The Publican’s Mr Paul Kahan on his simple food philosophy.

It may seem strange, in a week which saw the new Michelin awards announced, to herald the joy of simple, robust food, but the release of a new cookbook by Mr Paul Kahan and his Chicago beer-hall-pub-cum-restaurant The Publican is compelling us to do just that. “When we built The Publican in 2008… it was to offer homage to life’s simplest pleasures: oysters, pork and beer,” says Mr Kahan in the introduction to Cheers To The Publican: Repast And Present. Shortly afterwards, he lays out an “anti-tweezer manifesto” in which he makes clear that the Publican (“a modern American beer hall, informed by those who had done it right for centuries in northern France and Belgium”) is not a place you will find precise tools for positioning superfluous garnishes. “The Publican is a revolt against the fussy, the frilly, and the frivolous…,” says Mr Kahan, who has over 20 years’ experience as a chef and restaurateur. “I’m not in the least bit concerned that all our food is essentially big piles of brown stuff…”

If that were literally the case, we wouldn’t be too interested in his creations. But one look at the recipe sections of his new book reveals that he is being typically modest. “To noble creatures of the sea and much maligned” showcases the likes of squid and blood sausage, and grilled sardines; “to the swine, bovine and particularly fowl” offers everything from porchetta with chicories to ham chop in hay; and “to what’s left behind: offal, scraps, and leftover bits” serves up smoked trout roe and barbequed tripe with clams. This is uncomplicated yet imaginative food made with love, with carefully sourced ingredients and big, bold flavours taking centre stage.

If you want an immediate taste of The Publican, try their mussels in sour beer recipe, below. Otherwise, buy the book and get fully on board with Mr Kahan’s cooking philosophy.

Ingredients: _ Serves 4_

2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp sliced celery 1 tbsp sliced garlic 1 tbsp sliced shallot 1 bay leaf 1 tsp thyme leaves ½ tsp chilli flakes 2lb mussels ¼ cup Gueuze beer Sea salt 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp chopped celery leaves or lovage Baguette, for serving

Method:

In a medium pot – ideally something ceramic or cast-iron that can go right onto the table – heat 1 tbsp of the butter over high heat. When the butter foams, add the celery, garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme, and chilli flakes and sweat for 1 minute.

Add the mussels to the pot, flip all the ingredients together, pour in the Gueuze, cover the pot, and cook until the mussels are open – 3 to 5 minutes.

Pull off the lid, stir in the remaining butter, and finish the mussels with a pinch of salt, the lemon juice, and celery leaves.

Serve piping hot with hunks of baguette.

Cheers To The Publican: Repast And Present: Recipes and Ramblings from an American Beer Hall (Lorena Jones Books) by Mr Paul Kahan, Mr Cosmo Goss and Ms Rachel Holtzman is out now

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