After a wild weekend we are often left with enough leftover alcohol in our fridges to throw a great party for the entire state of Montana. Usually the booze gets saved for yet another drunken escapade. I say we make this nasty habit of ours, and our free flowing supply of alcohol, into something we can enjoy more respectably- a culinary masterpiece.
There are a vast array of tasty recipes which use some form of alcohol as an ingredient. In general, the main reason any alcoholic beverage is used in a recipe is to impart flavor. After all, the finest extracts with the most intense flavors are alcohol-based, for instance vanilla. Fermentation intensifies and concentrates fruit essence into liqueurs, brandies and wines. Other foodstuffs are distilled into potent liquors specifically to boggle the senses but still appeal to the palate.
In many recipes, alcohol is an essential component to achieve a desired chemical reaction in a dish. Alcohol causes many foods to release flavors that cannot be experienced without the alcohol interaction. For example, beer contains yeast which leavens breads and batters. Some alcoholic beverages can help break down tough fibers via marinades. Other dishes use alcoholic content to provide entertainment, such as flambés and flaming dishes.
Extravagant flambés may be a bit advanced for our purposes, especially since I know most of us are fond of our eyebrows. Alcohol is an ingredient that inexperienced chefs shy away from in cooking, but it could be exactly what we need to spice up our weekday meals.
Irish Beer Cheese Soup
Italian Red Wine Roast Beef
Salmon Piccata
Tequila Lime Grilled Shrimp
Penne alla Vodka
Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings
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