Fat Tire Bites

One of the things I love to do is to develop recipes.  You know, dream about something outrageously delicious then play around in the kitchen until it resembles food.  So when the opportunity to develop something with the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program using one of the great brews from New Belgium Brewing presented itself to me I jumped at the chance. 

I decided to focus on Fat Tire which is a favorite of mine and because it has a great balanced flavor that pairs well with many foods and doesn't become bitter when cooked.  And so my mind began to race, thinking of all of the great foods that I could use as a foundation for a Fat Tire recipe.  And I quickly discovered one tiny problem:  There were too many things to choose from.  

So what was a girl to do?  Why, develop a whole menu around Fat Tire, of course!  And wanting to make several different items to serve at one sitting, I decided a tapas-style menu was the way to go.  And since tapas are normally thought to be paired with wine, it was a complete joy to the creative juices to invent bites that would be elegant yet casual; something perfect to be served on the deck at the end of a warm spring day - in other words, bites perfect for the beer lover.

So in the spirit of the beautiful yet casual great outdoors, I present to you Fat Tire Bites a gift to beer lovers everywhere!

Fat Tire Bites (Menu by Kim De for Fat Tire Beer)

Each recipe is meant to serve 4 as a part of a small-plates menu.

• Beer-Sizzled Mushrooms
• Honey and Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos over Goat Cheese and Chive Polenta
• Raw Oysters with Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce and Horseradish 
• Fat Tire Chipotle Grilled Shrimp
• Sharp Farmhouse Cheddar
• Grilled Crusty Bread

Fat Tire Chipotle Grilled Shrimp (Recipe by Kim De)

Serves 4

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and devined, leave tails on if you wish

1/2 cup Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce (recipe to follow)

1 T olive oil

Whisk the oil and Chipotle Sauce and mix it with the shrimp. Marinated the shrimp for 30 min or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Prepare the grill for medium-high heat, or prepare a cast iron or other heavy skillet. Cook shrimp, turning as needed until pink and firm. Cooking time will depend on size of shrimp, 3-4 minutes for small shrimp, 5-8 minutes for large.

Serve the shrimp with more Fat Tire Chipolte Sauce for dipping. 

Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce (Recipe by Kim De)

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 teaspoon canola oil

3 garlic cloves chopped

1 can of diced tomatoes with juice (roasted fire preferred)

1 canned chipotle pepper, chopped, with 1 T of the abodo sauce

1 bottle beer

3 T honey

2 T tomato paste

1 t salt

Saute the onion until soft, about 3 minutes then add the garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high. Turn down to a simmer and cook until reduced by almost half, about 30 minutes. Puree in a blender for a completely smooth sauce or with a hand held blender for a slightly chunky sauce. Return to pan and simmer another 10-15 minutes.

Raw Oysters with Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce and Horseradish (Recipe by Kim De)

Serves 4

8 oysters

1/2 cup Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce

Several tablespoons of prepared horseradish 

Large plate or small platter filled with crushed ice

Scrub each oyster under cold water. Shuck according to these instructions. Carefully lay each oyster on the bed of ice. Top each with 1 T of Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce. 

Serve with a small bowl each of Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce and horseradish for those who love it hot. For a special treat mix 2 T Fat Tire beer with the 1/2 cup Fat Tire Chipotle Sauce before adding to the oysters.

Beer-Sizzled Mushrooms (Recipe by Kim De)

Serves 4

8 oz button or baby bella mushrooms, large chop

1 T butter

2 cloves garlic

2 T chives

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper (optional)

8 oz Fat Tire – the rest of the bottle is for the cook to enjoy!

In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and chives and saute for 1 minute or until garlic begins to brown. Add mushrooms salt and pepper and crushed red pepper (optional). Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the beer. Turn up the heat to medium-high until it begins to boil then turn down to simmer. Continue to simmer until the beer and mushrooms have formed a rich sauce and the liquid has evaporated about 1/3 but there is still juice left for dipping bread. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Sprinkle chopped chives over the top for garnish. Serve with Crusty Grilled Bread and a Sharp Farmhouse Cheddar.

Grilled Crusty Bread

Serves 4

8 slices of your favorite crusty bread, white or whole-grained

2 large garlic cloves, sliced in half

Good quality olive oil

Large flake sea salt

Pour 1-2 T oil in a small bowl. With a brush or your fingers, spread the oil lightly on one side of the bread. While the shrimp grills, or just after it comes off the grill, lay the bread, oil side down. Check after 3 minutes. It is done when it has light grill marks. Remove each slice as it is done, moving them around if they are not cooking quickly enough.

Rub the cut side of a garlic clove over two slices of bread, doing the same for each of the other halves. Sprinkle the bread with sea salt and press it in lightly with your fingers. Serve with Farmhouse Cheddar and Beer-Sizzled Mushrooms.

Note – this bread can be made the same way in the broiler. 

Honey and Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos (Recipe by Kim De)

Serves 4

4 medium jalapeño peppers, red or green

1 T cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup goat cheese, softened to room temperature

1 T honey 

Preheat the oven to 375°. Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise taking care to keep the stem intact on one half. Use a small paring knife and your fingers to scoop out the seeds and ribs. Wear latex gloves when handling peppers and take care not to touch your eyes.

Mix the goat cheese, chives and honey in a small bowl. Using your fingers, scoop the filling into the peppers.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and lay the stuffed peppers on the sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers begin to soften.

Cool for 5 minutes then serve over Goat Cheese and Chive Polenta.

Goat Cheese and Chive Polenta (Recipe by Kim De)

Serves 4

2 ½ cups water or stock

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup medium grind yellow cornmeal

2 T butter, cubed

2 T whole milk or cream
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, chopped lightly

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine water and salt in a large stock pan and bring to a boil. Add the cornmeal in a fine stream, whisking constantly with a wire whisk then lower heat to low and cover the pan. Stir the mixture with a heavy spatula every 5 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until the begin to brown, 1-2 minutes.  Stir or toss constantly and take care not to burn.  Remove from the fire and allow to cool slightly.

Remove the polenta from the heat and add the butter, goat cheese, chives and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool 5-10 minutes before spooning onto small plates. If planning to lay the peppers on top of the polenta, allow to cool another 5 minutes before serving.  Lay the peppers either next to or on top of the polenta then sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.