Plain old cup of Joe; you're secret weapon for savory, or sweet. Get your daily shot— then take it up a notch.
Something so ordinary, like your everyday cup of coffee can elevate a dish into something more complex and intriguing. It just takes one cup.
(Photo by Johnny Miller)
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Get your sweet fix: CHOCOLATE PUDDING with SICHUAN PEPPERCORNS Chocolate Pudding + Sichuan Peppercorns + plus one cup of Coffee
In a heavy based saucepan, put a half cup of Heavy Cream, 4 oz of Powdered Cocoa, (I used a Valrhona Cocoa Powder from France that I found at Wholefoods, it's very dark and rich, but a Cadbury or Toll House Cocoa will work just fine) 1 small cup of brewed Coffee, 1 teaspoon of finely ground Sichuan Peppercorns. (or 12 -15 grinds from a Sichuan Peppercorn grinder, Frontier has a good one) and 1 pinch of Sea Salt. Stir together with a wooden spoon over low heat. Until the Cocoa Powder has melted and the chocolate is super thick, and clumpish. Try to make sure all the powder is mixed in. Take off the heat, but don't let sit or it will harden. Meanwhile beat on high in a mixer 3 egg whites with 4 tablespoons of regular white sugar. When stiff peaks are formed, fold the egg sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until all is combined thoroughly. Add 1 tablespoon of Honey and mix throughly. Pour the chocolate mixture into 4 coffee cups. Cover each with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Note: This recipe is super simple, it just takes 15 minutes to make and the rest is chilling time. Start it after your morning cup of joe is made, and you'll be tucking into pudding by lunch. This is definitely an adult's pudding, though, I love a full teaspoon of the Sichuan Peppercorns, but you may want to start with a smaller amount and build up to taste.
- Adding one cup of coffee to regular chocolate pudding (with a tingly kick of Sichuan Peppercorns) takes this pudding up to a whole new level. Serve the pudding in coffee cups for a neat play on the ingredients. (These cute little sailor cups were found in Wisconsin)
Get your savory fix: SPICY CHIPOTLE BABY BACK RIBS Baby Back Pork Ribs + chipotle peppers + plus one cup of coffee
Preheat the oven to 350. Put 3 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to boil. In a food processor put: 2 cloves of Garlic roughly chopped, 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped Chipotle Chile in Adobe Sauce (from a can), 2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup, the juice from half a fresh lime, half a medium White onion, 1 tablespoon of Kirmizi Biber (or regular Crushed Chili Pepper flakes) 1 tablespoon of hot water from the saucepan and 2 teaspoons of salt. Pulse. Taste. It should be smokey, spicy and possibly too sweet. Don't worry, the sweetness will temper down when you add the brewed coffee. Quickly brown 3 lbs of well Salted (and Peppered) Baby Back Pork Ribs that have been cut into 3 rib portions, in hot vegetable oil. When quickly seared golden brown, put the ribs in a ovenproof roasting pan. Put the puree from the food processor into the same pan you used to brown the ribs. Gently bring to boil, add one small cup of brewed coffee. Stir. Pour the puree over the ribs, add the boiled water from your stovetop and cover loosely with Aluminium Foil and bake for 3 to 3 and a half hours. Keep an eye on the water level, you don't want it to burn. You may need to top it up with more water in the last remaining hour. Serve with Honeyed Parsnip Polenta and a Raw Kale Salad with Lemon and Pecorino.
- Wake up and smell the... Spicy Chipotle Baby Back Ribs! Sweet Maple and juicy Pork enhanced with one cup of coffee. The ribs will be falling off the bone. Serve with sweet, but creamy Honeyed Parsnip Polenta and a Raw Kale Salad topped with lemon and Pecorino.