Pearl barley risotto with pheasant & beer

For ➍
200 g pearl barley (hata mugi)
1 shallot , chopped
70 cl chicken stock
1 dash of white wine
100 g dried wild mushrooms, soaked in water
½ lemon, zest
4 pheasant fillets
20 cl Double Postel beer
250 g oyster mushrooms, cut into strips
2 handfuls of fresh herbs (parsley , tarragon , chervil , ... ), chopped
butter
olive oil
pepper & salt

The pearl barley is cooked like a risotto, named orzotto. Stew a minced shallot in a little olive oil. Add the pearl barley. Deglaze with the white wine and a splash of chicken stock. Cook on a low heat for 20 m. Check if there is still enough liquid. Add stock if necessary.
Pour in the liquid from the soaked mushrooms for extra flavour. Chop the mushrooms finely and add at the very end. Add grated lemon zest for freshness. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the risotto warm.
Fry the pheasant fillets in a little butter on both sides. The meat should still be pink. Season with salt and pepper. Further, let yarn in a preheated oven at 160°C for 15 m.
Make the sauce. Drain excess fat from the pan and deglaze with the Double Postel. Get the bakings loose and pour the rest of the chicken stock over it. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil.
Remove the meat from the oven, cover and leave to rest for a while.
Fry the sliced mushrooms in oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the spring onions. Let yarn on a low heat for a few m.
Serve the risotto with fresh herbs.

Double Postel beer is a Belgian brown abbey beer with a hint of Eastern spices. A good brown or red beer will do.
Read the tip on cooking risotto.

Kalfsfricassé met Oud Bruin, mosterdcrème & venkel (Flemish veal & beer stew)

For ➍
800 g fricassee of veal, cut in chunks
1 bottle Vanderghinste Oud Bruin beer
20 cl veal stock
50 g mustard
pepper, salt, thyme & bay leaf
50 g butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 fennel, chopped
1 tomato,  concasse*
10 g chopped dill
25 g flour
pommes château

Brown veal meat in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Sift the flour over it and mix.
Pour the beer over the meat, which sould be covered. Add the onion, and fennel and thyme and bay leaf to it.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 h.
Add the veal stock to boil and cook for 1 m, add the mustard to it.
Add the tomato and chopped dill.
Serve with pommes château.

*Peel the tomatoes (dip them in hot water for 1 m to remove the peel easily. Discard all pits and juice, and keep the out shell. Cut into small pieces.

'Ouden tripel' was the first beer brewery Vanderghinste from Bellegem in Flanders created in 1889. It is a red ale with mixed fermentation, typical for the South of province of West Flanders. This oud bruin (old brown) beer is made of barley malt, wheat, caramel malt, hops and water. Then lambiek is added to have a slightly sour, refreshing taste. In 2012 the old name Vanderghinste Oud Bruin was reinstalled, with new labels and marketing.