Chef Ido Fishman Explains the Many Ways you Can Use Coffee for Cooking

You would be hard pressed to locate a kitchen that doesn’t have coffee. Whether it is grounds, beans or instant, people love their coffee. A nice hot cup of joe can be the perfect eye opener for many, but why reserve this heady and dark brew just for drinking. Next time you are buying some coffee, why not think outside the pot? There are a ton of recipes out there that can be used for incorporating coffee in its various forms. Most people tend to associate coffee with something sweet. After all, coffee tastes really good when you pair it with cream and chocolates.

However, Chef Ido Fishman sheds some light into the capabilities of coffee, not just for drinking or desserts, but for making savory dishes as well. That’s right; it is quite possible to use coffee for cooking and there are a number of ways it can be done. Even people who don’t like drinking coffee can use it for cooking and enjoy the rich and varied tastes it can provide. Its earthy and robust flavor can be incorporated into cooking in different ways. It seems to have a special affinity for meats and can be an excellent ingredient for sauces and marinades.

You can use your favorite coffee for adding a delicious flavor component to your meal and enjoy the freshly brewed cup in a completely different way.

Tips for Cooking with Coffee

If you are wondering how to add coffee into cooking, Chef Ido Fishman has mentioned some tips below that can help in this regard:

• Pair coffee with strong flavors

First and foremost, you can use coffee grounds for boosting the flavor of most meats, like chicken, pork and beef. Coffee is very flavorful and strong due to which it is a good idea to pair it with other flavors.

• Use coffee like a spice

You can give grilled meats a delectable complexity with coffee rubs, sauces and marinades. But, you can also use coffee for punctuating its unique taste into stews and soups and even tomato sauce. Consider using coffee as a spice in the same way you would use any other spice.

• Try coffee in its various forms

Coffee is available in brewed forms and ground forms and it can be used in both ways. According to Chef Ido Fishman, ground coffee can be a good choice for marinades and rubs while brewed coffee is a good option for sauces and stews. If you are not cooking something, it is best to use brewed coffee because ground coffee will stay grainy in a marinade or sauce.

• Become creative with coffee

If you have a particular flavor of coffee that you like, it can be added to your meals. In case you wish to experiment with a new kind of flavor or type, you should first brew a cup of it to understand its different flavor components. As a rule, most coffees work well with garlic, allspice, citrus, cloves, salt and cinnamon. If you are choosing a flavored coffee, you should add other ingredients that have flavors similar to your sauce or marinade.

Recipes for Coffee Rubs, Marinades and Sauces

If you are ready to use coffee for cooking, Chef Ido Fishman provides you some recipes that tell you the many ways to go about it. Let’s take a look

Coffee BBQ Sauce (It makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup dark molasses
• ½ cup freshly brewed coffee
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Use olive oil for sautéing garlic oil in a medium pot until it turns light brown. Pour both vinegars into the both and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes while stirring.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients while you continue to stir. Keep on cooking for 10 minutes to ensure the ingredients blend together. Remove the sauce from the stove and use a fine sieve for straining it. You can serve it at room temperature or hot, whichever you prefer.

Coffee and Cocoa Rubbed Ribs (It serves 4)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ground coffee
• ¼ cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus some more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus some more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 pounds pork ribs or beef
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. As per Chef Ido Fishman, you should first take a bowl and combine mustard, black pepper, salt, paprika, coffee, chili powder, oregano and cocoa powder.
2. Use olive oil for brushing the ribs and then use salt and pepper for seasoning both sides. You should also rub the spice mixture on both sides of the ribs.
3. Preheat the grill and place the ribs on it. Let each side cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until it is fully cooked. Remove them from the grill and let them rest for a couple of minutes. You can serve them with the coffee BBQ sauce recipe mentioned above.

Coffee Marinated Steak (4 servings)

Who doesn’t love a good steak? You can add more flavors to the steak with the coffee and Chef Ido Fishman has a recipe that you can follow to do so.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
• 1 cup strongly brewed fresh coffee
• 1 chopped medium onion
• 1 cup peanut sauce
• 2 pounds sirloin steak
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Instruction

1. The peanuts should be saluted in butter for 20 seconds. Add garlic and onion to the peanuts and sauté it further for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Take a bowl and combine peanut sauce with coffee, Worcestershire, peanut mixture and vinegar.
3. Put the steak in a bowl and pour just half of the marinade over it. The rest should be saved for cooking. Chill the steak and leave it for marinating at least 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Flip it a couple of times.
4. Preheat the grill when you are ready to serve and let it reach medium high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and place it on the grill. Cook the steak while marinating it frequently, until it is done as much as you desire. Let it rest a little before cutting.

Ham Glazed with Coffee (Serves 10)

Do you want to add coffee and spice to your next holiday ham? Chef Ido Fishman provides the perfect recipe for doing so. The espresso flavors quite well with ground spices and brown sugar, which makes every bite of ham a meaty, tasty mouthful.

Ingredients

• 1 fully cooked ham (approximately 5 pounds)
• ¾ cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ cup firmly ground sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a roasting pan and put the ham on a roasting rack. Let it bake for half an hour.
2. Take a small bowl and dissolve the espresso in hot water. Put the remaining ingredients in and stir them properly. Use the coffee mixture for basting the ham.
3. Let the ham bake for an additional 45 minutes and it baste it after every 10 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to stand at least 5 to 10 minutes before you slice it.

Coffee Beef Stew (Serves 4)

Beef and coffee can be a scrumptious pair when you make this hearty winter stew, as directed by Chef Ido Fishman. It is warm and wonderful and will let you enjoy some new flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 to ½ pounds lean stew beef (cut into small cubes)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 2 thinly sliced onions
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 halved, thickly sliced, seeded, green bell peppers
• 5 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee
• 5 tablespoons dry white wine
• Fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper for tasting
• Bay leaves

Instructions

• Take a sauté pain and heat oil over medium-high heat. Add in the meat and start cooking. Stir it continuously until it turns brown on all sides. Remove the meat, but keep it warm.
• Turn the heat down and add garlic, onion and peppers and cook them over low heat. Stir them often for at least 10 minutes. Add in some flour and stir it continuously for 2 to 3 minutes to let it cook. Stir in the wine gradually, along with coffee.
• Turn up the heat to medium while stirring constantly, and bring it to simmer. Put the meat back into the pan, season it with pepper and salt to taste. Next, add two bay leaves, a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, cover the pan and bring down the heat to medium-low. Let this simmer for an hour or until the meat is fully tender. Get rid of the bay leaves and serve it hot.

Banana Coffee Morning Scones (8 to 10 scones)

Who says you can only make savory dishes with coffee? You can also use coffee for making your first meal of the day and this doesn’t mean that you drink it. Instead, Chef Ido Fishman suggests that you begin your day with a double shot of coffee i.e. sip a cup while eating a banana coffee scone.

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (or combination of half all-purpose and half whole-wheat flour)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 1 to 2 bananas)
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup strong black coffee at room temperature
• ¼ cup low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. You should heat the oven to 435 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a baking sheet lightly. Whisk salt, baking powder, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Using two forks or a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture looks similar to breadcrumbs.
2. Take a small bowl and whisk coffee, milk, vanilla and banana. Add it to dry mixture and mix it gently for making it a slightly wet dough.
3. On a lightly floured counter, turn out the dough and knead it gently for half a minute until it is formed into a round flat disk. Take a rolling pin and roll the dough to a ½ inch thickness. Cut the dough into equally sized triangles, the same way you would do with a pie, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake it for about 15 minutes or until it turns light brown and the scones give a hollow sound when tapped.

Yummy Mocha Fudge Sauce (1 cup)

If your sweet tooth is calling, Chef Ido Fishman tells you how you can give your cake, brownie or ice cream a rich addition with this mocha fudge dessert sauce.

Ingredient

• ½ cup strong brewed coffee
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

Take a medium saucepan and dissolve the espresso powder in a cup of freshly brewed strong coffee. With the exception of vanilla, add all the ingredients and heat them over medium heat for boiling. Dissolve the cocoa and sugar with the use of a wire whisk. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Take a serving bowl and pour it through the strainer. It is now time to add in the vanilla. You can serve it warm over ice cream or any other dessert of your choice.

If you have a love for coffee and you want to experiment with it, the above mentioned recipes can let you enjoy it in many different ways. Chef Ido Fishman has given a number of suggestions on how you can incorporate coffee into your meals.