3Floyds Wigsplitter + Steak & Eggs Dinner Edition

Anytime I hear the words "steak & eggs", I almost always think about that scene in Twister when Aunt Meg makes it for everyone in the storm chaser team with the sound of things frying and forks clinging on plates in the background. 
Rabbit: Gosh, Meg. You've got a lot of beef. Where did you get all this beef? 
Meg: Did you see my cows out front? 
Rabbit: No. 
Meg: Oh! 
Dusty: You slaughter your own cows, Meg, nice.

I do not own the rights to this photo.

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This meal is an elegant spin on the breakfast classic.

A bed of sautéed kale with slivered almonds, craisins and a touch of red wine vinegar is topped with thinly sliced pieces of medium-rare flank steak served with a sunny-side up egg on the side.

The kale is sweet and nutty from the addition of craisins and almonds but also delivers a zippy acidic note from the red wine vinegar. The egg adds a creamy, rich mouthfeel becoming a perfect vehicle for the steak. Take a piece of the sweet, savory meat with a bite of the kale and egg mixture....your mouth with be assaulted with an explosion of flavor.

Now...how do we crank this meal up to 11?

Pair it with beer, of course!

Since this meal was inspired by the classic breakfast dish, I decided to pair it with a coffee stout. Lucky for me, I had a 3Floyds Wigsplitter Coffee Stout in the fridge! Clocking in at 7.7% abv, this full-bodied stout is brewed with a generous dose of oatmeal and freshly ground espresso. YES, PLEASE.

I wish I had served this in a coffee cup! Imagine smelling a cup of cold brew black coffee. BOOM. On the palate, you get luscious notes of espresso and mocha with a mouth filling creaminess from the oats,
finishing in a medium bitterness. Stunning!

How did the pairing work?

​The dark roasted malts of the beer played with the char on the steak while the espresso added a depth of flavor to the meat. Think "espresso rubbed steak". 

The fruity/nutty notes of the kale played well with the beer while that same nutty note was echoed throughout from the addition of oatmeal to the beer.

The creaminess of the beer found harmony with the richness of the kale and egg mixture while the bitterness of the beer help lift and cut thru that richness.

​This turned out to be such an excellent pairing that I had to take a sip after EVERY single bite! I couldn't get enough of the wonderful flavors happening here. I highly recommend trying this pairing with any coffee stout you may have hiding in YOUR fridge! 

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Props to my husband for dreaming up this glorious dish!

If you want the recipe, comment below & I'll post it.

Here's a sneak peek of the home renovations I have been doing. I painted my dining room "peacock blue" and hung my favorite movie prints.

​Happy Friday Eve, peeps.

Stay weird,

Lana :)