Pairs with: Lakeboat Lager

Recipe submitted by: Louis Richer

Ingredients

• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 200 grams of pineapple slices
• 2 limes
• 4 tbsp of lime juice
• 3 fresh coriander twigs
• 50 grams of finely chopped or grated ginger
• 50 grams of finely chopped onion
• 30 grams of lemongrass
• 2-14 oz tins of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp of sesame seeds
• Salt & pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Cut the chicken in long, narrow strips (1/4 inch wide).
2. Rinse the pineapple slices.
3. Cut the limes in thin slices.
4. Combine the ginger, onion, coriander, lemongrass, lime juice and coconut milk together.
5. Add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp of pepper or to taste.
6. Set aside ½ cup of the liquid until later.
7. Surround the pineapple slices with the strips of chicken and secure them with toothpicks. Place the rounds in a shallow glass dish and pour the rest of the liquid mixture over and around the chicken.
8. Marinate them for an hour or more, turning once.
9. Mount the pineapple/chicken rounds onto large wooden skewers alternating with a folded slice of lime between each one.
10. Broil on the BBQ for 10 minutes turning them every 3 minutes.
11. Brush the chicken with a bit of the reserved liquid and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
12. Serve with Jasmine or Basmati rice and the reserved coconut mixture and an ice-cold glass of Cannery Lakeboat Lager. (Note this would also pair well with Cannery Brewing IPA.)

Prepares 4 servings. Preparation time 85 minutes; cooking time 10 minutes.

Louis Richer, the creator of the Thai Chicken BBQ Recipe explains how the Lakeboat Lager matches with his recipe:

The Cannery Brewing Company from Penticton, BC has produced a most interesting lager in a 650 ml bottle. Holding a 5% level of alcohol, this lager offers a pale gold colour to the eye, with a white head that holds well in a tulip glass. I was struck with the aroma's bitterness that seemed almost smoky, with a touch of tobacco and roasted coffee grains. This indicated to me the probable presence of Saaz and Hallertauer hops from the Czech Republic and from Germany, that are the hallmark of the top European lagers. The bitterness is well balanced with high quality barley malts giving a clear, crisp finish. The solid, well structured smooth mouthfeel is an important characteristic of this lager, along with its pleasant lingering bitterness. It is definitely a 4 season beer, particularly enjoyable during the summer.

Lagers are interesting to consider in food pairings since they offer a wide range of possibilities with fish, seafood, white meats, red meats, salads, vegetables and game. Since we find ourselves in the BBQ season, I found an unusual Thai recipe with chicken breasts that offers noted contrasts to this lager.