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PLATES & PINTS


In The Pub T


Photo: Kristina Blake


Brandon Hernández hated beer and had never even heard the term “craft beer” until his first trip to O’Brien’s Pub in 1999. There, in a dark yet friendly space rife with the foreign smell of cascade and centennial hops, he fell into line with the new school of brew enthusiasts courtesy of a pint-sized one-two punch of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale. Those quaffs changed his perception of all beer could and should be and he’s spent the past decade-plus immers- ing himself in the local beer culture -- living, learning, loving and, of course, drinking craft suds. He’s since taken up homebrewing and specializes in the creation of beer-centric cuisine. A native San Diegan, Brandon is proud to be contributing to a publication that serves a positive purpose for his hometown and its beer loving inhabitants. In addition to West Coaster, he is the San Diego cor- respondent for Celebrator Beer News and contributes articles on beer, food, restau- rants and other such killer topics to national publications including The Beer Connoisseur, Beer Magazine and Wine Enthusiast as well as local outlets including The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Magazine, The Reader, Riviera Magazine, Pacific San Diego, Edible San Diego, Dining Out San Diego, Rancho Magazine, North County Times and SanDiego.com.


Tyson Blake brings nouveau gourmet flare into the mix at O’Brien’s By Brandon Hernández


he beer-and-food pairing trend has dovetailed deliciously with the new accessibility of heightened cuisine and luxury ingredients in traditionally untraditional environs. Nowadays, you’re as likely to find richly flavored, cutting edge offerings beckoning alluringly from the fold-down counter of a food truck or gracing the bar at your favorite pub. And we’re not just talking about gastropubs. In San Diego, even inauspiciously humble watering holes are stepping up their game. Case in point is O’Brien’s Pub in Kearny Mesa where owner


Tom Nickel has always worked hard to make sure quality is at the forefront. That extends beyond stocking his keg room with the finest fermented stock on the market. Last year, Nickel made a play for one of America’s Finest’s best-kept beer chef gems, hiring Tyson Blake away from the kitchen at San Diego Brewing Company (SDBC).


These days, Blake can be found behind the bar, orchestrating


staff as they handle regular onslaughts of thirsty hopheads as the GM at “the hoppiest place on Earth.” But his duties extend beyond the bar and into the back of the house where, much as he did when he instituted a monthly beer dinner program at SDBC in 2008, he crafts scrumptious dishes that not only pair excep- tionally with beer, but utilize ales and lagers as key ingredients. “I really got into craft beer when I moved to San Diego,” says Blake. “At SDBC, having 45 beers on tap was like working at a bulk candy store…a taste of this and a taste of that. It was really a great way to explore all of these great styles and flavor profiles and build a more experienced palate.” At O’Brien’s, Blake puts that very experienced palate to work quite often, collaborating with his colleagues at O’Brien’s (Tom and Lindsey Nickel and kitchen commando Humberto Aguilar) to devise food pairing events built around some of Nickel’s standout cellar dwellers every four to six weeks. For this month’s issue, Blake rocked out a trio of recipes that


Wee Heavy Short Ribs “Osso Bucco”


Paired with AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale Yield: 4 entrée servings or 8 small plate servings


¼ cup olive oil 8 ½-lb short ribs, de-boned 1 large yellow onion, chopped


1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 5 cloves garlic, sliced in half lengthwise 1 tsp anchovy paste 1 cup AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale 2 cups chicken stock


1 cup crushed tomatoes 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp dried thyme 1 Tbsp dried oregano


Roasted Bone Marrow (recipe follows) Gremolatta (recipe follows)


Preheat oven to 325º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the ribs add them to the pan and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a baking dish and set aside. In the same skillet you browned the ribs, add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, anchovy paste, Wee Heavy, stock, tomatoes and brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and scraping the caramelized bits off of the bottom of the pan. When the mixture reaches a boil, take it off the heat, add the dried herbs and transfer the liquid to the dish containing the reserved ribs. The ribs should be covered only half way up the side with liquid. Add more stock or beer if needed. Cover the baking dish with foil, place on middle rack in the oven and cook for 2½-3 hours or until the ribs are fork tender (a fork can be inserted easily into the meat). When the ribs are done, remove them from the baking dish and strain liquid into a small pot. Use a ladle or spoon to skim some of the fat off of the top of the liquid, then bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce by 50%, taste it, add salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm.


You can whip up some of your favorite mashed potatoes, polenta, or rice and place the roasted bone in your starch of choice and the rib on top of the bone, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with gremolatta. Enjoy with AleSmith Wee Heavy.


Photo courtesy of Kristina Blake


make up a three-course dinner comprised of a jerk-spiced duck pate pâté appetizer topped with caramelized onion jam laced with Green Flash Le Freak Belgian IPA (a modified version of the dish he invented for The Lodge at Torrey Pines’ Beer Hall event during last month’s San Diego Beer Weekend), short ribs braised in AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale and a bread pudding dessert saturated with Ballast Point Navigator Dopplebock and topped with blue cheese whipped cream.


“This is a meal that I would gladly eat every day and I think that the beers match beautifully,” says Blake. “These are all San Diego beers and are readily available at each of the respective breweries. Look for the individual flavors that both the beer and food contribute and find the match.”


It takes many pages to hold this much deliciousness. Below are the instructions for the succulent short ribs entrée, but to view the recipes and photos from the other two dishes, log on to westcoastersd.com and search “Brandon”


Roasted Bone Marrow Yield: 9 pieces


3 cow femur bones (have your butcher cut them into 2-inch pieces)


Preheat oven to 425º F.


Place the bones, cut side up, on a baking sheet so that the marrow is visible. Season with salt & pepper and roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. At service provide a spoon to scoop out the marrow and spread on toast or just enjoy as a composed bite.


12-


Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.


Yield: 1 cup


1 bunch parsley, finely chopped ½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped


Gremolatta


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