July is a spectacular time to be in Oregon – not just because the weather is warm and everything is green – but because it’s Oregon Craft Beer Month! If you’re within driving distance, you have 3 more days to enjoy events, deals, tastings and innovative beer-infused food from over 200 brewpubs and breweries in more than 60 cities, state-wide. Oregon is home to one of my favorite breweries: Rogue (their Hazelnut Brown Nectar is incredible). In fact, TODAY, you can meet one of Oregon’s craft brewers at the Rogue Public House if you happen to be in Portland. Check here for the last few days of festivities.
Of course, restaurants are getting in on the action – like Red Star Tavern (another Portland can’t-miss destination). They were kind enough to send me this recipe and photo for WanderFood readers to enjoy. It’s perfect for a hot summer evening – especially when served with a frosty Oregon IPA.
IPA Mussel Sauce by executive chef Kyle Rourke at Red Star Tavern
Yield: 1 quart
2 onion, sliced
4 clove garlic, smashed
8 aji amirillo chiles, seeded and stemmed
1 T coriander, whole
2” piece of galangal, chopped
6” piece of ginger, microplanned
1 bunch scallion, sliced
1 12oz can/bottle hoppy IPA
1 cup lemon juice
1 lime peel
1 lemon peel
1 orange peel
2 T brown sugar
1 T paprika
Procedure
-caramelize onion heavily
-add garlic, galanga, ginger, and toast
-add chiles, citrus peels, and coriander and toast
-add beer, lemon juice, and scallion
-check while simmers, add brown sugar and paprika
-cook for 1 ½ hours, puree and strain
-should be very acidic
This a half-batch recipe of the IPA sauce for Penn Cove Mussels we do here at the restaurant. Keep in mind, that the sauce is a base and it will taste very acidic on it’s own. We add about 4 oz of cream to 2 oz of sauce for an order of mussels. Aji amirillo chiles are a Peruvian chile usually sold in the US dried. You can buy them online or check out a few Latin grocery markets. Galanga is a spicier cousin of ginger and should be at most Asian markets in your area.
Do you have a favorite Oregon Beer?