How to cook with coffee-inspired by Iron Chef

Want to talk espresso but not sure which forum? If so, this is the right one.
workinghard
Posts: 45
Joined: 14 years ago

#1: Post by workinghard »

Well, I recorded and am currently watching an Iron Chef episode in which the primary ingredient is...COFFEE!

I was really, really excited when it first appeared, but, as you may anticipate...I have been very disspointed thus far.

Alton brown, who normally provides a plethera of background information and informative tid-bits of knowledge has thus far only said "different degrees of roast make a different taste" or something approximating such and "now Cat Cora is using a espresso roast, which is, as you know, really dark and bitter" or again, something very similar to this.

The judges were even worse, one of them said that he hopes that they make a strong bitter cup of coffee, and the woman judge said that there is just something wonderful about the muddy bitter taste of gas station coffee.

MUDDY! Come on!

The chefs, that hopefully have prepared for this, are doing a little bit better. However, I have not seen a burr grinder yet, only small whirly blades, and the espresso machine they are using is some type of Francis Francis machine. Not terrible, but not what I would expect from chefs that use immersion currculators to boil eggs. lol, a real dissapointment.

So, since the professionals have left me dissapointed (I normally pick up one or two good recipes when watching Iron chef, but perhaps not today.) I thought its time that we create a thread for actual recipes that use coffee for something other than a drink.

workinghard (original poster)
Posts: 45
Joined: 14 years ago

#2: Post by workinghard (original poster) »

Unfortunately, the only thing I have ever tried is Vanilla ice cream and coffee grinds, which is EXCELLENT. So...I guess thats my first recipe. Though its not a very impressive one ;)

If you know of any, or create any, put it here!

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DavidMLewis
Posts: 590
Joined: 19 years ago

#3: Post by DavidMLewis »

When smoking a whole brisket, I have a middle stage in which the brisket is wrapped in foil into which I have introduced 1/2 C of espresso. Malabar Gold is a favorite for this, because it's a fairly bold taste. The result doesn't read as coffee, rather as a bass note to the flavor. Rubbing meat with ground coffee is also a classic technique, although you have to be careful in that case not to burn it or it will taste terrible.

Best,
David