Coffee Braised Chile Beef Food

COFFEE-BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH ANCHO CHILE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add ribs to pot and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.
• Add onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño to drippings in pot. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté uncovered 1 minute. Add brown sugar, ancho chile powder, oregano, and cumin; stir 15 seconds. Stir in coffee, tomatoes with juice, and tomato paste. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return ribs and any juices to pot; bring to boil.
• Cover and bake until meat is very tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm, covered, over medium heat before continuing.)
• Transfer ribs to platter. Spoon sauce over and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
• *Available in the spice section of most supermarkets and at Latin markets.

MY MOM'S COFFEE-BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Mix the ground coffee, salt, cardamom and black cardamom in a small bowl and rub into the brisket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Put the brisket in a roasting pan and roast until the exterior has browned, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and the garlic, cut-side down. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and browned, about 15 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Add the tomato paste and cook until it reduces slightly, about 2 more minutes.
• Transfer the vegetables to the roasting pan with the brisket. Add the dried apricots, brewed coffee and eggs in their shells. Add enough water to bring the liquid halfway up the side of the brisket.
• Cover the pan tightly with two layers of foil, return to the oven and braise for 1 hour. Remove the eggs, gently tap them all over to make a network of small cracks and return them to the braise. Recover the pan with foil and continue cooking until the brisket shreds easily with a fork, about 3 more hours. Let the brisket cool in its braising liquid, then refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the cold eggs and slice the cold brisket, then return them both to the braising liquid and bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Serve the brisket slices with the peeled eggs, grated fresh horseradish and parsley leaves and spoon the broth over top.

SHORT RIBS BRAISED IN COFFEE ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Soak ancho chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl.
• Taste soaking liquid: It will be a little bitter, but if unpleasantly so, discard it; otherwise, reserve for braising.
• Transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Pat ribs dry and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch.
• Transfer as browned to a roasting pan just large enough to hold ribs in 1 layer.
• Carefully add chile purée to fat remaining in skillet (use caution, since it will splatter and steam) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
• Add reserved chile soaking liquid (or 1 1/2 cups water) and coffee and bring to a boil, then pour over ribs (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat).
• Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs in middle of oven until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Skim fat from pan juices and serve with ribs.
• Cooks' note: Ribs improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead.
• Cool, uncovered, then chill, surface covered with parchment paper or wax paper and roasting pan covered with foil.
• Remove any solidified fat before reheating.

COFFEE-BRAISED ROAST BEEF

Steps:

• In a large shallow dish, combine vinegar and 2 garlic cloves. Add roast; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally., Drain roast, discarding marinade. Pat roast dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place roast in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker; add coffee, broth, onion and remaining garlic. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 6-7 hours., Remove roast and keep warm. Strain cooking juices, discarding onion and garlic; skim fat. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high until gravy is thickened, 30 minutes. Slice roast; serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.

FILET OF BEEF ROASTED WITH COFFEE BEANS, PASILLA CHILE BROTH AND CREAMY WHITE GRITS WITH GREENS AND WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Tie the filet of beef with butcher twine at 1/2-inch intervals. Rub the filet well with salt and pepper. Rub the filet with the olive oil. Combine the ground coffee, cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix well. Spread the mixture over a work surface and roll the filet in the mixture to evenly coat the beef. Allow to marinate approximately 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
• Place the filet on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast the filet for 10 minutes. Immediately lower the heat to 250 degrees F. After 20 minutes, check the internal temperature of the filet (125 degrees F for medium rare or 135 degrees F for medium). If further cooking is necessary, return the beef to the oven (still set at 250 degrees F) and slowly roast to the desired temperature. Remove the filet from the oven and keep warm. Before carving, remove the string.
• Slice the filet into 1/4-inch thick slices. Spoon some of the Creamy White Grits with Bitter Greens and Wild Mushrooms in the center of each dinner plate. Arrange the slices of filet around the grits. Ladle some of the Pasilla Chile Broth over the filet. Garnish with watercress sprigs.
• In a heavy bottomed 2 quart pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt. Add the grits while stirring. Bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat to a very low simmer. Cover the pot but stir every 2 to 3 minutes until the grits are thick. The grits will take approximately 20 minutes to cook. If the grits become to thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
• In a skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the chopped onions and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent. Add the shiitake mushrooms and saute until lightly cooked. Add the greens and briefly saute until wilted. Remove from the heat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
• When the grits are cooked and ready to serve, stir the greens and mushroom mixture into the grits and keep warm.
• Heat a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the butter and saute the onion and garlic cloves until nicely browned. Add the pieces of pasilla chile and tortilla pieces and slowly saute until the ingredients are golden brown. Lower the heat to medium low if necessary. Add the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then simmer, lightly covered, for approximately10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer the ingredients to blender and puree for approximately 1 minute or until smooth. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove any chunky pieces. Add the cream, salt and brown sugar and blend. The sauce should not be too thick. If too thick, add some addition chicken stock or water to correct to a light consistency. Reserve until ready to serve.

BRAISED BEEF AND RED CHILES

Steps:

• Add the chiles and garlic to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour off half the cooking liquid. Using an immersion blender, puree the peppers, garlic and remaining liquid until smooth. (Alternatively, you can use a regular blender. Be careful when blending hot or warm ingredients.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chuck roast with the salt, pepper, chile powder and cumin. When the oil is hot, add the meat to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes, then remove to a plate.
• Add the tomato paste and onion to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, sugar, bay leaves and pepper puree to the pot and stir to combine. Return the beef to the pot and cover. Roast until the meat is fall-apart tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Remove the bay leaves. Shred the meat in the pot and serve on warm tortillas with shaved cabbage, sour cream, lime and cilantro.

CHILE-BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a small skillet over a medium heat, toast the star anise and fennel seed. Move the pan across the heat, letting the spices gently roll inside. Do that for about 3 to 4 minutes or until you begin to smell the toasting spices. Transfer into a spice mill or a coffee grinder. Add 5 of the chiles and grind until finely ground. Season the brisket with salt and pepper, rub with the spice blend, cover, and refrigerate while continuing with the recipe.
• Put the remaining 7 chiles in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Set aside and let soak until the chiles have softened, about 30 minutes. When soft, reserve the chiles and 1 cup of the reconstituting water. Discard the rest of the water. In a blender, liquefy the chiles, the 1 cup reserved soaking water, and the sherry vinegar. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat and sear the brisket in the hot oil on all sides until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the brisket from the pan and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until they become translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, and chile mixture and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the brisket, cover, and braise in the oven until fork tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours, skimming occasionally to remove excess fat.
• When done, slice and serve hot with the braising liquid alongside.
• To Drink
• The hot climate of southern Oregon produces one of my very favorite Spanish varietals, Tempranillo, which loves meat braised with tomatoes, ground chiles, and spices. The black-fruit flavors of this grape and the tannins stand up well to the braised beef. Two Oregon wineries, Abacela and Dominio IV, produce fine examples of this grape varietal. A companion choice would be a French Rhône wine from Chapoutier: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Saint Joseph, or Crozes-Hermitage. These wines have spice, smoke, and lingering tannins that speak to all the flavors of the brisket. -K.P.

COFFEE-BRAISED BEEF WITH CINNAMON AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Cook onion in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in coffee, zest, cinnamon stick, and brown sugar, then bring to a simmer. Sprinkle beef all over with salt and pepper, then add to pot. Transfer pot to oven and braise, tightly covered, until meat is very tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Skim fat from sauce and discard cinnamon stick.