Ahh, coffee! That first cup o’ joe can usually set the tone for the rest of the day. And certainly the Pacific Northwest is known as THE mecca for coffee drinkers and connoisseurs alike.
We definitely love our coffee just as much as our wine with many local independent coffee shops offering coffee “cuppings” – imagine a wine tasting, but for coffee!
We all know coffee is so d’lish paired with dark chocolate, but why not get a bit savory and cook with it? Take for example my Rain City Seasoning: ground Caffe Umbria espresso and Theo Chocolate’s cocoa nibs adds a deep rich flavor to spice rubs. Great on steaks or Alaskan salmon!
Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios®.
Or how about adding a cup of coffee to your next slow cooked beef stew or chili recipe, it will add a super-rich flavor to the dish.
Have you ever heard of Red Eye Gravy – this was what cowboys made by tossing a cup of cold coffee into their pan gravy. I’ve given it a comfort food spin in my recipe below Red Eye BBQ Sauce – great on everything!
On the sweeter side of things, try a little ground espresso added to chocolate cupcake batter for a mocha-licious twist.
And for your next brunch try working in a little strong brewed coffee or espresso into your next “Coffee Cake” – for a true COFFEE cake experience! –Kathy
Red Eye Barbecue Sauce
This BBQ has a lot of ingredients, but that’s what gives it a rich and layered flavor. Double or triple the recipe and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 2 1/4 cups
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup 1/4-inch-chopped yellow onion
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. celery seed (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1/4 cup Worcestershire
3 Tbsp. molasses
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
3/4 tsp. Tabasco
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. salt
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sprinkle the black pepper and other dry spices on top. Stir and sauté until the onions are glossy, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté about 1 more minute.
When the onions are translucent, whisk in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 – 30 minutes or until thickened nicely, stir frequently to prevent scorching. If not using the sauce right away, cool and store, refrigerated.
Recipe Copyright © 2017 by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com
