Beard's Beer Batter

* Exported from MasterCook *

BEARD'S BEER BATTER

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 Eggs, separated
2 tb Vegetable oil
1 1/2 tb Salt
3/4 c Beer, room temperature
3/4 c Flour

The ultimate batter for deep frying... DIRECTIONS:

BEER! Whether it's ale, lager, pilsener, or stout, is terrific for
cooking. Beer makes a batter for deep frying and smooths a French onion
soup. And what could be more compatible for lunch on a rainy Vancouver
weekend out on the boat fishing for Spring salmon than a cold beer with a
hot pastrami sandwich smothered with brown beer mustard?

This is the late James Beard's recipe for batter to French fry vegetables.
Trim your veggies, wash, dry thoroughly, dust with flour, dip into the
batter, and fry in oil at 360 F. until done. However, James "missed the
boat" on this one - it's far better for deep frying halibut, cod, or any
other seafood. The batter puffs up because of the beer's yeast, fries
quickly, and as a result, doesn't commit the cardinal sin of seafood
preparation - overcooking. I think few of our piscine friends benefit from
deep frying as a cooking method, but that's another story.

To prepare, place flour in a mixing bowl and add egg yolks, salt, oil, and
beer. Stir batter until thoroughly mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap
and allow it to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or as long as 24 -
the longer the better, to a point. Just before using batter, stir it well
again. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; gently
fold egg whites into batter. Does 2 lbs. of veggies or 6 fish fillets,
depending upon their size.

Makes 4 servings.



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