Tempting Coffee Cuisine!

Perk Up Your Health with
Tempting Coffee Cuisine!

Chef Steve Petusevsky, who created these simple but sumptuous recipes, is an author, restauranteur, and natural foods gourmet.

Numerous research studies have shown that coffee may provide a number of health perks and that drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help cut the risks of major ailments like diabetes, heart disease, Parkinsons, Alzheimer’s and cirrhosis of the liver. Also, drinking coffee throughout the day keeps you more alert, improves concentration and may help you remember better.

In addition to providing health benefits and being one of the best-loved beverages worldwide, coffee is actually an incredibly sensuous ingredient in foods, spice rubs, gravies and more. Just like it perks you up, it will easily perk up chicken, salmon or pasta dishes as well as decadent desserts.

Feel like experimenting? Coffee can also give an aromatic richness to some of your favorite entrees, vegetable side dishes and desserts.

Here are some original coffee recipes. You may need more coffee than in these recipes to get the full health benefits. So consider having an extra cup or two (some studies suggest four cups a day is optimal) of coffee along with these sumptuous entrees. And remember, a cup of coffee has four times the amount of antioxidants than a cup of green tea!

Thai Coffee Spiced Chicken Sates

Spicy, sweet and exotic, the flavor of coffee is blended together perfectly by the nutty taste of peanut butter. You can also use a tender cut of beef, lamb or pork for this marinade. The marinade can be made a day before marinating your protein source. If you have the time, marinating the chicken or meat overnight in the refrigerator is the best way to increase flavor.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground coffee

Canola or peanut oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons peanut butter, smooth or chunky

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon crushed red chilies

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and reserve.

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into ½ inch wide strips

24 wooden skewers

Thread the chicken on the wooden skewers and place in a dish with raised sides. Pour marinade over and allow to marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator covered, or overnight if possible.

Grill over coals or gas grill over medium heat for 5 minutes per side until cooked through.

(You can also oven bake if you must -- at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, turning once.)

Serves 6-8     Per serving: calories: 200; Protein: 27 grams; Carbohydrate: 4 grams; Fat: 8 grams.

Tortellini with Coffee Creole Cream,
Broccoli and Shrimp

Creamy, pink coffee-flecked, tortellini provides a flavorful background for crunchy broccoli florets and delicate shrimp. Cheese filled pasta is used here, but you could substitute ravioli or agnolotti half moons. Whole wheat tortellini will yield an added earthy flavor. Eliminate shrimp for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients:

9 ounce package fresh tortellini, cooked al dente according to directions. Reserve.

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 each green onions, minced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup small broccoli florets

½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend

1 tablespoon finely ground coffee

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup heavy cream

salt to taste

Optional ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish

Method:

Reserve the cooked tortellini chilled while preparing the recipe.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and add green onions, garlic and broccoli florets. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute adding a sprinkle of water to prevent sticking if needed.

Add the shrimp, Cajun spices, coffee and tomato paste stirring well, lightly browning the paste. Add the cream and stir in to combine all ingredients well, forming a light pink, creamy sauce.

Add the cooked tortellini into the mixture and stir well. Cook for 3 minutes until a smooth sauce is formed around the pasta and shrimp. Season dish to taste with salt.

Serves 2-3     Per serving: Calories: 690; Protein: 30 grams; Carbohydrate: 49 grams; Fat: 42 grams

Chipotle Chili and Coffee Rubbed Salmon

Spice rubs are simple to make in a blender and keep for weeks refrigerated. This rub is a rich ruby color with deep complex spicy flavors of chili, coffee and lime. It can be made with either dried reconstituted chipotle chili peppers or canned chili peppers in adobo, our favorite. Chilies in adobo can be found in most all supermarkets. This rub is wonderful on seafood, meat, poultry of vegetables. This recipe makes enough spice rub for 2 pounds of salmon or chicken. You may keep the remainder of the spice rub in your refrigerator for future use. The most impressive way to present this dish is to roast a whole small side of salmon, then slice it to order when cooled.

Ingredients:

4 each chipotle chili peppers in adobo

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground coffee beans

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon lime juice

Place all the ingredients in a blender or use a small hand-held immersion blender and puree ingredients together or 1 minute until smooth.

2 pound side of salmon, skin removed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rub Chipotle Coffee mash over the surface of the salmon. Place the salmon on a baking dish large enough to hold the side in one piece.

Place the salmon on the center of the oven and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on the surface and cooked through.

Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8     Per serving: Calories 240; Protein: 23 grams; Carbohydrates: 4 grams; Fat: 14 grams; Cholesterol 65 mg; Sodium 650 mg

Enlightened Red Eye Pan Gravy Drizzle

Traditionally made in the Southern states, this gravy was made by searing ham steaks in a cast iron skillet, then deglazing, or lifting the pan juices from the pan and cooking slowly before pouring over biscuits, grits or ham. Our version is lighter and can be used over any roast, mashed potatoes, rice or couscous. Typically, you would add these ingredients to the roast pan after cooking a chicken, or roast, so the concentrated juices impart flavor as well. You may simply make this gravy in a pan from scratch.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil

3 shallots peeled and chopped or ½ medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups hot black coffee

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water, wine or coffee

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Either in a roast pan from chicken, pork, ham, beef after cooking or in a large saucepot, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the shallot, celery and thyme and saute for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned.

Deglaze the pan with the coffee, scraping the browned bits of vegetables off the bottom of the pan. Simmer the coffee for 10 minutes and add the cornstarch mixture to lightly thicken sauce.

Remove from the heat and strain through a colander or strainer. Season with salt, and freshly cracked pepper corns.

Serves 6-8     Per serving: Calories 25; Protein: 0 grams; Carbohydrate: 4 grams; Fat: 1 gram; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 50 mg

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