Brewing up a great taste

While Tetley’s may have closed its base in Leeds city centre, elsewhere in the county breweries are thriving.
Beef SatayBeef Satay
Beef Satay

My new book, Great Yorkshire Beer, takes a look at some of these breweries which are breaking rules, soaking up influences from food and bringing a wave of fresh ideas to our beloved Yorkshire beer. It’s a celebration of one of our great exports and as it’s never wise to drink on an empty stomach try these recipes to accompany some of Yorkshire’s best ales.

Easy beef satay

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 rump steaks

1 head of pak choi

1 bunch spring onions

2 large mushrooms

200g salted peanuts

Drizzle of sesame of peanut oil

For the marinade

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Piece of ginger, approx 1inch

1 whole red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped.

Dash dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil.

Salt and black pepper to season

Method

Beef satay isn’t something you see a lot of; it’s usually chicken or pork. Peanut, garlic and chillies are a wonderful partner for beef, and the addition of soy sauce gives the whole dish a deep, comforting flavour. Also, as long as you marinate the beef ahead of time, it’s a really easy dish to make. Beer-wise, you could go for a sweet, full-bodied beer such as Ossett’s Big Red or Copper Dragon’s Challenger IPA .

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With a sharp knife, slice your beef into strips, as thinly as you can and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and then stir well to coat the meat. Double-wrap with cling film, and leave in the fridge at least overnight.

When you are ready to eat, slice your mushrooms, pak choi and spring onions, leaving some of the onions aside for garnish.

In a large pan, heat a spoonful of sesame or peanut oil, and lightly sauté the pak choi. Add a spoonful of boiling water, to create a little steam. After a short while, the pak choi will start to wilt. At this stage, add your mushrooms and spring onions, adding a little more oil and a splash of soy sauce. This will create a little liquid, with which you use to lightly braise the vegetables on a high heat.

Finally, stir-fry your beef in a hot wok for just a couple of minutes. Keep it moving, and when cooked, plate up.

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Garnish with the peanuts and spring onions, and serve with the cooked spring onions, pak choi and mushrooms.

Pork and apple pinwheels

Serves 4

Ingredients

1½lbs minced pork

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

4 spring onions, chopped

1 chilli, deseeded and chopped

300g flaky pastry

1 large, firm-fleshed apple, finely chopped

1 beaten egg, to glaze

olive oil

Pinch salt, white pepper, fresh thyme, sage and parsley for seasoning

My grandfather was a butcher and my brothers and I used to help out in his shop on weekends. We’d make these little pastry morsels with my uncle, and they’d sell well for barbecues and outdoor parties. They make an ideal sweet/savoury snack for when the weather’s warm. Crisp, refreshingly fruity Pale Ales will make an absolute treat of a partner. You can make your pastry, but I find ready-made is perfectly fine if you don’t have the time. You could also make these and freeze them too – providing your meat and pastry is fresh.

In a large bowl, mix the pork with the chopped carrot, red onion, spring onions, chilli, apple and the herbs. Season with a little salt and white pepper.

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Roll out your pastry, and lay flat on a floured surface. With your hands, spread the mixture across the pastry, leaving a gap of about half an inch at the edges. Very carefully, roll the pastry up tightly – like a meaty Swiss roll. If it’s too loose and it will not hold together, you’ll have a big pinwheel log at this stage.

Repeat with as much pastry and meat as you have. Place in the fridge to firm up and chill for at least an hour.

When ready to cook, simply slice with a very, very sharp knife (not a serrated one) into portions and arrange on a baking tray.

The knife must be sharp and you must use a smooth action – or the pastry will tear.

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When on the greased tray, you can apply a little beaten egg to the sides of the pastry, and brush a swirl of olive oil on the face of each one. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 30 minutes or until golden

Rosemary lamb chops with black pudding couscous

serves 2

Ingredients

3 lamb cutlets per person

200g couscous

2 slices good quality black pudding, cubed (I used Lishman’s)

1 roasted red pepper, chopped (ones from a jar are fine)

Splash olive oil

Sprig fresh rosemary

Sprig fresh mint

Salt and black pepper to season

Method

Although you normally think of pork when you think of black pudding, its deep, lightly spiced character works perfectly with lamb, too.

You can use it in a stuffing, or – as I have done here – simply make an interesting, light couscous to partner herby, sweet lamb chops.

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To accompany, pick a robust, sweet Ale – don’t go for hoppy beers. Copper Dragon’s Scotts 1816 or Haworth Steam Brewery’s Ironclad 957 would be perfect.

It’s a light, herby alternative to a traditional Sunday roast.

About an hour before cooking, place a sprig of rosemary on each of your cutlets, and cover in cling film. This will just help a little of the rosemary to permeate the meat.

When you are ready to cook, place the cutlets under a hot grill. Turn occasionally, but keep an eye on them – they’ll take about 20 minutes or so. Don’t let them burn.

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Whilst the lamb is cooking, prepare your couscous by putting it in a pan and just covering it with boiling water. Put a lid on it, and leave it alone.

In a large pan, pour in a little olive oil, sauté your cubes of black pudding until crisp on all sides.

Add your chopped pepper and stir together.

When the couscous is cooked, sprinkle your mint through it and then add it to the pan.

Coat the grains in the oil from the pan, and gently mix with the black pudding and pepper.

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All you need to do now is arrange your lamb with the couscous, pour your beer and enjoy your meal.

Great Yorkshire Beer by Leigh Linley is published by Great Northern Books priced £10.99. The book will be officially launched at the York Tap in the city’s railway station from 7pm on May 30. To order a copy from the Yorkshire Post Bookshop call 01748 821122.

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