This column appears on page 16 of the June 2012 print issue, which you can download or view here.
The 30th Street block between Beech and Cedar Streets boasts a ton of talent and integrity. Both come through in spades courtesy of the popular beer bar, Hamilton’s Tavern, and farm-to-table restaurant, Alchemy. Given the values and determination at their respective cores, it was only a matter of time before they bridged the mere several yards separating them and teamed up to create something special.
That’s just what they’ve done with the invention of The Quarterly, a beer and food event held every quarter and organized by Hamilton’s owner and beery bon vivant Scot Blair, and Alchemy executive chef Ricardo Heredia. The inaugural event, dubbed “Barrel and the Beast,” was held earlier this year and included four courses that were all made using head-to-tail components of a suckling pig, all of which were paired with barrel-aged beers from Blair’s extensive cellar.
“The goal was simple…pair food with rare beers to give our customers an experience that is affordable and fun,” says Heredia.
I attended Barrel and the Beast and, assessing the jovial mood, smiley stomach rubbing, blissful eye rolls and comments on the reasonableness of the $75 price tag for four large plates of food and five full servings of beer, I’d say this duo came through on all they ventured to accomplish.
From a pig’s head terrine made texturally dynamic thanks to the addition of a crispy pig’s ear and olive oil made into a floral powder thanks to the addition of tapioca maltodextrin, to a final course (if you don’t count a “dessert” that came in the form of a large pour of barrel-aged Ballast Point Victory at Sea coffee and vanilla porter) of succulent braised pork belly in a java-spiked “red-eye” demi glace with chicharron and a Pink Lady apple poached in ham hock broth. The food was exceptional and extremely creative.
As one would expect, the night’s beery offerings were a cut above. Local favorites like Coronado Brewing Company barrel-aged Barley Wine and the aforementioned Victory at Sea shared commonly delicious ground with Petrus Aged Pale Ale, Anchor OBA and Avery Rumpkin. The latter, a hearty, massively alcoholic (15.9% ABV) pumpkin beer, was brought out to pair with a second course of house-made Spanish-style Botifarra sausage served with a spicy peppadew pepper gelee. It was the first time I’d seen such a big pour of such a big beer served so early on in a meal, but the majority of the diners felt it worked quite well. Ditto the other pairings.
But which came first—the suckling or the suds?
“The pig came first. I wanted to use the whole animal to keep the cost down and keep it affordable, and also have fun with the variety of dishes and flavors that can be extracted with whole animal cookery,” says Heredia. However, when it came time to create the menu, Blair selected the beers. Heredia tasted them all and developed the dishes he would pair with each. The result was a collaboration as true and good as a Saison du BUFF or Collaboration Not Litigation.
The next version of The Quarterly will be held on July 17 at 6:30 p.m., costs $55, and will be based around a whole lamb and Mediterranean flavors. Heredia’s bringing his A-game, making lamb bacon, utilizing the lamb’s tongue and grinding his own meat for use in a tongue-in-cheek take on a cigar that will close out the meal (see full menu below). The beer list is being kept under wraps, but there will certainly be no shortage of quality brews for Blair to pull from.
“The menu for The Quarterly will always be developed based on the season and the flavors of the beers to ensure that the experience will be harmonious and balanced.”
To hold readers over until next month, he’s offering up recipes for two of the dishes from Barrel and the Beast. Recognizing few people have access to whole suckling pigs or restaurant kitchen equipment, both have been adapted so they can be made using common grocery store ingredients and be made easily in a home kitchen environment.
The first is a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin made with a hash of Yukon gold potatoes and roasted ham hock with country-style ribs and fried eggs. The original dish was a pork loin wrapped in bacon served with braised ribs, quail egg and a hash of potatoes and trotters (pig feet). The second is a simplified version of the Botifarra plate where longaniza or chorizo sausages are substituted for the classic Catalan cinnamon and clove-seasoned pork sausage.
To make reservations to attend the next edition of The Quarterly, call Alchemy at (619) 255-0616.
1st Course: Lamb’s Tongue
with Yellow Beet Skordalia, Hummus Gnocchi, Micro Mint and Petite Sea Beans
2nd Course: Grilled Lamb Chop
with Cucumber Yogurt Espuma, Preserved Lemon, Artichoke, Lamb Bacon and Brown Turkey Fig
3rd Course: Re-constructed Lamb Leg
with Carrot Pillow, Whipped Goat Cheese, Squash Blossom, Confit Potato, Cherry Tomato
4th Course: Lamb Bisteeya Cigar
with Ground Lamb, Dates, Candied Pistachio, Grains of Paradise, Kalamata “Ash” and Honey Comb
Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin
with Potato Smoked Ham Hock Hash, Spicy Braised Country Ribs and Fried Egg
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound bacon
2 pounds pork tenderloin
2 to 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
olive oil
2 country-style pork ribs, halved
½ bottle dark beer
2 cups pork stock, or chicken stock to substitute
1 cup mae ploy (sweet chili sauce)
1 smoked ham hock
1 yellow onion, small dice
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
4 medium-sized eggs
Cut the bacon in half to make 3- to 4-inch pieces. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap about 24 inches in length. Layer the bacon horizontally so the slices overlap slightly. Place the tenderloin atop the layered bacon. Lift the edges of the plastic wrap and bring inward to wrap the bacon and plastic around the tenderloin. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to create a tight tube. Wrap the tenderloin with another piece of plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the potatoes in oil, transfer to a sheet pan and place in the oven. Roast until golden and soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a braising pan over medium heat. Unwrap the tenderloin and sear until brown on all sides. Remove the tenderloin from the pan, transfer to a plate, seam-side down, and reserve in the refrigerator. Drain the oil and replace with a new thin layer of oil. Add the ribs to the pan and sear until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the beer and cook for 1 minute, using a wooden spoon to scrape down the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and mae ploy. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest, covered, in the pan.
Increase oven heat to 350 degrees F. Place the tenderloin and ham hock in a roasting pan fitted with a rack to collect any drippings, and cook for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Transfer the loin to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the ribs from the braising liquid and transfer the braising pan to the stovetop over high heat. Reduce the braising liquid by half and use it to baste the ribs.
Preheat broiler. Remove the meat from the ham hock and chop. Heat a thin layer of oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, smash them using a spatula, and cook until a nice crust forms on the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and ham hock meat and keep warm. Place the ribs on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Broil for two minutes. Meanwhile, fry the eggs sunny-side-up in a cast-iron skillet.
To serve, slice the tenderloin into 1-inch rounds. Place the hash in the center of a serving platter, arrange the tenderloin slices around it. Top with the fried eggs and serve immediately.
Botifarra Mongetes
Yield: 4 servings
½ pound dried cannellini beans
3 quarts pork stock (or chicken stock to substitute)
1 yellow onion 1 carrot, small dice
2 sticks celery, small dice
10 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 longaniza sausage (or soft Spanish pork chorizo in casing)
¼ pound Serrano ham (or prosciutto), sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ pound chanterelle mushrooms (or your favorite seasonal mushrooms, to substitute)
Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse the beans, and place in a large pot over high heat with the stock, onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until soft, about 2 hours. Drain the beans and let cool.
Fry or grill the sausages. While they are cooking, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the garlic and add the ham. Cook until crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beans and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. To serve, place the beans in the center of a serving platter. Top with the sausages and serve immediately.
—Recipes courtesy of Ricardo Heredia