Coffee? It’s So Much More than Just a Beverage. Just Look at the “Using Coffee in Haute Cuisine” Report from illy and Spanish chef Josean Alija

Bilbao, 11th November – We all know that coffee is a stimulant and the poster-child drink for creativity. But what happens when we use coffee in the kitchen, in combination with other ingredients?
illycaffè and Josean Alija, chef at Nerua in Bilbao, found out together in the “Using Coffee in Haute Cuisine” project. After three busy years of joint research, the results are out: used in cooking, coffee turns into a flavour and aroma enhancer.

“illy was keen to invest in and research the groundbreaking project of using coffee in cooking to explore and discover its hidden properties. Alija proved to be an excellent partner, capable of maximizing the characteristics of coffee in exciting new recipes that, we hope, will open the door to new coffee consumption habits, thanks to a product that offers a unique, multisensory experience,” says Andrea Illy, illycaffè’s Chairman and CEO.

illy and Alija worked on decontextualizing coffee from its “most common and natural” environment and method of consumption, bringing it into the kitchen as a new ingredient to be used in a highly original way for gourmet cooking.
“Coffee proved itself to be a magical and versatile product,” says Alija, “capable of exalting other ingredients, generating harmony and elegance, and reawakening our senses. Its character and individuality mean it can be turned into stocks or subtle flavours, and act as a vehicle for aromas and recollections.”

The first part of the project focused on research into green coffee (coffee before roasting) as an edible food. The result of heating up green coffee in water was surprising, ushering in a true revolution in cooking by yielding a stock and an aromatic sauce redolent of vegetables.

After working with green coffee, Alija and illy went on to define the six different degrees of roasting that produce the different aromas of roasted coffee. These can be applied creatively to the culinary arts. “Toasting the coffee enables us to taste more aromas of hazelnut, cinnamon, vanilla… This is because the oils in the coffee bean are released during the toasting process, creating a product that has a more complex palette. One of the oils in toasted coffee, for instance, can help us complete the flavour of dishes made with mushrooms, meat and fish,” explains Alija.


Sample recipes using coffee in gourmet cooking:

Artichoke, green coffee and jamón ibérico stock with herbs

 
Marinate an artichoke with crushed green coffee beans previously frozen in nitrogen, at a controlled temperature of 83ºC for 3 hours.
The green coffee helps restore the natural aroma of the artichoke before it is picked, making it possible to enjoy the fragrance it emits when harvested, all in a creamy and compact dish.



 

Pear, Garmillas whey and elderflower

 
1st degree toasting
Candy the pear with coffee grains toasted to the first degree to enhance the floral aroma of the elderflower and the milky, acidic whey from the fresh cheese.
This refined and delicate dish makes for an excellent sugar-free dessert, one with a disarming sweetness.

Carrots, enoki mushrooms and white bean purée

 
4th degree toasting
Take some small carrots, clean them and place them in an oven pan, along with 20% of their weight in green coffee. Bake in the oven at 220°C for six minutes and twenty seconds, then allow to cool covered with a sheet of aluminium foil. Check the contrasting flavours.
The aroma of the bean purée conjures up memories of forgotten scents. Spoonful after spoonful, it seduces the eater as it reveals its tastes and flavours.



illycaffè was founded in Trieste in 1933; the company manufactures and markets a unique blend of 100% Arabica espresso coffee and is the leading brand in top quality coffee. illycaffè has been an official partner of Expo 2015, creating and managing the content, exhibits and events centred on coffee in the common area of the Expo Coffee Cluster. Almost 7 million cups of illy coffee are consumed daily throughout the world. illy coffee is sold in more than 140 countries and is served in over 100,000 of the world’s finest restaurants and cafés. The monobrand illy shops are about 230 in 43 Countries. The company also set up and runs the Coffee University with a view to fostering and spreading the culture of coffee; this centre of excellence provides comprehensive academic and hands-on training for coffee growers, baristas and fans covering every aspect of the product. The company has approximately 1,084 people on its global payroll, and in 2014 posted consolidated revenues of €391 million. illy purchases green coffee beans directly from growers of the highest quality Arabica, based on partnerships underpinned by the principles of sustainable development. Out of its Trieste headquarters the company encourages long-term partnerships with the world’s best growers in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa, sharing know-how and technology and paying higher than market compensation.