Food made with beer is delicious, says Angela Day. The fizz creates a light batter for fish, help lighten breads and add great flavour to sauces and stew

Prawns in beer

50ml lemon juice

5ml salt

5-10ml peri peri sauce

1kg shelled prawns, deveined

80ml olive oil

2 bay leaves

5ml paprika

10ml garlic, crushed

50g butter

1 onion, chopped

160ml beer

125ml cream

coriander for serving

Combine the lemon juice, salt, peri peri sauce, olive oil, bay leaves, paprika and garlic and rub into the prawns. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Melt the butter and fry the onion until soft. Add the prawns with the marinade. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the beer and cream, and cook for a further 5-6 minutes.

Remove the prawns and simmer the sauce until it is reduced and thickened.

Return the prawns and serve sprinkled with coriander. Serves 4.

Beer battered fish

375ml self-raising flour

1 egg, beaten

330ml can of beer

salt and pepper

8 fish fillets

125ml flour

1 egg, beaten

Oil for deep frying

Put the self-raising flour into a bowl. Add the egg, beer and some seasoning. Mix to form a smooth batter. Put the batter into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Dip the fish fillets into flour, then egg, then into the batter. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and crisp.

Drain on paper towel and serve with chips and tartare sauce if desired. Serves 4-6

beer can roast chicken

50g butter

5ml honey

15ml Dijon mustard

30ml of spice rub

10ml lemon juice

1 chicken

Cream together the butter, honey, mustard, rub and lemon juice. Rub this over the chicken.

Open the can of beer and drink about ¼. Sit the chicken on the beer can so the legs are at the bottom and the wings are at the top. Stand the beer can in a roasting pan.

Roast at 180°C for 1-1/2 hours until it is cooked through and the skin is golden and crispy. Carefully remove the chicken from the can and rest, covered, for 10 minutes before carving.

* The chicken can also be cooked in a kettle braai using the indirect heat method of cooking. Serves 4.

beer bread

500g self-raising flour

5ml dry mustard powder

5ml salt

375ml grated cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch spring onions, chopped

15ml chopped herbs, your choice

330ml can of beer

Combine the flour, mustard, salt, cheese, onions and herbs in a bowl. Add the beer and mix to form a batter.

Spoon into a greased and lined 22x14cm loaf pan and bake at 180ºC for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean.

* You can also bake this mixture in terracotta flower pots which have been base-lined and well-greased.

beef and beer pie

800g stewing beef, cubed

60ml seasoned flour

45ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

10ml chopped garlic

250g mushrooms, sliced

330ml can of beer

30ml tomato paste

45ml Worcestershire sauce

125ml beef stock

salt and pepper

1 roll of puff pastry

beaten egg for glazing

Toss the beef in seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the meat in batches. Set aside.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook over a medium heat until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry until soft. Add the beer, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, stock and seasoning.

Simmer for 1-2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced. Allow mixture to cool completely.

Spoon into individual pie dishes. Roll out the puff pastry and cut to fit the dishes. Place a lid on to each pie and brush with beaten egg. Bake at 200°C for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Makes 4 individual pies.