Red Rye IPA Mushroom Ragu on Flatbreads
We bought this Cosmic Autumn Ryebellion Red Rye IPA beer in the fall and used it to make this Red Rye IPA Mushroom Ragu recipe back in the fall as well. Now that it is basically spring, and this was an autumn beer, the beer is out of production for the season. But really, you can use any kind of beer you would like for this recipe, and actually an IPA will make the mushroom ragu more bitter than one might like, so going for the American Brown Ale or Golden Ale by Troubled Monk, might be a tasty alternative.
I borrowed this recipe from Plenty, by Ottolenghi. I subbed out a few ingredients, specifically using beer instead of wine. I also did not use any cilantro because that is gross… and I used fresh lemon juice instead of preserved lemon. The beer really made the mushrooms and barley to be rich and flavourful, and these flatbreads are the perfect “vehicle” for putting all of this goodness into your mouth!!
The Brewery
Troubled Monk is in Red Deer, Alberta and has been open since June 2015. It is another brewery on my list of needing to visit. They have a decent selection of staple beers that you can find in your favourite craft beer liquor store today, like the Pesky Pig Pale Ale or the Open Road American Brown Ale. They also make spirits and sodas!! You can find out more about Troubled Monk by visiting their website or taking a drive down (or up or across) to Red Deer, Allberta! Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too.
The Beer
This beer pours a clear, orange-brown colour, with puffy, foamy, creamy beige head. It smells doughy, caramel malts, some earthiness, and weedy hoppiness. The taste is big in grainy caramel malts, a little nuttiness, some nice spicy rye, and grassy, leafy, and piney hops. It is medium carbonated and is medium bodied. It is a smooth beer with a bit of the spicy rye and bitter hops lingering. A great beer with a lot of big flavours and yet still very easy to drink. ABV: 6.75%
The Recipe
Now onto the Red Rye IPA Mushroom Ragu and flatbreads recipe! This is a dish you could make if you want a vegetarian night, but it also would be great as a side with some grilled chicken, roasted pork loin, or a bbq steak. Enjoy it with your favourite brew!
Red Rye IPA Mushroom Ragu
Mushroom Ragu that is full of flavour, on top of tasty flatbreads. Adapted from the Plenty recipe, omitting a few ingredients and using beer instead of wine.
Ingredients
Flatbreads
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole-wheat flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- .75 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 Tbsp Ghee or clarified butter*
Mushroom Ragu
- 0.5 cup pearl barley
- 0.5 cup dried mushrooms
- 0.75 cup lukewarm water
- 4 cups mixed raw mushrooms, sliced**
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 3 garlic clove, minced
- 0.75 cup rye IPA
- 0.5 lemon
- Greek yogurt
Instructions
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Start with the flatbread. Put everything except the ghee in a bowl, and mix with your hands to form a dry dough (add flour if needed). Knead for a minute, until smooth, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour.
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Simmer the barley in plenty of water for 50-70 minutes, until tender but with a bite. Drain and set aside.
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Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl with the lukewarm water. Put the fresh mushrooms in a hot pan with the oil, half the butter, garlic and thyme, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes.
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Add the beer and let it simmer for 10 minutes, then add the dried mushrooms that were soaking, draining them first. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Stir in the remaining butter, barley, sprinkle with fresh thyme and lemon juice.
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Divide the dough into 6-8 balls. Flatten with a rolling pin or your hands into round discs about 2 mm thick. Melt the clarified butter in a nonstick pan and fry the flatbreads, one at a time, on medium heat for 2-3 minutes a side, until golden brown. Add butter as required.
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Top each flatbread with the red rye IPA mushroom ragu and a spoonful of yogurt. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
* If you do not have clarified butter or ghee, you can use a mixture of melted butter and vegetable oil
** I used button and shiitake - feel free to mix it up with what you like!
+ When cooking with an IPA, keep in mind that the bitter hops will add bitterness to your food. Opt for a more malty beer if you do not want bitter flavours. Also adding sour notes, such as fresh lemon juice, will help to balance out the bitterness.
