Yesterday I had the chance to speak with Nate Soroko, who was featured in Brandon’s Plates & Pints column, for a little recap on the August 27th beer dinner on the rooftop at Pizza Port Ocean Beach. “The event was great,” said Nate. “Colby (Chandler of Ballast Point) was blown away, and that meant a lot to me. He said he picked up notes in Calico Amber that he hadn’t before.” The dish paired with Calico is shown at right – fried green tomatoes (the breading consisted of rice flour, tapioca flour and cajun seasoning) were dipped in coconut milk, then in the aforementioned seasoning, and then pan-fried in olive oil. As for the golden and red beets you see, well that’s pretty simple too – olive oil, salt, pepper, 30-60 min in a 400 degree oven, then take a paper towel to rub the beets and take the peel off. The goat cheese on top was mixed with orange and lemon zest to round off the plate.
“This is the third event I’ve done on the roof at Pizza Port OB, and there have been five total. We’re planning some more events really soon, so keep your eyes pealed.”
Here are two more recipes from Nate that Brandon mentioned in September’s column. What beer would you pair these with?
Seafood Carbonara
Yield: 4 servings
½ pound bacon, small dice
8 large shrimp, peeled and sautéed with shells reserved
8 ounces crab meat
2 cloves garlic
zest of 1 lemon
1 bunch parsley, minced
1 cup Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
4 large egg yolks
1½ Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 pound linguini or spaghetti
Add the bacon to a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the shrimp and crab and cook through, 7 to 9 minutes. Set aside.
Place the shrimp shells, garlic, lemon zest and ¼ of the parsley in the center of a square of cheesecloth and use twine to tie it shut. Pour 1 gallon of water into a large pot. Add the cheesecloth bundle to the pot and bring to a boil on the stovetop.
In a large bowl, whisk the cheese, egg yolks, pepper and remaining parsley together until it forms a paste. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to instructions on package. Transfer the pasta and the shrimp mixture to the egg mixture and stir to coat. Add some of the pasta water to thin it out if it is too dry. Serve immediately.
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Smoked Salmon Horseradish Deviled Eggs with Arugula Salad
Yield: 4 servings
8 hard-cooked eggs, sliced in half lengthwise
6 ounces smoked salmon
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup crème fraîche
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
½ tsp fresh dill
¼ tsp whole grain mustard
1/8 tsp salt
dash pepper
paprika for garnish
1 pound mixed greens (or arugula to substitute)
4 ounces walnut oil (or extra virgin olive oil to substitute)
2 ounces champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, finely diced
Remove the yolks from the eggs and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the salmon, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, horseradish, dill, mustard, salt and pepper and process until all of the ingredients are completely incorporated. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe even amounts into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate. In a large bowl, toss mixed greens, shallot, walnut oil and champagne vinegar. Place the salad in the center of a round plate. Place the eggs around the rim and serve.