Chris McCombs, our Plant Engineer and creator of Dandelion Ale, recommends:

Dandelion Ale with Curried Shrimp Phyllos pair together well because neither one overpowers the other. The mildness of the cream cheese and shrimp, and the heat of the curry contrast with Dandelion Ale’s background of light bitterness from the dandelion greens and peppery flavors of the grains of paradise.  Both the phyllos and the Dandelion Ale possess subtle spicy characteristics, and also creamy flavors that go well together.

When I formulated the recipe for Dandelion Ale, I had no idea exactly what kind of flavor or aroma contribution to expect from the dandelion greens themselves, but I had a feeling that the grains of paradise would give a unique spiciness to this beer. I was surprised by just how much the grains of paradise contributed to the after-bitter effect of the beer.  With this pleasantly peppery aftertaste in mind, I thought it should be paired with a sweet desert with a twist.  The crème’ brulee with habanero apricot glaze provides both a creamy, rich, but also creep-up-on-you heat from the pepper.  The Dandelion Ale helps quench the heat of the habanero, and also complements the overall sweetness of the dish with a distinct spicy/ peppery finish. 

Curried Dandelion Shrimp Phyllos

Ingredients:

Filling

• 9 oz cooked, peeled shrimp or prawns, tails removed
• 5 oz softened plain cream cheese
• ¼ cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup chopped dandelion greens
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 minced or crushed clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• ¼ cup chopped almonds
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dough: Use pre-made Phyllo dough cut into 4” X 4” squares.  Make sure to defrost the phyllo dough for 24 hours before working with it.  Use kitchen shears or pizza cutter to cut the dough.  Check the internet for other tips on how to work with Phyllo dough, it can be tricky!

Preparation
In a mixing bowl combine the shrimp (diced up), cream cheese, onion, dandelion greens, garlic , balsamic vinegar, curry, almonds and salt and pepper.  If shrimp is still warm, allow to cool in the fridge for a couple of hours before attempting to place on phyllo dough.  Use 2-3 layers of phyllo dough and cut into the squares.  Brush the pieces of phyllo dough with butter or olive oil.  Spoon on the filling into the middle of the phyllo squares, and fold into triangles (making sure not to overfill).  Brush the edges again with butter or olive oil.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and cook in a  pre-heated 350 F oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside.   Eat them with your hands, and rinse down with a Dandelion Ale.

Crème Brulee with Habanero Apricot Glaze

Ingredients:

Crème Brulee

• 4 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
• ½ cup raw sugar
• 6 large egg yolks

Apricot Habanero Glaze

• ½ cup Apricot Preserves
• 1 habanero, de-seeded and minced
• ½ tbsp Grand Marnier or water

Preparation:

Crème’ Brulee. Pre-heat oven to 300 F.  Bring the cream and vanilla and then set aside on the stove, allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.  Beat the eggs and sugar until thoroughly mixed and light yellow.  After the cream and vanilla mixture is cool, mix it into the egg/sugar mixture.  Fill ramekins with crème brulee mixture, place in a baking dish on a towel inside the dish, and fill ½ way with boiling water.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until firm.  Allow to cool in the fridge for several hours.  Sprinkle sugar on top of crème brulee and brown with a cooking torch (more info)

Apricot Habanero Glaze. Mix habaneros, apricot preserves and Grand Marnier into a saucepan and heat on medium for 10 minutes or liquefied.  Strain into a
measuring cup or bowl.  Drizzle onto crème brulee and serve with a Worthy Glass of Dandelion Ale.