Melinda’s Costa Rican ‘Perked’ Coffee BBQ Sauce

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The Grand Prize-Winning recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup molasses

  • 2 cups Costa Rican strong perked black coffee

  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar

  • 3 cups tomato ketchup

  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder

  • 1/3 cup Melinda’s Original Habanero Pepper Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground chili powder

  • Fat rendered from 4 slices hickory smoked bacon

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Brush sauce on grilled chicken, pork or beef during last 10 minutes of grilling. For added flavor brush additional sauce on meat immediately after removing from grill. Refrigerate any left over sauce.

Molho de Piri-Piri

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This is the traditional sauce or marinade that is offered throughout Portugal in restaurants, cafés, and bars. The recipe can vary a little from place to place, but this is the basic one. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 1.5 tablespoons ground piri-piris or substitute piquin or Thai chles

  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika

  • 1 clove garlic, minced, or more to tasted

  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

Combine the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Then store in a refrigerator for a few weeks to blend the flavors

Roasted Pork Piri-Piri

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Here is a recipe with another version of Molho de Piri-Piri, one that is hotter than the one above.

Serve with roasted potatoes and a spinach salad. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dried piri-piri chiles or substitute piquin or Thai1 cup olive oil

  • 1 lemon slice, cut into quarters

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup brandy or whiskey

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 red bell pepper

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 1 teaspoon. salt

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil1

  • 2 to 3 pound pork loin, boneless

Instructions

Combine the chiles, olive oil, lemon, bay leaf, salt, brandy or whiskey, and garlic in a medium saucepan and heat for 15 minutes. Let cool and pour into a glass container. Refrigerate overnight.

Cut the bell pepper into slices and place in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, salt, olive oil and ½ cup of the shaken up piri-piri sauce. Puree until smooth.

Pour the marinade over the pork loin, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook the pork for 30 to 40 minutes per pound, uncovered. Slice and serve with pan juices drizzled over the top.

 

Frango Piri-Piri

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This dish originates from Africa but was adopted by the Portuguese and is now one of their main dishes served in restaurants, cafés, and bars. It is a simple but tasty dish, and is a fond memory for me. The dish is usually served with crisp hot french fries, but you could serve boiled new potatoes if you prefer. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 1 medium sized chicken, washed

  • 1 cup Molho de Piri-Piri (see recipe)

  • Pinch of ground piri-piri chiles (or substitute piquin or Thai)

  • Pinch of oregano (fresh or dried)

  • Romaine lettuce

  • 1 medium red onion, sliced and separated into rings

  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped

  • 1/4 cup Molho de Piri-Piri (see recipe)

  • 1 lemon, sliced for garnish

For the Molho de Piri-Piri:

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 1.5 tablespoons ground piri-piris or substitute piquin or Thai chles

  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika

  • 1 clove garlic, minced, or more to tasted

  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oreganoFo

 

Instructions

For the Chicken:

lace the chicken on a cutting board and split it lengthways at the breastbone (but not in two halves) so that it will lie flat. Then flatten it as much as possible with a mallet. Place the chicken in a shallow glass pan and more the Molho over it. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken and sprinkle over it some of the ground piri-piri and oregano. Grill the chicken over coals or gas until done. (It can also be baked in the glass pan with the marinade.)

Chop the chicken coarsely.

Arrange the lettuce on four plates, add the onion rings and tomatoes, and top with the chicken. Serve garnished with lemon slices and a small bowl of the Molho as a dressing.

 

For the Molho de Piri-Piri:

Combine the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Then store in a refrigerator for a few weeks to blend the flavors

 

 

Sweet Chile Sauce

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Sweet chile sauces, popular in Asian cuisines, are available in Asian markets–or you can make your own, like this recipe from Chef Russell Siu. This recipe uses the larger and milder Thai chiles.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mirin (sweetened rice wine)

  • ½ cup soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup sake

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with water until smooth

  • 1/4 cup minced Thai chiles (prik chee fa)

Instructions

In a non-reactive pot, add the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and sake and bring to a boil. Thicken by adding the cornstarch and water and stirring well. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chiles.