Belgian Beer no.16: Malheure, the misfortune

Who can resist a beer with the name of Malheur (bad luck)? I guess I am not one. With such a name, I just had to try this beer. So I ordered a Malheur 10, a beer with hints of orange and lemon. Brewed in Buggenhout, one can trace the beer back to 1773 when Balthazar De Landtsheer established his first brewery, ‘De Halve Maan’.

Currently 6 different Malheurs are brewed, the 6°, 8°, 10° and 12° as well as the Biere brut and Dark Reserve. I personally tried the Malheur 10°. Almost a weak wine. But all worth it.

Fillet of turbot with Malheur beer (serves 4)

500gr turbot
400gr potatoes, peeled
400gr squash, cubed
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 bottle of Malheur Blonde 6°
4dl fish aroma
100gr bread
4 shii-take
4 shrimp croquettes (already prepared)
white wine, 4 shaves parmesan, sunflower seeds, parsley

Boil and purée the potatoes. Fry the onion, add the squash and half a bottle of beer, and simmer over low heat. Season to taste. Purée the squash when cooked. Mix the two purées, and add the sunflower seeds.
Add 1tbsp of white wine to the fish aroma and reduce to ¼ of the liquid. Add a knob of butter and mix to a smooth sauce. Keep warm.
Cut 4 identical triangles of bread. Lightly fry the bread, then transfer to oven till crisp. Place the parmesan shaves on baking paper, and melt in the oven. Coat the bread with the melted parmesan.
Mix the rest of beer and veal stock to create a thick sauce.
Cut the turbot into 4 equal pieces. Lightly fry the turbot in a little butter, add the shii-take to the pan and place in the oven at 180°C.
Place the purée mix in the middle of the plates, the turbot on top. Place the parmesan toast on top of the turbot, and add some more purée mix; add the shrimp croquettes and shii-take. Cover the whole in Malheur sauce.
(recipe Vincent Geboers)