This recipe is part 1 of a 3 course meal provided to us by Byron's Beer Garden & Bistro. The other two parts are the
Pan Seared Chicken in Apricot Sauce and Spotted Cow Risotto, and the
Strawberry Shortcake dessert. These recipes all include some sort of beer in the recipe. They use many of the same ingredients so as to bring down food cost and minimize prep time. Enjoy!
1 PKG Spring Green Mix
Lambic Vinaigrette (See Recipe)
1 PKG Pecans, Candied (See Recipe)
Fresh Strawberries, Sliced
1/2 C Goat Cheese, Crumbled
1/2 Red Onion, Sliced
8-12 Mint Leaves
Pour some lambic vinaigrette into a large mixing bowl. Add spring green mix, sliced red onion and a few strawberries and toss. Plate salad and top with candied pecans, more sliced strawberries and goat cheese. Garnish with 2-3 mint leaves and serve. Serves 2.
LAMBIC VINAIGRETTE/STRAWBERRY SAUCE1 Bottle Raspberry Lambic
About 6 Mint Leaves
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
4 Berries Allspice
1 TBSP Honey
1-2 TBSP Chopped Onion
1 C Olive Oil
1 C Fresh Strawberries
Pour lambic into a medium sauce pan and reduce over medium heat to about half. Add mint, cinnamon and allspice and simmer for a few minutes. Split equally into 2 containers and chill.
For Vinaigrette: Pour and strain 1 container of reduction into a blender. Add 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp chopped onion. Blend. Slowly add olive oil (1 cup) until you form an emulsion. Add some white pepper and salt to taste.
Caution: be sure the reduction is cooled! If the lambic reduction is still hot when you blend it, the top to the blender may blow off in your face!
For Strawberry Sauce (Shortcake Recipe): Cut fresh, de-stemmed strawberries into quarters (about 1 cup). Place into a medium mixing bowl, add a generous amount of sugar and allow it to sit. Strawberries will begin to macerate, or break down, in the sugar. After about an hour, add 1 container of the lambic reduction and set aside.
Easy Candied Pecans:
Lightly coat pecans with olive oil and place into a 350 degree oven. Bake for no more than 10 minutes (pecans are done when lightly browned and aromatic). Drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle them with sugar.
