There are certain flavours that coffee complements perfectly, such as chocolate, caramel and …..red meat. You may not have thought of adding coffee to savoury dishes, but it adds a richness and intensity to beef and venison dishes that guests will appreciate but be unable to identify! This is a take on a shepherd’s pie.
To serve 6, you’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5kgs stewing beef, cut into chunks
- 75g plain flour
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into slices
- 2 red onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 400ml red wine
- Sprig of rosemary
- 500ml freshly-brewed black coffee
- 1kg floury potatoes suitable for mashing
- 50g butter
- 50ml milk
- 100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
What to do:
- In a cast iron lidded casserole dish, heat the oil over a medium heat. Fry the beef until sealed on all sides, then stir in the flour with a little salt and pepper. Cook for a minute, then remove the beef and set aside.
- Peel and chop the onions and add them to the pan. Add the garlic, carrots and chopped rosemary, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, and bring to the boil.
- Add the beef back into the pan, and pour over the coffee. Cover and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and peel and slice the potatoes. Add them to the water and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, add the butter and milk and mash. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Carefully spoon the mash on top of the beef mixture, and top with the cheese. Put in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
Here at the Wholesale Coffee Company, we stock a range of coffee beans at great wholesale prices, suitable for all uses including cooking. For more information, please visit our website at www.wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk.