Beer Potato Soup

2 T butter
1 tsp. garlic
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 stalk diced celery
6 cups boiled diced potatoes
32 ounces beer
1 T sugar
1 T chicken bouillon
64 oz. chicken stock
roux to thicken
4 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste

Serves 10 or more

Sauté garlic in butter for 1 minute, add vegetables and saute for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes and beer and bring to a boil. Mash potatoes against sides of pot. Add sugar, stock, bouillon and salt and pepper. Add roux until thick. Add cream, stir and serve.

Note from Cheri:

I so loved this soup, served at Tapp's Brewpub and Steakhouse in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, that I asked for the recipe. Lucky for us they were feeling generous. While the soup was designed to be made with one of Tapp's superb micro-brews, you can substitute any light (as in color, not calorie) beer.

Potato Bread

1/4 cup warm water
3 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 cups milk
3 T butter
1 cup mashed potatoes at room temperature (if you don't know how to make mashed potatoes, follow this link)
4 T sugar
2 tsp. salt
6 cups flour
1 egg (for glaze)

If You Have an Electric Mixer:

Pour warm water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand for 5 minutes. With the mixer at speed 2, slowly mix in milk, mashed potatoes sugar and salt. Gradually mix in flour. The dough should turn into a ball. Continue to knead on speed 2 for 2-3 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough does not ball up because it's to dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts. Click on this link for the next steps.

If You Have A Food Processor:

Pour warm water into the bowl. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and mix at low speed. Let stand for five minutes. Slowly mix in milk, potatoes, salt and sugar. Gradually mix in flour. Mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's to dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.

After Your Dough Is Made:

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours). Grease 2 loaf pans and preheat oven to 375°F.

Punch down dough and divide into two pieces. Shape each piece into loaf shape and place in greased pans. Cover pans with clean towel and let rise till doubled (about 1 hour). Use a pastry brush to brush beaten egg over the tops of the loaves. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Note from Cheri:
This bread provides a wonderful way to use leftover mashed potatoes. It makes a dense, moist loaf that's perfect for sandwiches.

Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish Sauce

1 onion
3 whole cloves
4 lb. corned beef
4 parsley sprigs
8 whole black peppercorns
2 lbs. cabbage
1 C sour cream
1 T prepared horseradish

Serves 8

Peel onion and stick with cloves. Put corned beef, onion parsley and peppercorns in a large pot and cover with water. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook gently until tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Cut cabbage into wedges and core. Add to the pot, cover and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Combine sour cream with horseradish. Serve the meat and cabbage with some of the broth ladled over all and the horseradish on the side.

Note from Cheri:
This traditional Irish recipe is great addition to a St. Patrick's Day party or a hearty meal anytime. While it takes a few hours to cook, the actual work time is minimal.

Chocolate Stout Silk Pie

Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/3 cup melted butter

Filling

12 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chocolate chips work well)
24 large marshmallows
pinch of salt
2/3 cups stout
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T creme de cacao (liqueur, light or dark will work)

Serves 6-8

Preheat oven to 350° F. Add melted butter to crushed graham crackers and mix until well blended. Using fingers, press crust mixture into bottom and up the sides of a pie pan. Bake crust for about 6 minutes until set. (You can alternatively use a ready made graham cracker crust.)

Place chocolate, marshmallows and salt in a blender. Blend until well mixed and chocolate is finely ground.

In two separate saucepans (in order to prevent curdling), heat stout and evaporated milk until very hot, but not boiling.

Pour stout and milk into blender and blend for one minute. Add vanilla and creme de cacao and blend. Pour into the crust and refrigerate overnight. Garnish with whipped cream.

Note from Cheri:
This recipe comes to us from New Brunswick's Tapp's Brewpub and Steakhouse in beautiful downtown Saint John. The chef came up with the innovative idea of using Stout (a hearty dark beer) with chocolate. They complement each other perfectly.

Irish Coffee

Original Version

1 C hot coffee
1 1/2 oz. Irish Mist liqueur
whipped cream for garnish

OR

Modern Version

1 C hot coffee
1 oz. Irish Whiskey
3 sugar cubes
whipped cream for garnish

Note from Cheri:
Chef Joe Sheridan, of Foyne's Restaurant in County Clare, is credited with inventing Irish Coffee in the 1940s. I was told the original version was made with Irish Mist liqueur, although Irish Whiskey is more commonly used today. Why not try it both ways and do your own taste test?

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