June 12th, 2010 | 
Author: I was introduced to this by another Seattle emigre, and it blew my socks off. It’s a natural for Seattle though- the town that searches for new ways to use coffee. If you’re in town, you can get this done to the nines at the Hard Rock Cafe over by Pike Place Market.
I’ve tweaked the recipe I was given a bit to pump up the heat and the flavor.
This is the perfect kind of summer grilling trick that goes really well with your favorite summer beer.
Ingredients
- ¼ C. turbinado sugar (a.k.a. “Sugar in the Raw”)
- ¼ C. finely ground dark roast coffee (don’t use something you wouldn’t drink)
- ¼ C. pimentón ahumado (Smoked spanish paprika)
- 1 T. garlic granules
- 1 T. sea salt
- 2 t. ground cumin
- 1 t. ground chipotle pepper
Directions
Mix all ingredients together. Form your burger patties and rub the spice mixture on them¤. Cover and refrigerate for one hour prior to grilling.
I recommend that you make cheeseburgers with some really sharp cheddar, and pair it with a Hefeweizen.
¤For food safety, do not place the patties directly in your spice mixture.
P.S. My apologies, we had such a good time at the party that I forgot to take my camera out and get pictures. Grilling weather is hit or miss at the moment but I’ll get pictures up as soon as I can!
Many of my friends ask me to make stir-fry for them. Aside from this being a great way to incorporate a variety of vegetables, it’s also one of the least time-intensive ways to prepare a fresh meal.
Most of that same circle of friends have commented, at one time or another, that their attempts at stir fry result in mushy vegetables, whereas mine doesn’t suffer from this problem.
Am I a stir fry genius? Hardly. It all boils down to technique- and this time it’s an easy one!
This is a new twist on a classic middle eastern dish that combines salty, sweet, tangy, and buttery flavors for a complex side dish that is easy to make and healthy for you. The dish makes use of Israeli couscous, which is larger and retains more moisture than other varieties.
Hummus and pita go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Since I’ve already written about the one, I thought I’d better write about the other.
Here’s a simple recipe for the ubiquitous mediterranean flat bread, although calling it such is a bit of a misnomer since this greek pita uses yeast.
Prep Time: 30 minutes + 1 hour proofing time
Cook Time: about 30 minutes total
Easy and delicious, hummus is a staple in most mediterranean cuisines. Its main ingredients are chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and tahini (sesame seed paste). It’s insanely versatile, too. You can serve it with crackers, pita chips, sliced cucumber as a party dip, or serve it as a side dish with fresh, warm pita. As I’m not a big fan of mayonnaise, I’ll often use hummus as a spread on turkey or chicken sandwiches.
The fresh, bright flavors are very versatile, and overall it’s pretty good for you, too!
There are about a million different ways to make hummus, but this one’s my favorite. It makes a large amount, but it keeps well in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None
Serves 4 as a side dish, more as a party dip.
Posted in Healthy Gluttony, Party Foods | 
Tags: comfort food, easy, entertaining, garlic, mediterranean | 
1 Comment »
Most people who like to cook have a love affair with garlic. This pungent root vegetable is aromatic and flavorful, chocked full of vitamins, and its sharpness is easily mellowed by cooking, which allows the sugars to come to the front of the tasting experience.
Most recipes that call for garlic intend for you to use minced, raw garlic or (heaven forbid) dehydrated garlic granules which have none of the complexity of the fresh herb. Roasted garlic is milder, easier to work with, and an excellent substitute to raw garlic when you want a complex, developed garlic flavor without the bite.
