Gifted with a Balinese spiced coffee blend direct from the source, I toiled over how to use this gem.

I decided I wanted to create a multi-functional sauce, of sorts – something I could serve over this, with that, alongside this, and underneath that.

I knew I wanted to use something hearty and nutty – almonds were a simple choice.
From that, my mind darted to the idea of Romesco sauce: a classic Spanish sauce—a combination of tomatoes, red peppers, bread, and almonds.

But with the Balinese and Indonesian coffee influence, it had to be a little bit more exotic.

Thick and a little sweet, kind of like mole sauce, but with even more depth. After all, look at the coffee tradition I was dealing with here:

Tradition is a difficult concept to apply to Indonesia, an archipelago nation comprised of more than 13,000 islands, 238 million people, and 300 distinct ethnic groups. Coffee culture as it relates to tradition is forgivingly less nebulous. The drink of choice here is resolutely kopi tubruk, equal parts sugar and finely ground coffee, often with spices added, stirred together with boiling water and left to settle to the bottom of a small glass. The spice of choice is generally ginger, but ginseng, clove, cardamom, turmeric, and tamarind are not unheard of. At Mangsi, they take pride in the special formulations of spice mixed into the coffee, striving for balance in flavor.

Thus, an amazing splash of flavor from every spectrum results in the thick and hearty sauce below.

And boy is it versatile.

Give it a go!

Coconut Almond Coffee Romanesco

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup raw almonds
14 oz. canned tomatoes
1 Tbs. Indonesian coffee and spice blend**
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a high speed blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Serve over roasted carrots, pasta, or even a slowly stewed carne asada.

**Substitute a combination of very finely ground coffee + ginger + tamarind + cardamom + clove