EAT, DRINK: A Jill Wilcox recipe and the best of craft beer

Cheers to the weekend. It’s time to learn a new recipe with Jill Wilcox; find the best local craft beers with Wayne Newton; and remember to create some great memories with your friends and family.

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COOK THIS: Fresh garlic vital in creamy chicken dish

By Jill Wilcox, Special to Postmedia News

I will never forget the first time I was introduced to fresh garlic. A school friend plucked a head of garlic from her mother’s garden and smelled it home with me.

I grew up with garlic powder or garlic salt. My mother and I had no idea what to do with this large bulb.

But when the cloves were separated and peeled, I was overwhelmed by the aroma of the fresh garlic and even more so by the flavor. I was a total convert to this fresh version and so began a lifelong love of garlic.

The recipe today celebrates lots of garlic in a creamy chicken dish that is ideal served over mashed potatoes. You can choose boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe.

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Given this sauce has some Italian notes to it, you can consider serving it over pasta instead.

Garlic chicken with mashed potatoes

(Serves 4-6)

4 Tbsp. (50 ml) of flour or cornstarch

*2 large chicken breasts cut into 2 inch pieces

1 slice of thick pancetta or bacon, diced

3 Tbsp. (45 ml) of olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 small red pepper, seeded and diced

6 cloves garlic thinly sliced

1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock

1/4 cup (50 ml) whipping cream

1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped Basil

1/4 cup (50 ml) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Place flour in a bowl, lightly season with salt and pepper.

2. Place chicken pieces in the bowl and toss well until all the pieces are completely coated.

3. In a large sauté pan or wok, cook pancetta or bacon over medium-high heat until light golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

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4. Add 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) of the olive oil to the pan and add half of the chicken pieces. Cook on both sides until light golden. Remove to a plate with bacon.

4. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and remaining chicken. Transfer to plate.

5. Add last tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook onion and pepper until starting to soften.

6. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for a minute.

7. Return chicken and bacon to pan.

8. Add stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir well. Reduce heat so sauce gently simmers.

9. Continue until chicken is fully cooked through.

10. Stir in the cream and basil.

11. Add Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

12. Serve with mashed potatoes.

*You can also substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 large)

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Note: I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dish before serving.

DRINK THIS: Beer choices run hot and cold

By Wayne Newton, Special to Postmedia News

Tropics or toasty fire? There’s a beer for everyone at a brew house in Sarnia.

For those looking to get into the mood for a winter vacation, there are a couple of options available at Imperial City Brew House.

I get the appeal of a Mexican lager in the fridge in December, if not for the celebration of sun then for the honoring of corn as a beer ingredient. There’s no actual corn flavor perceived, but it’s the key to adding sweetness to a cerveza such as Imperial City’s version. Theirs is brewed with Columbus hops and, at risk of stating the obvious, pairs well with a medium salsa and quality tortilla chips.

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More of a Caribbean revelation, or maybe a clue into beer tastes in the border city, is Tropical Vibe, an island-branded IPA leaning into flavors of coconut, mango and vanilla. If spicy salsa is on your table, this is your beer to pair it with.

But what if skis, snowmobiles, snowshoes and winter hikes are more your jam? There are two good options for post-outdoors.

The finest is Imperial City Chocolate Milk Peanut Butter Porter, available at the LCBO. Winner of a gold medal at the 2023 Canadian Brewing Awards, it’s the winter beer porter fans need to have.

Winter Warmer, a silver medal recipient at the Ontario awards, was brewed as a celebration of the season. At 7.1 per cent ale, it has added spices triggering thoughts of Christmas cookies. Have it in-house and it’s served with a beer rimmer that complements the brew. Cans of Winter Warmer are likely to be sold out before Christmas.

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While it’s a good choice to have in the fridge ready for guests, the truly blessed will have something different under the tree. Sarnia meets Amherstburg with used whiskey barrels from Wolfhead Distillery. In 2022, Imperial City placed its Maple Porter in the barrels and left it until this fall when it was packaged in one-liter flip-top bottles. The complex brew, the first in Imperial City’s barrel series, went public in November. Measuring 12 per cent alcohol, flavors include toffee and vanilla as well as maple.

HISTORY AND HOPS IN PETROLIA

Petrolia celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2024 and its local brewery, Black Gold, is letter-perfect in its preparation.

The three-year-old brewery, nestled in a historic building off the main street, partnered with the local Petrolia 150 Committee for a series of labels on Black Gold’s flagship cream ale, Liquid Gold.

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Each label has a letter spelling Petrolia along with historic images. The specially labeled cans launch Dec. 17 with a brewery party featuring live music, beer and Petrolia 150 merchandise.

“Partnering with our hometown brewery to create this collectible product featuring historical narratives on each can was an exceptional opportunity and a perfect gift,” said Denise Thibeault, who chairs the Petrolia 150 Committee.

The brews will be showcased and sold at Victoria Hall, a national historic site and entertainment venue.

NEW AND NOTED

Four creatively named Christmas beers are on tap and in cans at Broken Rail in St. Marys. Rebel Without a Claus is a 5.6 per cent alcohol lager with candy canes and peppermint extract added. Resting Grinch Face is a wheat beer with cranberries added. Sleigh My Name, Sleigh My Name is a chocolate orange pale ale. Let’s Get Elf-ed Up is a strong 8.6 per cent alcohol ale dressed up for the season with nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and allspice. Also new is the bready Nutty Englishman Brown Ale.

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Five seasonal stouts packaged in 500 ml bottles make up the Holiday Stout Pack 2023 from London Brewing. The pack, priced at $35.35, has different takes on the co-operative brewery’s 4PM Sunset Oatmeal Stout. Included are B’Urban Legend (aged almost two years in Kentucky bourbon barrels), 4PM Sunset Raspberry (with raspberries from Heeman’s added), 4PM Sunset Irish Cream Stout (with a taste inspired by Bailey’s liqueur), 4PM Sunset Coconut Vanilla Stout (the rich uncle of London Brewing’s Downtown Coconut Brown) and 4PM Sunset Chile Chocolate Stout (Cacao nibs, ancho and pasilla chiles).

A Baltic-style porter is the second release of an anniversary series rolling out at Storm Stayed in London. Burnout, light yet rich, has a mild aroma of coffee with strong chocolate notes and subtle molasses. The brewery notes it was crafted using cool fermentation and lager yeast. Storm Stayed’s sixth anniversary party is Jan. 13.

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