Smoky, Coffee-Rubbed London Broil

My kids love a good steak, so I make it pretty frequently. When beef is on the menu, I know they'll eat at least some of their dinner.

My husband and I also appreciate a good steak and it's nice to change the preparation up a bit every now and then. Enter the giant bag of Dancing Moon Coffee we received. As much as we love to drink java, I got to thinking about other ways I could use the beans. A coffee rub kept sticking in my brain.

I've never made a coffee rub so this was a good reason to try one out. My favorite kind of steak to prepare is London Broil, so I decided to marry the two.

This main dish turned out pretty well. So well, in fact, that Max (my oldest) asked for a steak sandwich in his lunchbox the day after we had this for dinner. Score one for mom!

I hope you like this rub as much as we do.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Smoky, Coffee-Rubbed London Broil
3 tablespoons ground coffee beans
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder or ground mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 2-3 pound London broil
1 tablespoon oil

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients through salt.

Generously coat London broil on all sides with the coffee rub. Gently press rub into steak. Wrap steak in plastic wrap and let chill in refrigerator for a few hours.

When ready to cook, prepare a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray (or use a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet). Start to preheat your broiler.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high flame. Remove plastic wrap from steak. Sear London broil in pan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, to help the rub form a nice crust.

Place London broil on broil pan and then transfer to oven. Cook 3 to 4 minutes and then turn steak over and cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Check steak for doneness. I like to shoot for medium-well, which retains some pink color in the middle of the steak.

Remove from oven and let London broil rest on a cutting board about 5 minutes. Then slice thinly, going against the grain.

I like to serve with green beans, scalloped potatoes and a good beer.

Saturday Shout-Out: Dancing Moon Coffee

I've long had a love affair with coffee. It began in high school and remains quite strong today.

My kitchen has what I refer to as the "coffee closet" if that's any indication (my monthly coffee supply is on auto ship!) At our house, we drink everything from flavored coffees to robust brews. We mostly use our Keurig, because my husband and I have different java preferences. But we also own a lovely grind & brew coffee maker for those times when we want to indulge by the pot instead of by the cup.

So my interest was piqued when Dancing Moon Coffee asked me to give their boutique coffee a try. This is a new-to-market brand bent on introducing coffee lovers to "The Legendary Coffees of the World" via Amazon.com. Dancing Moon offers six varieties and says its special roasting process delivers three times the antioxidant power of green tea.

A coffee with additional health benefits? I'm in!

Three friends bored with retirement launched the brand because they wanted something fun to do with their time that would allow them to pursue their love of coffee while giving back to a cause. Jamie Weldon, Nick Pronovich and Gunar Skillins give 5 percent of profits to the Semper Fi Fund, which provides financial assistance to wounded and critically ill veterans of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The entrepreneurs call Dancing Moon the "fourth wave" of coffee. Here's why: The first wave is commercially produced brands like Maxwell House or Folgers, followed by espresso drinks popularized by Starbucks. The third wave was artisan-made boutique coffee beans from specific growing regions.

Dancing Moon's beans come from a single source within each region and are certified organic and fair trade. This level of detail, according to the founders, is "java nirvana" for consumers who can tell the difference between an Ethiopian and a Kenya coffee. It also means the owners know exactly which acres on a specific farm produced their beans.

We tried the Full Moon Gourmet Blend which was smooth and rich with a hint of chocolate. This blend is a little bit smoky, too. The Full Moon was not too robust for me and just robust enough for my husband.

Dancing Moon roasters say this blend combines the "caramel sweetness of Central America and Colombian beans," a bit of Brazilian "for a hint of chocolate" and a small amount of Sumatra for "earthy complexity."

I'm certainly not a connoisseur when it comes to being able to taste the subtle differences in every coffee varietal, but if you appreciate a good cup of coffee – and want to buy a socially conscious brand – give Dancing Moon a try.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea