#culinary box

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Cuban Coffee Churrasco from Chef José Andrés

One of our favorite recipes from Chef José Andrés, this Cuban Coffee Churrsaco is sure to be a hit! Follow this recipe to prep this delicious meal at home. 

Cuban Coffee Churrasco

From The Bazaar by José Andrés, at the SLS Hotel South Beach

Serves 2-4

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.

Photograph by Luke Mahot

For more tasty dishes from Chef José Andrés, be sure to subscribe to his upcoming Culinary Box, shipping in May! 

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Meet Kristin, the foodie behind @BayAreaEats!

We’re stoked to introduce you guys to Kristin, the foodie behind the popular Instagram account, @BayAreaEats! She’s curating the next Culinary Box and it’s going to be awesome. We don’t want to spoil too much, but get ready for some mouth watering treats. 

We sat down with Kristin and asked a few questions to help you all get to know her a little bit better. 

Q: Hi Kristin! We are so excited to chat with you and have you curate the next Culinary Box! First things first, how did Bay Area Eats start?

A: I grew up on fast food, microwavable dinners, and on rare occasion, an authentic Japanese meal prepared by my baachan (grandma). I’ve always loved food, but as a kid, I appreciated quantity over quality- pints of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food was my all-time favorite. One year, my parents set a New Year’s resolution to try a new ethnic cuisine each month. My sister and I were less than thrilled about this foray into the unknown. And sure enough, my 10-year-old pallet was not impressed by the dolmas and hummus at our first adventure to a neighborhood Greek restaurant. We continued to try new foods and slowly but surely, I began to expand my culinary horizons.

As a collegiate athlete, I learned the importance of properly nourishing my body with food (which significantly reduced my ice cream consumption). But, between classes, track practice, and work I didn’t have time to cook. So, I found myself eating my way through every restaurant in Berkeley. I started snapping photos of wherever I ate, and that’s when Bay Area Eats began. Today, I get to inspire others to try new restaurants and cuisines the same way my parents did years ago.  

Q: That’s awesome, we love that guiding mission behind your account! Does that tie into your thought process for curating #YUM03? 

A: Yes, it totally does! #YUM03 is all things San Francisco. I drew inspiration from mornings at the Ferry Building Farmers’ Market, picnics in Golden Gate Park, and the hustle and bustle of the Financial District.  

Q: How fun! We can’t wait for subscribers to get a small taste of what the Bay Area has to offer! When you’re not out and about, what’s your favorite thing to cook at home?

A: Eating out can be very indulgent (Exhibit A) (Exhibit B). So, when I need to reign in my sweet tooth and reset, I opt for this paleo sausage and kale soup. It’s quick and easy- throw chicken stock, sausage, onions, sweet potatoes, and kale in to a pot and ta da! Delicious meal that lasts for days!

Q: We’re definitely going to have to try out that recipe! Now for a few fun questions. What’s the best thing you’ve ever received in the mail?

A: A Canon Rebel XT. I pinched pennies for months and months to afford my first DSLR camera. So, when I accidentally left it in a hotel lobby just a few weeks after buying it, you can imagine my despair. Luck was on my side- a guest had brought it to the lost and found and it was shipped back to me!

Q: That is nuts, we’re so glad you got it back! As a subscription service, we have to ask - what’s your longest-running subscription?

A: Sunset Magazine! It has everything from interior design inspiration to vacation ideas and restaurant tips.

Q: That’s definitely a good one. Well, thank you so much Kristin for taking the time to chat with us!

A: Of course, thanks for having me! 

If you’re not subscribed to the Culinary box yet, be sure to sign up here. It’s shipping out in March and will be filled with the best Bay Area treats!

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A complete look at the Culinary Box curated by Food52!

Earlier this year, we decided to switch up our chef-curated subscriptions and created the new Culinary Box subscription. Each quarter’s box would be curated by a different chef, expert or food personality with a different theme and new discoveries. Our Summer Culinary Box was curated by Amanda and Merrill of Food52 to help you cool off for summer. 

A complete look at #YUM01 curated by Food52

No summer would be complete without fresh berries. Display them in a beautiful summer spread with this Heirloom Home and Studio porcelain berry basket. This charming piece is handmade and inspired by the farm-to-table movement. 

These fun Polka Dot Popsicle Sticks from the Sucre Shop are a great way to make a delicious treat even better! Use these to re-create Food52′s Raspberry Ice Pops for a fun picnic or outdoor after-dinner treat! 

Also included were Royal Rose Syrups in Raspberry and Lavender-Lemon flavors. Add these to your popsicle mix for an extra punch of flavor. 

To top it all off, Food52 also included the Zoku Ice Pop Maker. These are a great way to make popsicles with the whole family. This smart design uses silicone for the maker so it slips right off once your pop is ready. It also makes a cute round pop for an optimal popsicle! 

We hope you thoroughly enjoyed this first Culinary Box from Food52. Next quarter’s box is going to be curated by Andrew Zimmern and will definitely be a fun food adventure! Reserve your box here.