Life tastes better spicy.

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) thick-cut bacon, diced
• 400 g (14 oz) smoked Gouda, freshly shredded
• 350 g (12 oz) sharp aged cheddar, freshly shredded
• 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp (60 g) butter
• ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
• 1 bottle (341–355 mL) amber lager or amber ale
• 2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream (35%)
• 2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1–2 tbsp Nick’s Reaper’s Fury, to taste
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Salt, to taste

Garnish

• Fresh chives, chopped
• Reserved crispy bacon
• Pretzel croutons
• Extra shredded Gouda or cheddar

Make it Nick’s way

1. Cook the bacon. Cook the diced bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.
2. Build the base. Add the butter and onions to the bacon fat. Cook until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, optional cayenne and black pepper; cook for 1 minute.
3. Make the roux. Stir in the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and nutty.
4. Add the beer and stock. Slowly whisk in the beer, then the chicken stock. Stir in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes.
5. Add the dairy. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream and milk. Heat until steaming; do not boil.
6. Melt the cheese. Remove from direct heat. Add the Gouda and cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until smooth and fully melted, about 5–8 minutes.
7. Finish and serve. Stir in Reaper’s Fury to taste, starting with a little and gradually adding up to 1–2 tablespoons to suit your heat preference. Stir in about two-thirds of the crispy bacon. Adjust salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, fresh chives, extra shredded cheese and pretzel croutons.

For a smooth soup, shred the cheese yourself and keep the heat gentle once the dairy goes in. Choose an amber lager or mild ale; avoid very bitter IPAs.

Contains milk, wheat and mustard. Worcestershire sauce may contain fish; check the beer, stock and condiment labels for additional allergens.

Crispy walleye

• 1½ lb fresh walleye fillets, boneless and cut into taco-size strips
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp each smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Peanut oil, for frying

Creamy lime slaw

• 3 cups finely shredded cabbage
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Habanero Lemon Bomb taco sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1–2 tbsp Nick’s Habanero Lemon Bomb, to taste

To serve

• 8–10 small tortillas
• Nick’s Tropical Heat, for drizzling
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges

Make it Nick’s way

1. Make the slaw. Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, honey and garlic powder together. Toss with the cabbage, carrot and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
2. Mix the taco sauce. Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder and Habanero Lemon Bomb. Start with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce and add more to taste. Refrigerate until serving.
3. Prepare the fish. Pat the walleye dry. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Place the beaten eggs in a second bowl.
4. Coat. Dip each fish strip in the egg, let the excess drip off, then coat thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture.
5. Fry. Heat about 1 inch of peanut oil in a deep, heavy pan to 350°F (175°C). Carefully fry the fish in small batches, turning as needed, for about 3–5 minutes depending on thickness, until golden and cooked to 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
6. Drain and warm. Transfer the fish to a wire rack to keep it crisp. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet.
7. Build the tacos. Add slaw and crispy walleye to each tortilla. Spoon over the Habanero Lemon Bomb taco sauce, drizzle with Tropical Heat, and finish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.

Nick’s finishing touch: Habanero Lemon Bomb in the creamy sauce, Tropical Heat on top.

Contains fish, peanuts, wheat, egg and milk. Check your tortillas and condiments for additional allergens.

Ingredients

• Caesar rimmer
• Ice
• 1 tsp Nick’s Dill Pickle Mayhem
• ¼ tsp Nick’s Ghost Barrel
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• ½ oz pickle brine
• Mott’s Clamato, to top up
• Homemade pickle and pickled bean, for garnish

Make it Nick’s way

1. Run a lime wedge around the glass rim, then dip it in Caesar rimmer.
2. Fill with ice and sprinkle a dash of rimmer over the cubes.
3. Add Dill Pickle Mayhem, a splash of Ghost Barrel, lime juice, Worcestershire and pickle brine.
4. Top with Mott’s Clamato and stir well.
5. Garnish with a homemade pickle and pickled bean—and you’re good to go!

Adjust the sauces to find your perfect heat.

Bring Nick’s flavour to your next Caesar.

Ingredients

• 2 lb thin-cut Korean-style beef short ribs
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp Nick’s Ghost Barrel hot sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or mirin
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ small onion, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• ½ tsp black pepper
• A little neutral oil for frying

Method

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Ghost Barrel, hoisin, oyster sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar or mirin, garlic, onion, ginger and pepper. Add the ribs and coat thoroughly.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2–4 hours.
3. Lift the ribs out, letting excess marinade drip off. Discard the used marinade.
4. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with a little neutral oil.
5. Cook the ribs in a single layer, working in batches, approximately 2–3 minutes per side for thin cuts, until browned and cooked through. Lower the heat if the sugary coating starts to burn.
6. Rest for 3 minutes, then serve with rice and sautéed Swiss chard.

Ingredients

Use enough chicken, pasta and vegetables for your table.

• Chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• Eggplant, diced
• Onion, chopped
• Garlic, minced
• Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
• Your favourite pasta
• Olive oil, for sautéing
• About 2 tbsp Nick’s Tropical Heat
• About 2 tbsp Nick’s Ghost Barrel
• Reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook the pasta in salted water. Reserve a mug of the cooking water before draining.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the eggplant and onion until softened and golden, adding the garlic near the end. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add a little more oil if needed, then cook the chicken until cooked through.
4. Return the eggplant mixture to the pan. Add the chard stems and cook until tender, then add the leaves and let them wilt.
5. Stir in about 2 tablespoons each of Tropical Heat and Ghost Barrel. Add a splash of reserved pasta water and simmer briefly to bring the flavours together.
6. Add the drained pasta and toss well, adding more pasta water a little at a time until everything is lightly coated. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve.