July 14, 2010

Dinner: Captain Lawrence St. Vincent’s Dubbel Edition

Despite the ever-impending thunderstorms lurking in the troposphere of late, I decided that I needed to at least get out of the house with a short ride to Brooklyn Beer & Soda (as well as a stop at Greene Grape Provisions). I’d already settled on dinner based on leftover pork belly from the 4th: a hearty bacon mushroom orzo with a bit of smoky earthiness.

The beer pairing was a gametime decision: it was between a summer-y hefeweizen (Weihenstephaner or Ayinger’s Bräu-Weisse) and Captain Lawrence St. Vincent’s Dubbel, which called my name from BBS’s ample, well-stocked shelving.

Suffice it to say that I was very pleased with the darker brew: St. Vincent’s slight tartness, opened up with a brilliant, fruity (in a good way) maltiness that complemented the sweet richness of the meal perfectly.

At risk of sounding too proud, the photo probably doesn’t do the dish justice—I was going for overarching porkiness, so I caramelized the shallots and garlic (always!) in bacon and the last of my pork fat, not to mention drippings in the orzo. Mushrooms and reserved pork belly went in later as the pasta neared al dente completion. I seasoned the sautée and the orzo with a little S&P, plus a bit of basil, nutmeg, garlic powder and red pepper flakes in the latter.

Naturally, I topped it off with parmesan romano. Sans other courses—a simple Caesar to start would have sealed the deal—I ended up with a slightly oversized portion, though I was rather pleased with the meal on the whole. In fact, a cigarette (alongside the final delicious glass of St. Vincent’s) made for a curiously fitting dessert.

Most of this was consumed on the 4th, but I saved a good bit for myself...