with beer. I would attempt to revitalize the ancient tradition of cooking with beer and creating a new, modern version more in tune with modern eating habits.”

Chef Dennis Marcoux

Pohutukawa smoked in-house made bacon with local tomato on homemade French baguette.  Dressed with Arugula and Purple Basil Vinaigrette and served with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and White Bean Ragout.

We recently brewed a Robust Porter with Epic Brewing co. from New Zealand called Portamarillo using tamarillos roasted over their Pohutukawa wood (the New Zealand Christmas tree).  I came up with this recipe using the left over wood chips when one of our local farm raised pigs came in fresh from the slaughter.

Bacon Ingredients

5 lb pig belly
2 cups Portamarillo Beer
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup Pohutukawa wood for smoker

1. In ½ hotel pan place pig belly and cover both sides with salt.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 days to cure.
2. In 2 days, rinse bacon of salt and marinate in portamarillo beer.  Cover and refrigerate one more day.
3. Take belly out of marinade and smoke in smoker using Pohukawa wood for 5 hours at 100 degrees.  Take bacon out,  wrap in plastic wrap overnight.
4. On slicer or by hand, cut long strips ¼ inch think.  Cook as you would regular bacon.

Making a Baguette

1 cup water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

1. Place 1 cup water, all purpose flour, sugar, salt and yeast into bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer.   Select Dough cycle, and press Start.
2. When the cycle has completed, place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3. Punch down dough.  On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8×12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go.  Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown.

Vinaigrette Ingredients

½ lb purple basil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup olive oil

In blender, add basil, garlic and vinegar.  Blend.  Slowly add in oil to create emulsification.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and White Bean Ragout

1 lb brussels sprouts, blanched off in salted boiling water for 5 minutes
1 large yellow onion, fine dice
1 cup canned northern white beans
½ cup each zucchini / summer squash / diced fresh tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1T butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In small stock pot or large sauté pan, melt butter and sauté off onions and sprouts till starting to caramelize.
2. Add zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes, cook till tomatoes start to break down.
3. Add chicken stock and white beans.  Cook till beans break down and dish is at the consistency of a light stew. Salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, assemble your lunch.  Slice bread to desired sandwich size.  Layer with bacon, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.  Top with the Purple Basil Vinaigrette.  Serve ragout in crock on the side.  And most importantly, don’t forget the glass of Portamarillo.

Chef Sean Paxton

When I began thinking about the flavors, textures and elements of these ingredients, the question of “what can I do” kept repeating itself. To play up the nostalgic plate memory of the maple syrup touching the now soggy bacon and overlaying the complexity of coffee, I used maple, pork belly and porter as a base flavor and went from there.

Pork Belly

2 ½ lbs.    pork belly, preferably Berkshire, skin removed*
1 tsp.          kosher salt
2  ea.          bay leaves
36 oz.        porter style beer
½ cup       maple syrup, grade ‘B’

* Pork belly is the same cut of meat as slab bacon, only fresh and not cured.  This may be ordered from a local butcher or Asian market.

Take the pork belly and rub evenly with the salt.  Place the belly into a Dutch oven and add the bay leaves, porter beer and maple syrup.  Seal with a tight fitting lid or use aluminum foil to cover tightly and place into the center of a 225˚ preheated oven.  Let the pork braise for 3-4 hours, until tender, but not falling apart.  Some of the fat will melt away, leaving a good ratio of meat to fat.  Let cool, removing the belly in one piece, then reduce the remaining braising liquid by two-thirds.  Ideally, place the cooked pork belly into a baking dish, covering with the reduced liquid that has been cooled; cover with plastic wrap. Then place another baking dish, slightly smaller than the one below and place over the belly and add some cans of food to weigh it down.  This will compress the flesh of the meat, creating a uniform thickness and a better texture to the final product.  Place the baking dishes into the refrigerator for at least 12-24 hours, allowing the meat to be pressed.

Chef Greg Higgins

This is a variation on a couple of standards we use here at Higgins. Starting with Garret’s ingredient list I selected a braise of pork belly that’s quite popular and then used our curried vegetable ragout (one of our vegan dishes) as a base for the succulent pork. To tie it together I wanted a crunchy texture to contrast the soft, lush flavors — so a pakora garnish fit the bill. The spice and citrus notes of the dish are echoed in the beer used in the preparation as well as to accompany the meal.

Braised Pork

2 lbs.          Pork belly – skin on
2 T.            Madras curry
10 ea.         Garlic cloves – peeled
4 oz.           Whole ginger – sliced ¼″
1 ea.            Orange – zest & juice
1 ea.            Lemon – zest & juice
1 qt.            Kolsch or Golden Ale
T.T.            Salt & pepper
2 T.            Olive oil

Season the pork belly with salt & pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Slowly sear and render the pork belly – turning it as needed – to a rich golden brown. Transfer the seared pork to a casserole and add the beer and all the seasonings. Cover tightly and braise in a 350 degree oven till the tip of a knife will easily penetrate the skin ( 3-4 hours). Remove from the oven and place the pork belly skin side down on a parchment lined pan. Cover with another piece of parchment, top with a pan and a weight to press it – refrigerate overnight. Strain the braising liquid, skim off the fat and reserve the stock for the ragout.

Ragout Ingredients

1 lb.            Dry Navy Beans – pre-soaked
1 ea.           Onion – peeled & diced
3 T.            Garlic – minced
3 T.            Shallots – minced
3 T.            Ginger – minced
2 T.            Madras curry
1 T.             Garam Masala
¼ c.           Olive oil
1 qt.            Pork belly braising liquid
1 ea.            Red bell pepper – diced
1 c.              Winter squash – peeled & diced
3 c.              Brussels sprout leaves
T.T.             Salt & pepper
½ c.            Sliced Almonds – toasted

In a heavy saucepan sauté the onion, garlic, shallot, ginger and spices in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the soaked beans and the braising liquid and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook the beans, stirring them occasionally – add water if needed, till they are just tender 1-1½ hours.  Add the diced squash and red pepper and season to taste with salt & pepper –  simmer till the squash is al dente. Stir in the peeled Brussels sprout leaves and hold warm while making the pakoras.

Brussels Sprout Pakoras

1 cup        White flour
1 cup        Chick pea flour
1 t.            Madras curry
1 t.            Garam Masala
1 T.           Salt
1 t.            Baking powder
2 T.           Lemon juice
2 ea.         Eggs
2 t.            Olive oil
Beer or ale
12 ea.        Brussel sprouts – halved
2 qts.         Oil for frying

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the eggs, oil, lemon juice and gradually whisk in enough beer to make a smooth batter with the consistency of heavy cream. Heat the oil for frying in a large saucepan over medium heat. While the oil is heating, slice the braised pork belly into 12 thick slices and reheat them on a pan in a 400 degree oven. Batter the brussel sprout halves and fry them in the hot oil till golden brown and crispy. Remove to a tray lined with paper towels to drain and season them. Portion the ragout into bowls, top with pakoras, slices of pork belly and a garnish of toasted almonds. Accompany with lots of Kolsch or Golden Ale and a good hot sauce.

Serves : 6

Chef Bruce Paton

When I saw the list of ingredients I had two initial thoughts. First was the classic bistro salad of frisee with bacon and a poached egg and the second was another bistro classic cassoulet. The salad was the basis for the Brussels sprouts portion of the dish and the white bean flan and crispy belly evolved from the cassoulet. As far as the beer pairing, I thought the flan and pork belly would require a beer with a crisp finish to cut through the creaminess and fat while the hops would stand up to the strong sprout flavors. The gastrique ties it all together and brings up the citrus flavors of the hops.

Pork Belly

Marinate pork belly over night with kosher salt, sugar and anise seed. Rinse and braise in chicken stock for four hours in a 350 degree oven. Cool in braising liquid. Reserve braising liquid. Portion when cool and place in sauté pan over high heat, fat side down and sauté until fat is crisp. Place in oven to cook through.

White Bean Flan

Soak beans in water with a teaspoon of salt over night. Rinse, cover with cold water and place over high heat until water comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Coat 6 ramekins with butter. Puree 1 ½ C cooked white beans with 3 eggs and ¾ C heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper, strain through fine sieve and fill ramekins ¾ full. Place in baking dish and pour hot water into dish until it reaches half way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Brussels Sprout Salad

Trim Brussels sprouts at the base and remove outer leaves. Blanch leaves briefly in boiling salted water and cool in ice bath. Sauté Chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil with chopped garlic, fresh thyme and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Heat diced crispy pork belly in oil, add mushrooms and a splash of champagne vinegar. Combine with sprout leaves and season with fresh ground pepper.

Deep Fried Egg

Cook egg in boiling water for 7 minutes and cool in ice bath. Peel and coat with unbleached flour, beaten egg and panko bread crumbs. Deep fry in 350 degree vegetable oil for two minutes drain on paper towel and season with salt.

Citrus Gastrique

Combine sugar, fresh orange juice and a splash of champagne vinegar in a sauce pan and reduce until mixture is thick. Add some of the pork braising liquid and reduce by half.

I decided upon pork belly, white navy beans, Brussels Sprouts, eggs and unbleached white flour. From these ingredients you can go in a number of different directions. You can braise the pork belly and serve it cassoulet-style, have the sprouts on the side, and use the flour and eggs to make an accompanying bread. You could also use the pork cassoulet in an omelette. The pork can be cooked into a ragu, and then the eggs and flour made into pasta, with frizzled and fried Brussels sprouts added just before serving. The pasta could also be used to make the covering for a pork and white bean ravioli with sprouts, or the covering for a Chinese dumpling. You can use the flour and eggs to make bread, then make a pretty tasty bruschetta. You can make some great ramen-style noodles also. And if you cure the pork belly into bacon, you’ve got a whole other range of dishes you can do.

Depending on your dexterity and creativity, you could do a lot with these five ingredients and some spices. I’ll be fascinated to see what people come up with!

I was enraged. What about a peppery saison and smoked bluefish, you ingrate, or a snappily Saazed-up pilsner with a steaming fresh tureen of goulash over noodles? What about witbier and a mesclun salad, eh? Like to see your precious wine pair with that ….

But a thought slipped into my rage … man, a fresh pour of BridgePort IPA with a basket of cheese fries would be great, wouldn’t it? And Session Lager with a hot slice of pepperoni and onion, or just a six-pack of Green Lakes with some roasted peanuts? That would be pretty good too. Beer is great with that stuff, and while the rest of the country is still lapping it up, we craft geeks are ignoring it as we rush to pair with foie gras and asparagus tempura. Beer may be the new wine, but you know, it’s still the old beer, too.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Just look at the ballpark, any ballpark: baseball, football, hockeyball, whatever. You’ve got beer for sale, from Bud Light to Victory HopDevil; I got a $6 doublebock at a minor league park last year. What do you have with it? Hot dogs, sausages, popcorn, peanuts, pizza―hell, practically every beer-food there is!

Drop the snooty, “We’re as good as wine!” face and reconsider the foods you’ve rejected. Hot dogs are American-made, doctored up with brown mustard and onions, sitting up and begging for a beer, but they’re sausages, too! You can get a brat or a sweet Italian if you want―they’re all pretty good with something malty and smooth. That’s what they’re drinking at Oktoberfest, and they don’t even have a game to watch.

Grab a slice of pie and you’ll know why Chicago’s Piece brewpub is a presidential favorite: pizza and beer really do go together. I did a piece on pairing beers with various pizzas a while ago, and one of the best was a white pie with spinach, heavy laden with garlic and fresh olive oil. I got it at a neighborhood pizza joint, cost me $12, and it was beautiful with a fresh Sierra Nevada Pale Ale whacking through the oil and taming the garlic.

Ballpark peanuts range from salty nuggets to still-warm fresh-roasted beauties, and all kind of sugar and spice-coated in-betweens. Beer will clear your mouth of those little chunky bits and fizz away the fat (just like it does for fancy cheese and rich paté). Don’t worry about “as good as wine”―let’s see someone cracking open some goober peas with a glass of merlot.

Tailgating works too, and I’m not talking about the crazed tailgaters who wheel in a trailer loaded with smokers and deep-fryers. I’m talking about a portable grill with burgers snapping and popping (hello, Mister Pilsner!), warming up some already-smoked ribs (make that spicy rub sing with your favorite IPA), and big bowls full of baked beans and potato salad (pale ale was made for baked beans). This is beer food that’s deep in your American soul!

2. Three stinky, washed-rind cheeses like Jasper Hill Winnimere, authentic Münster, Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Taleggio, or Meadow Creek Grayson, paired with two lighter-bodied brown beers such as Two Brothers Long Haul, New Belgium 1565 or an authentic Munich dunkel.

3. Three intense, hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, aged gouda, Roth Kase Vintage Van Gogh or pecorino Romano, together with one or two strong roasty beers such as Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout or Alaskan Smoked Porter.

Cut apart four medium-sized Belgian endives into individual leaves and then diagonally into one-inch pieces. Peel and seed a ripe California avocado and cut into ½” cubes. Toss with a dressing made from one cup of creamy garlic dressing with ½ cup each of IPA and mayonnaise added. Serve on a leaf or two of Boston lettuce and top with grape tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes and garnish with a few rings of very finely sliced red onion and toasted pine nuts, along with a good crack of fresh ground black pepper. Beer Pairing: A balanced IPA such as Goose Island IPA, Anchor Liberty Ale or Brooklyn East India Pale Ale.

Chicken or Duck with Cherries and Kriek

Season cut-up bird with salt and pepper (if duck, leave the breast whole and deeply score the skin into 1” crosshatch), dust with flour and fry in a hot pan with some olive oil until well browned. Remove all the pieces, then add a tablespoon of flour to the pan, stir, then deglaze the pan with 6-8 ozs. of dry kriek such as Lakefront Rosie, Hannsen’s or Boon. Add the legs and thighs, cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Just before serving, add the breast pieces and a cup of fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries and a pinch of thyme, bring everything up to heat (breast meat should be 160°F for chicken, 150°F for duck), and serve over wide noodles or white rice. Beer pairing: the same kriek used in the recipe. Works equally well with a Belgian-style Tripel.

Porchetta (Roasted Sausage-Stuffed Pork Belly)

Simmer a piece of fresh (not cured) pork belly about 10” square in a bottle of brown ale or porter (not too hoppy) with water added to cover, for four hours. Remove, and slice layers apart to form two thinner slabs. Take a pound-and-a-half of Italian sausage or fresh kielbasa and form into log the same length as the belly, and place the two slabs around it and tie in four or five places with butcher’s string. Roast, with some of the poaching liquid in the pan, skin side up in a 375°F oven (325° on convection) for about an hour-and-a-half, or until the internal temperature of the sausage is 55°F. Remove, allow to rest 15 minutes. Slice into rounds and serve with a sauce made by thickening and deglazing the pan juice and if you’re feeling gluttonous, a bit of cream. Serve over noodles or homemade spätzle. Vegetable accompaniment could be spinach or broccoli rabe (rapini) sautéed with a bit of onion and garlic in olive oil and finished with a bit of chicken stock, salt and pepper. Beer pairing: Allagash Curieux and/or Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale.