Waiter, there's a Bud in my blog.

Whaaat? A Budweiser? Here? At Yours For Good Fermentables?

Why, yes! It's Rice Cooked in Budweiser, in 45 minutes, start to finish. (No Bud in the pantry? You could use a better beer. Read below.)

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RECIPE

yield: 3 cups cooked

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (long grain or brown).
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced.
• 2 spring (green) onions, chopped.
• 1 piece kombu.
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric.
• 1 tsp. kosher salt. (Omit if using commercial stock; most brands are heavily salted.)
• 8 oz Budweiser or 'craft' lager. (see below)
• 8 oz vegetable stock.
• 8 oz water.
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil.
• coarsely cracked black pepper, to taste.

Method

• Dice carrot. Set aside.
• Finely chop one spring onion.
• Clean the rice under cold water. Drain.
• Combine water, beer, stock, salt, and turmeric. Mix well. Set aside.
• Heat oil to medium-high. Add rice. Sauté for minute or two, coating all until aromatic. Do not scorch.
• Add liquid mixture and diced carrot to rice. Bring to boil.
• Immediately remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Return to very low heat (gas) or med-low (electric).
• Simmer for 25-35 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat. Add chopped spring onion. Keep covered for 10 minutes.
• Remove the piece kombu and discard.
• Add coarsely cracked black pepper to taste.
• Fluff and serve.

Addenda

• For the beer, most NAILs (North American industrial lager) or ILLs (International light lager) will do. The beer reduces to a 'chickeny' flavor. Avoid a hoppy beer, however. The hops will reduce to an unpleasant bitterness. Likewise, avoid a stout or fairly dark ale or lager. The roast will darken the dish and add its own bitterness. If you know your beer styles, you could substitute a Dortmunder-style export lager, or similar, less-hopped, lighter-hued 'craft' lager.
• If using commercial soup stock, omit salt. Commercial stock is already high in sodium. (Why not make your own stock?)
• Turmeric adds 'yellow' rice color and enhances the flavor. It's pronounced "TURH muhr rick" NOT "tumor rick".
• Kombu is edible kelp. It adds a savoriness to the rice: what the Japanese call umami. (Use a couple of bay leaves if you don't have kombu. Just remember to discard them after the rice is cooked.)

Beer: it's what's for dinner!

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• More photos of preparation: here.


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