It’s Labor Day weekend and with the weather cooling off it might be the last time you cook on the grill outside, so what better way than to surprise your guests with a recipe that they will be talking about for the rest of the year. Chef José Andrés is known for his elevated Cuban cooking, and this recipe for Cuban Coffee Churrasco has two things we love, coffee and grilled steak!
Cuban Coffee Churrasco
From The Bazaar by José Andrés
For the steak:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons ground coffee
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
4 four-ounce skirt steaks
For the coffee reduction:
1 cup brewed coffee
1 teaspoon sugar
For the passion fruit sauce:
4 fresh passion fruits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt to taste
6 small spring onions, white bulb only, peeled and cut in ½
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Maldon sea salt
Fresh tarragon sprigs
For the steaks, combine the brown sugar, salt, coffee, pepper, coriander, garlic and onion powders together in a small mixing bowl. Rub the mixture all over the steaks until well seasoned. Place the steaks in a shallow pan, cover with plastic wrap and set in refrigerator to marinate for 1½ hours.
For the coffee sauce, combine coffee and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Let cook until reduced to a syrup that coats the back of your spoon, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Set aside and keep warm.
For the passion fruit sauce, place the passion fruit on a cutting board and slice open lengthwise. Scoop out all the fruit seeds and pulp using a kitchen spoon into a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter bubbles and begins to turn golden brown, remove from the heat. Add the passion fruit to the pan and mix with the warm brown butter. Season to taste with salt and keep warm.
Toss the onions and the olive oil together in a small bowl. Heat a grill over medium high heat. Place the steaks on the grill and cook for three minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from the grill and set aside. Using a grill pan, place the onions on the grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
To serve, place a steak on each plate, and divide the onions evenly between each plate. Gently drizzle a few drops of coffee reduction over the onions and spoon warm passion fruit sauce around the plate. Season with a little sea salt and a sprig of tarragon.
Serves 2-4
This is the perfect Labor Day recipe that will leave your guests asking for more and the recipe! Make sure you forward it to them!