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Derek Dammann and Chris Johns' beer-battered beans

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  • Makes4 to 6 servings
Derek Dammann and Chris Johns' beer-battered beans

Photo, Farah Kahn.

This recipe came about when we ended up getting a bounty of wax beans from Jocelyn at Jardins Bio-Santé. I love fish and chips and I love wok-fried beans, so why not have the best of both worlds? So the plate doesn’t look like a one-trick pony, I make two different batters from the same base recipe, one with a blonde beer and one with a red. -DD

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) active dry yeast

  • 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) red beer, (for the red beer batter) OR

  • 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) blonde beer, (for the blonde beer batter)

  • 1 1/4 cups cold water

  • 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt

To finish the dish

  • canola oil, for deep-frying

  • 1 lb (450 g) green wax beans, trimmed

  • 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 lb (450 g) yellow wax beans, trimmed

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed but kept whole

  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped Italian parsley

  • 2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped fresh summer savoury

  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  • For the red beer batter: Dissolve the yeast in the red beer and water. Allow to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the beer mixture until the batter is smooth. Transfer to another large bowl to prevent batter on the sides from drying out, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a place that’s slightly warmer than room temperature until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  • For the blonde beer batter: Do everything the same as above, except use blonde beer instead of red beer.

  • To finish the dish: Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep, heavy pot to 375°F (190°C).

  • Dredge the green beans in the flour. Working in batches, dip them into the red beer batter, letting the excess drip off, and drop them as individuals into the hot oil, agitating them with a slotted spoon so they don’t clump into one mass. Fry them for about 4 minutes, until the batter is crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season them immediately and generously with salt. Repeat with the remaining green beans.

  • Repeat with the yellow beans, except dipping them in the blonde beer batter.

  • When all the beans are fried and salted, drop little streams of each batter into the hot oil and fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

  • If you have a large wooden bowl, now is the time to use it. Rub the garlic around the sides of the bowl, add the yellow and green beans, the parsley, savory and the crispy batter bits. Toss well. Transfer to the serving vessel of your choice and serve with paper ramekins of tartar sauce and the lemon wedges.

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