Festive Feasts

Festive Feasts B&B covers the big three: Christmas Day, New Years Day and Australia Day.

Christmas Day Breakfast

Richard Park - Chef, Redoak Boutique Beer Café

BBQ FRENCH TOAST WITH SUMMER BERRY COMPOTE

Serves six people

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf of good quality unsliced fruit bread
250ml Redoak Christmas Cheer ale
1 medium good quality Christmas pudding
6 eggs
100g castor sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
300ml milk
1 punnet strawberries
1 punnet raspberries
1 punnet blueberries
½ punnet redcurrants
½ punnet blackberries
100ml Redoak's Blackberry Wheat beer
100g castor sugar
250g thickened cream

Directions

1. Cut bread into 6cm x 10cm rectangles. With an apple corer remove the centre of the bread.
2. Crumble the pudding and mix with 150ml Redoak Christmas Cheer ale. Use enough to moisten the pudding but don't allow it to become to wet. Marinate for 1 hour. Fill the centre of the toast with the Christmas pudding. Let it sit for 15 minutes to settle.
3. Mix the eggs, castor sugar, vanilla bean seeds, milk and remaining Redoak ale.
4. Dip each log of fruit toast into the egg mix and place onto a well cleaned and lightly oiled hot plate on the BBQ on a low heat. Colour all sides until golden brown.

Berry Preparation

Gently wash and dry the berries. Slice the strawberries into a small bowl. Add the Blackberry Wheat Beer and sugar, mix and marinate for 1 hour before serving.

Presentation

Place the French toast into the middle of a bowl or plate, place some of the berries on top of the toast, scatter some more around the outside with some of the marinade. Take a tablespoon of the thickened cream and spoon onto the top of the toast, then dust with icing sugar.

SERVE WITH...

Redoak Christmas Cheer ale and enjoy your BBQ. Merry Christmas from all at Redoak Boutique Beer Café!

New Years Day

Ian Watson - Brewer and Beer Sommelier, Sunshine Coast Brewery

RAUCHBIER YAKINIKU

A barbeque snack or 4 people

RAUCHBIER YAKINIKU

INGREDIENTS

1 bottle Schlenkerla Rauchbier
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon Kecap Manis
(sweet soy)
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
A dash of sake
400-500gms fillet steak
Spring onions

Directions:

1. Slice the steak across the grain into thin ribbons. Place in a bowl and pour over the Rauchbier. Allow to marinate for 1 hour. Thread the beef onto skewers with the spring onions.
2. Combine remaining ingredients with almost half the remaining Rauchbier.
3. Cook over a moderately hot grill or plate until the meat is browned. Baste regularly.
Yakiniku is traditionally cooked over smoking coals so the smoked beer should help bridge that gap as well as add some new dimensions.

SERVE WITH...

Rauchbier, Duke European Lager, Pilsner Urquell.

Australia Day Lunch

Ed Halmagyi - TV Chef

BBQ PORK LOIN WITH PILSNER AND THYME GRAVY

Pork loin is the big muscle you find in pork cutlets. Cut off the bone by your butcher it is a great BBQ item, moist, flavoursome and delicious.

BBQ PORK LOIN WITH PILSNER AND THYME GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1.2kg pork loin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp mustard seed oil
1 brown onion, diced finely
2 garlic cloves, diced finely
2 rashers bacon, diced finely
1 tsp flour
600ml Pilsner Urquell, or comparable beer
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp sour cream
1 bunch thyme, chopped

Directions

1. Pound the spices, salt and olive oil in a mortar and pestle, then rub onto the pork.
2. BBQ, turning regularly, until pork is cooked medium-well (about 30 minutes).
3. Fry onion, garlic and bacon in mustard seed oil, add flour, cook for one minute.
4. Add beer, stock, cream and thyme and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Carve the pork and serve covered with the gravy, next to a fresh, light salad.