Jon Myrick Recipe: Steamed Mussels with Leeks and Tomatoes

Here’s a recipe from Proud Larry’s executive chef Jon Myrick that seems like it would be difficult until you see him make it and realize you can do it, too! Those at the Oxford Beer Fest saw it firsthand, and now you can try the recipe below. For the fest, Jon used Diamond Bear Southern Blonde for steaming his mussels, but feel free to experiment with any pale ale or lager.

Steamed Mussels with Leeks and Stewed Tomatoes

1 tbsp. butter
1 t. garlic
1/2 c. stewed tomatoes
1/4 c. leeks
1/8 c. parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
about 25 mussels
1/2 c. beer (Jon used Diamond Bear Southern Blonde at the Oxford Beer Fest)

Combine butter, garlic, tomatoes, leeks, parsley, salt and pepper in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once all are cooked through and combined, add mussels and beer and cover to steam. Mussels will be done when shells open (about 4 minutes).

Serves 2

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Rob Ray Recipe: Oatmeal Stout Cookies

For a really interesting twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie, McEwen’s executive chef Rob Ray used The Flare Incident, Lucky Town Brewing Company’s oatmeal stout brew, for these uniquely delicious cookies he prepared at the Oxford Beer Fest.

Lucky Town Oatmeal Stout Cookies from Rob Ray at McEwen’s Oxford

• ½ c. Butter, Softened
• ½ c. Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 c. All-Purpose Flour
• 3 c. Quick-Cooking Oats
• ½ c. Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1-1/4 c. Lucky Town Oatmeal Stout (Room Temperature)

Cream together butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Cut in flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add the Oatmeal Stout to form a soft dough. Scoop dough by the teaspoonful and place on cookie sheet. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, until lightly brown. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before placing onto a wire rack.

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Erika Lipe Recipe: Betta Chedda Dip

Here’s a great dip for parties or just for snacking on while watching a movie. At the Oxford Beer Fest, Erika paired this addictive dip with Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.

Betta Chedda Dip from Erika Lipe at Lenora’s

10 oz. white cheddar cheese, grated
1 large bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2-3/4 c. Dukes or Blue Blate mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced

Bake walnuts at 250 degrees F for 15 minutes, being careful to not burn. Combine all ingredients and serve with toast points, bagel chips, apples, pears or grapes.

Serves 6

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

 

Tim Woodard Recipe: Smothered Chicken and Grits

On Sunday, Tim Woodard from Little Easy Express showed Oxford Beer Fest attendees how to prepare his simple and rustic smothered chicken over grits. He says it’s also perfect over rice or potatoes accompanied by crusty bread and a salad. For his beer pairing, Tim coupled the dish with Shipyard Brewing Co. Monkey Fist IPA.

Smothered Chicken and Grits from Tim Woodard of Little Easy Express Lunches and Catering

Baked Cheese Grits

• 4 cups water
• ¾ cup long-cooking grits, uncooked
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional when cooking grits)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• Dash red pepper sauce or ground red pepper

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 1-1/2 qt. casserole or baking dish. Prepare grits according to package directions. Add small amount of grits to beaten egg to temper. Return grits mixture to pan and add remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat an additional minute or until cheese is melted. Pour into prepared casserole and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until top is set and lightly puffed. Let stand 5 Minutes before serving.

Smothered Chicken

• 6-8 medium-sized chicken thighs or a small whole chicken fryer cut up (a 4 lb. bird)
• Salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 medium-sized onion
• ½ cup of flour plus a small amount for dusting chicken
• ½ cup of margarine or ¼ cup each of butter and vegetable oil
• 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth (slightly more if needed)

While the grits are simmering on low heat, melt the margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lightly dust chicken in additional flour, place in skillet and brown on all sides. After the chicken is brown, add flour and onion and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Once the mixture is a caramel color, add the water or chicken broth and blend well. Season with cayenne pepper and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 45 min to 1 hr until chicken is tender and juices run clear. Remove from oven, adjust seasoning, and serve over baked cheese grits.

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Rob Ray Recipe: BBQ Pork Butt and Beer BBQ Sauce

Yet another great summertime recipe. Here, chef Rob Ray explained to Oxford Beer Fest VIP attendees how to integrate beer into BBQ pork butt and beer-based barbecue sauce.

Ballistic Blonde Braised BBQ Pork Butt from Rob Ray at McEwen’s Oxford

• 4T Kosher Salt
• 3T Fresh Ground Pepper
• 2tsp Toasted Ground Mustard Seeds
• 2T Chili Powder
• 1T Ground Cumin
• 1T Garlic Powder
• 1T Toasted Ground Coriander Seeds
• 1Orange, Zested and Juiced (keep the peels)
• 8 pounds Pork Butt
• Olive oil for cooking pan
• 3c Lucky Town Ballistic Blonde
• 6 Garlic Cloves, Chopped

Combine salt, pepper, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder and orange zest in a bowl and mix well. Rub all over pork butt. Wrap in plastic wrap or vacuum seal and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to 12 hours. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven and braise pork (uncovered) for one hour, until a dark brown color appears across the pork. Remove from oven and lower oven to 325 degrees F. Pour the beer and orange juice over the pork and place the garlic cloves and orange peels around the pork. Cover the pan with foil, poking five pen-size holes in the foil–one in each corner and one in the middle. Cook for 3 hours, until meat falls off the bone.

Beer Barbecue Sauce to accompany Ballistic Blonde Braised BBQ Pork Butt 

• 1T Butter
• 1/3c Onion, Chopped
• 3T Garlic, Minced
• 2T Worcestershire sauce
• 2c Ketchup
• 2T Yellow Mustard
• 2T Sorghum
• 1T Brown Sugar
• 1/2tsp Salt
• 1tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 2T Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1tsp Hot Sauce
• 2c Lucky Town Ballistic Blonde

Add butter, onion and garlic to a saucepan over medium heat; sweat onions until soft and translucent. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, sorghum, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, vinegar, cayenne pepper, hot sauce and 1 cup of beer. Turn up the heat to med-high and bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, purée and add remaining beer.

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Sam Thamutok Recipe: Hmok Pla

“Hmok” in Thai means to stuff something in a banana leaf, roll/wrap it tight and throw it in the fire until the outer wrap is burnt (that’s about the time it takes for the food inside to be cooked). The following recipe is for a banana leaf-wrapped fish custard that you can wrap up the night before an outdoor barbecue and then just toss on the grill when guests arrive. Sam paired this dish with Diamond Bear Southern Blonde at the Oxford Beer Fest.

Hmok Pla from Sam Thamutok at Rice & Spice

• 3 oz. red curry paste (less or more for spice level)
• 1 oz. fish sauce
• 2 oz. palm sugar
• 4 oz. coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
• 1 lb. fresh fish fillet, cut into bite-size pieces (use catfish, grouper or red snapper; chicken can also be substituted)
• Your choice of vegetable (Thai basil, Napa cabbage or turnip greens are recommended)
• Enough banana leaves to wrap ingredient mixture together
• Toothpicks to secure leaves during cooking

Mix together red curry paste, fish sauce, egg, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar and coconut milk. Add fish and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while preparing banana leaves and vegetables. Cut banana leaf to appropriate size (recommend using three layers); immerse vegetables in boiling water for 20 seconds, remove and let drain. Place vegetables on banana leaf, top with mixed ingredients. Wrap banana leaf, “staple” with toothpick on both ends, place on grilling pan or grill, over medium-high heat, flip when banana leaf is burnt. Enjoy with steamed jasmine rice and a light body beer.

Yield: 4 servings

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Erika Lipe Recipe: Chicken Skewers with Lemon Cucumber Salsa

A great recipe for backyard grilling this summer, Erika Lipe from Lenora’s made Chicken Skewers with Lemon Cucumber Salsa on Saturday at this weekend’s Oxford Craft Beer Festival and paired them with Velvet Rooster, a Belgian-style tripel, from Tall Grass Brewing Co.

Chicken Skewers with Lemon Cucumber Salsa from Erika Lipe at Lenora’s

• 4 lemons
• 2 Cuties oranges
• 1 English cucumber, finely diced
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 fresh cayenne pepper, seeded and minced (may substitute garlic chili sambal)
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes
• ¼ c. plain Greek yogurt
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. cracked coriander seeds

Salsa:
Cut away all peel and white pith from lemons. Slice segments between membranes with a sharp knife, releasing them into a mixing bowl. Peel Cuties and chop, adding them to the bowl with lemon segments. Combine cucumber, green onions, cayenne pepper, and season with salt and sugar. Add a tablespoon of your chopped cilantro.

Chicken:
Place cubed chicken in a large mixing bowl. In a blender, add cilantro, yogurt, black pepper, vegetable oil, garlic and coriander. Process until smooth and pour over chicken, tossing to coat. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, or as much as 24 hours (refrigerated) ahead of time. To cook chicken, thread 4 pieces onto a skewer and lay on lined baking sheet. Broil, turning halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and browned on all sides. Alternatively, you can grill the skewers. Serve topped with lemon cucumber salsa.

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Sean Adams Recipe: Beer Cheese Soup

As promised, I’ll be sharing all of the recipes from our chefs who participated in the Oxford Craft Beer Fest this weekend. Kicking things off is a Beer Cheese Soup from Sean Adams from Honey Bee Bakery.

There will be more recipes to come throughout the day. Enjoy, and be sure to visit all of the chefs at their restaurants. Send in your photos if you make any of the recipes at home.

Beer Cheese Soup from Chef Sean Adams at Honey Bee Bakery

• 3 yellow onions medium dice
• 4 carrots peeled, medium dice
• 4 stalks celery, peeled, medium dice
• 1 tablespoon garlic purée
• 1/2 lb. cubed butter
• 1c. all purpose flour
• 6 cups milk
• 5 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 12-oz. beers at room temp (Sean used Back Forty Beer Co. Kudzu porter here)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika

Sauté vegetables and garlic on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add butter, melt, mix, add flour and mix well. Slowly whisk in milk, 1 cup at a time, whisking the whole time until thick. Whisk in cheese a little bit at a time until mixed well. Add beer slowly, whisking, being careful not to make too frothy, until all is added. Simmer for 90 minutes, purée, and add salt, pepper and paprika. Refrigerate uncovered overnight to set up. Serve the next day.

Yield: 1 gallon

 

The Oxford Beer Fest’s VIP Chef/Beer Pairing area was organized by EatingOxford.com. If you’d like information on how to hold a similar event at your venue, contact Liz@EatingOxford.com.

Official Food Preview for Oxford Craft Beer Festival

Hot off the press! The official food lineup for this weekend’s Oxford Craft Beer Festival is here!

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

VIP Area (food included in VIP ticket price)

1:30 p.m.: Sean Adams from Honey Bee Bakery is demonstrating Beer Cheese Soup using Back Forty Kudzu porter

2:30 p.m.: Erika Lipe from Lenora’s is demonstrating Chicken Skewers with Lemon Cucumber Salsa and pairing it with Tall Grass Velvet Rooster

3:30 p.m.: Sam Thamutok from Rice & Spice is demonstrating Hmok Pla (fish wrapped in banana leaf) and pairing it with Diamond Bear Southern Blonde

4:30 p.m.: Rob Ray from McEwen’s is demonstrating BBQ Sliders and pairing them with Lucky Town Ballistic Blonde as well as Oatmeal Stout Cookies using Lucky Town Oatmeal Stout

General Admission Area Food Vendors (VIP ticket holders will receive a meal ticket)

Jambalaya from Louisiana

Gyros from Petra Cafe

Crawfish

Bratwurst, Nachos and Hot Dogs from K&B Catering

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

VIP Area (food included in VIP ticket price)

1:30 p.m.: Erika Lipe from Lenora’s is demonstrating Betta Chedda Dip with accompaniments and pairing with Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager

2:30 p.m.: Tim Woodard from Little Easy Express Lunches and Catering is demonstrating Smothered Chicken and Grits and pairing with Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA

3:30 p.m.: Jon Myrick from Proud Larry’s is demonstrating Steamed Mussels with leeks and tomatoes and pairing with Crooked Letter Stabello

General Admission Area

On Sunday, Colonel’s Quarters will offer the following menu items for purchase for general admission (VIP ticket holders will receive a meal ticket)

Caesar Salad (with or without chicken)

Pimento Cheese Fritters

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Fried Green Beans

Oysters on the Half Shell

Castle Hill Burger with home fries or sweet potato fries

Buffalo Chicken Tender Po-Boy with home fries or sweet potato fries

Fried Catfish Po-Boy with home fries or sweet potato fries

Chicken & Waffle

Shrimp & Grits

Fried Catfish with home fries or sweet potato fries

 

Find more event information and tickets on the Beer Fest site here.

 

April 20-21: Oxford Beer Festival

We are mere days away from the Oxford Craft Beer Festival, which will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, at Colonel’s Quarters at Castle Hill.

I have a special interest in the event since I’m organizing the VIP area, which involves six Oxford chefs being teamed up with craft brewers to create unique dishes that either integrate or pair with craft beers. All VIP ticket holders have access to the general admission area as well, and will have access to special brews, complimentary food and water/soda, and entrance into the festival one hour early (at noon).

Also happening in the VIP area will be a silent auction featuring beer-themed items as well as items donated from local Oxford businesses such as RockIT Computer Solutions, Sweet Cheeks, Deal’s Auto Repair, Lafayette Carpet Cleaning and more.

Some things to know before you go (for all ticket holders):

• Online ticket sales are ending soon.
• There are only 100 VIP tickets available per day.
• Ticket prices increase by $10 at the door.
• There should be enough free parking, but for those who would like a ride to the event, there will be a shuttle going to/from the JCPenney parking lot ($10 fee).
• There will be some fun gifts/crafts for purchase at the event, so don’t forget to bring some extra pocket change with you.

Check out the Oxford Beer Festival site for event information and ticket comparison. General admission is $35/pp/day and VIP admission is $75/pp/day.

Find out more about the VIP chefs in the videos below.

Tim Woodard from Little Easy Express Lunches and Catering (Cooking Sunday, April 21)

Sam Thamutok from Rice & Spice (Cooking Saturday, April 20)

Sean Adams from Honey Bee Bakery (Cooking Saturday, April 20)

Erika Lipe from Lenora’s (Cooking Saturday and Sunday)

Jon Myrick from Proud Larry’s (Cooking Sunday, April 21)

Rob Ray from McEwen’s (Cooking Saturday, April 20)