For Bruce Kidner, finance director at Red Stripe, there is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than hosting friends at home.

And Tuesday, March 17, St Patrick’s Day, was no exception. Kidner, who is British with strong Irish roots, prepared a meal that was reminiscent of his days in the UK.

Armed with old family recipes and with an able sous-chef, notably Ribbiz’s Ultra Lounge resident chef Alex White, Kidner commenced his mise en place.

Recipe Corner

SIDE BAR

With the increased presence of the Irish on The Rock it’s little wonder that the celebration of St Patrick’s Day has become more popular. We reckon that, just like in Ireland, many raised a toast with a Guinness Stout; after all, St Patrick’s Day and Guinness go hand in hand as the stout is among the most popular brands of Irish beer.

Guinness dates back to 1759 in Dublin when Arthur Guinness founded the famous brewery. Over the years it has become a staple on the dinner table and pub counter in Ireland and the UK. It has also made its way into many recipes. Kidner and White team up to utilise the brew in their dishes.

Beer-Battered Onion Rings

Ingredients:

4-6 cups Canola oil, for frying

2 large onions

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tablespoon pimento or hot paprika

1 bottle of Guinness

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

Kosher salt

Method:

1. Fill pot with oil 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat oil over medium-high to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with paper towels and a wire rack for finished onion rings to drain. While oil is heating, trim ends from onions, peel, and cut crosswise into _-inch thick rings. Gently separate rings, discarding innermost rings and broken pieces.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and pimento. In a small bowl, whisk together beer, mustard, and honey. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring well to combine. Dip onion rings into batter a few at time, turning to coat thoroughly. Shake off excess batter and carefully lower into hot oil. Cook until dark golden brown on each side, 2-4 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove with a wire strainer to prepared wire rack. Sprinkle lightly with salt while hot.

3. Continue to fry onion rings, pausing in between batches to allow oil to return to 375°F. Serve immediately. Allow oil to cool completely before straining and storing.

Seared Steaks With Guinness Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

2 bone-in rib eye steaks (preferably 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick and 2 to 2 1/2 pounds each)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup Guinness Stout

1/2 cup beef stock

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).

2 Season the steaks with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the steaks until browned on both sides, then turn the steaks on the fatty edge, opposite the bone, and sear until browned. This searing and turning should take six or so minutes total. If the skillet seems crowded with both steaks, sear them in batches, draining the fat in between steaks.

3 Transfer the skillet containing the steaks to the oven until the steaks register 110°F (43°C) in the centre with an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare. This will take at least 20 minutes for a steak that’s 2 to 2 1/2 inches and 30 minutes or more if your steak is thicker. [For medium, leave the steaks in the oven for another five minutes, or until they reach 115°F (46°C).] Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for at least 10 minutes.

4 While the steaks rest, pour off all but two tablespoons of the luscious pan juices from the skillet, then add the shallot and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown, about two minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste starts to brown, about one minute. Add the Guinness and boil until the liquid is almost completely reduced to a syrup, about two minutes. Add the stock and Worcestershire sauce, then boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, two to three minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the butter until it’s incorporated into the sauce.

5. Serve the steaks with the Guinness sauce on the side.

GUINNESS SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 servings

5 cups mashed, boiled potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

2 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 pound ground mince

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup peas

1 cup Guinness Stout

1 cube beef bouillon

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Method:

1 Stir potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, one tablespoon butter, egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl until smooth.

2 Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crumbly, four to five minutes. Pour off excess grease and season lamb with salt and black pepper to taste.

3 Stir tomatoes with juice, onion, and carrot into ground lamb; simmer until vegetables are tender, five to 10 minutes. Add peas, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until peas are warmed, two to three minutes.

4 Heat stout in a saucepan over medium heat; add beef bouillon. Cook and stir beer mixture until bouillon is dissolved, about five minutes.

5 Heat remaining one tablespoon butter in a separate pan over medium-low heat until sizzling. Whisk flour into butter until thick and paste-like, about one minute. Stir beer mixture and Worcestershire sauce into flour mixture until gravy is smooth and thickened, two to three minutes. Stir gravy into lamb mixture and simmer until mixture is thickened, at least five minutes.

6 Set oven rack about six inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Grease a 9×12-inch baking dish.

7 Pour lamb mixture into the prepared baking dish. Carefully spoon mashed potatoes over lamb mixture, covering like a crust. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese, parsley, and paprika over mashed potatoes.

8 Broil in the preheated oven until crust is browned and cheese is melted, four to five minutes. Cool for about five minutes before serving.

Honey Chipotle Ribs Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 5 min Cook: 1-1/2 hours

Ingredients

3 pounds pork baby back ribs

BARBECUE SAUCE:

1 cup ketchup

1 bottle Guinness

1 cup barbecue sauce

2/3 cup honey

1 small onion, chopped

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method:

1 Wrap ribs in large pieces of heavy-duty foil; seal edges of foil. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until tender.

2 In a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

3 Carefully remove ribs from foil. Place over direct heat; baste with some of the sauce. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until browned, turning once and basting occasionally with additional sauce. Serve with remaining sauce.