Monthly Food + Beer Pairing – July 2016

You can check out June’s beer and food pairing here!

We’ve been doing these beer and food pairings now for a year and a half. We love them not only because we get to eat and drink beer, but it forces us to cook new things or try pairings we may not have otherwise tried – blueberry pancakes and sour ale was probably the strangest. We cook together pretty frequently, but this gives us something different to look forward to each month. Without further ado, July’s pairing:

Kolsch + Potato Salad

This was a perfect pairing for summer. The 8 Second Kolsch by Elevation Beer Co. is light but flavorful and you can’t go wrong with potato salad. In addition to the potato salad we whipped up some burgers topped with brie and onion and asparagus to make a full, satisfying summer meal. We chose to do a cajun style warm potato salad and it did not disappoint! The potatoes were cooked until fork tender and then slightly mashed leaving large chunks to the desired consistency. We made a base of mayo, mustard, and hard boiled egg yolk then mixed in hard boiled egg whites, green onions, and a bunch of herbs/spices (pepper, paprika, cayenne, cumin, oregano, garlic, etc.) to taste. We very loosely followed these two recipes, but, as with all the cooking we do, we modified it to our tastes and what we had on hand. The recipe is below; it’s super versatile and delicious if you want to give it a try!

Cajun-style potato salad

Most of the measurements for the spices are estimates, we tend to start small, taste, and add more until it’s just right.

4 medium sized red potatoes

3 hard boiled eggs

2 green onions, sliced

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 C mayonnaise

2T mustard (we used Dijon, but any will work)

1/4t paprika

1/4t cumin

1/4t oregano

1/4t cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Cube the potatoes, place in saucepan covered with water, and boil until tender, 10-15 min. While the potatoes are cooking, slice the green onions, mince the garlic, and chop the eggs removing the yolks first. To make the dressing, in a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise, egg yolk, mustard, spices, and garlic. Once the potatoes are finished, drain, and slightly cool. Slightly mash the potatoes and add to bowl with dressing. Mix together and continue mashing to your desired consistency (we like it a mix of mashed and chunky). Add the green onions and egg whites and stir to combine. Can be served immediately or cooled in the fridge until ready to serve; it’s delicious both warm and cold!

If you’re interested in doing your own monthly pairings, the calendar we use is from redcruiser on Etsy.