Work-toberfest

Mark's company had their annual Oktoberfest party yesterday (yes, in November, the hurricane/rain date from Sandy). It included a cooking competition where employees bring in dishes using 2 of the listed qualifying ingredients. Qualifiers were German-themed, including beer, cheese, sausage, cabbage, white asparagus, potatoes, chocolate, etc. We decided on a double-entry for our first year... you know, to come out strong, make a presence. Our entries: Broccoli and Cheddar Ale Soup, and Chocolate Chip Stout Bread.

all of the alcohol that went into our dishes... except for the wine. that was for me.

Frozen veggie burgers, Mark's un-gourmet dinner on cooking night

Handsomest Cheese Grater Award Winner! Mark's been cutting the cheese for some time now... see below!

THROWBACK: Mark grating Parmesan for our 6-month dating anniversary dinner

The soup was awesome! I adapted it from a 2005 Gourmet recipe for Cheddar Beer Soup. They recommended using Bass, a malty English ale, which we thought was great in the soup, less-great by itself.

Broccoli and Cheddar Ale Soup
Yields: 4-6 servings (we doubled it for the competition)
Ingredients:
2 onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 celery ribs, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups broccoli, cooked and chopped (or 1-12-oz package frozen, thawed)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
3/4 cup reduced sodium vegetable broth (yes, or chix broth)
1 (12-oz) bottle ale, recommended: Bass
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1 lb extra-sharp cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Directons:
1. Cook onion and celery in butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes more.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring frequently, and cook for about 3 minutes. (Note- If vegetables appear dry, add a bit of water to keep the pan moist, allowing flour to cook.)

3. Whisk in milk, broth, and beer. Simmer gently, whisking often, 7-10 minutes.

4. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and chopped, cooked broccoli.

5. Add cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Bon appetit!

Broccoli and Cheddar Ale Soup... enough to feed the roaring Oktoberfest work crowd

Now onto the next recipe... the beer bread. We did a variation of the loaf we make it nearly every week. You may know baking yeast bread can trigger a freak-out for me, but this beer bread's actually a non-threatening quick bread; you mix the dry, add wet, and pour into a loaf pan. Easy! See the way we usually make it here. For Oktoberfest, we used Guinness, which gave the bread a deep, intense flavor, and added semi-sweet chocolate chips for a pleasant finish. Hey, this may be the only way to actually enjoy Guinness!

Chocolate Chip Stout Bread
Yield: 1 loaf, about 10-12 slices
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1-12 oz bottle Guinness
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar) in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Add beer, stir 5-6 strokes until mostly incorporated. Add chocolate chips, mixing until combined.

4. Pour batter into a lightly-greased loaf pan and bake, about 45 minutes, until top begins to brown.

Note- This bread contains no added fat, so it's best enjoyed the day it is baked... it dries out quickly!

Chocolate Chip Stout Bread

Our score report: While both entries were enjoyed by co-workers, and the soup appeared to be a crowd favorite, we sadly didn't place this year. First place was taken by a German Chocolate Cake with chocolate-ganache. (Come on! What can compete with that?)

At least there was a tiny bit of soup leftover for me to enjoy when Mark brought it home from work. We'll get the win next year. And chances are, we will be making these wunderbar recipes before then!