Category: Mains

Seoul Satisfying: Bulgogi-Korean Grilled Beef

Seoul Satisfying: Bulgogi-Korean Grilled Beef

Maybe it’s a way to stay connected to my kid who is living in South Korea and teaching English.  My current obsessions are K-Dramas and Korean food.  I absolutely adore both.  My gateway to K-dramas was Amazon (damn you-Jeff Bezos, just kidding).  Suffice to say the rom-com genre is alive and well in South Korea. My favorite show is about an immortal who has been searching for his “bride”, the only person who can actually put him out of misery-I know, ironic. It’s called Goblin or Guardian.

My other obsession is Korean food.  Korean cuisine is right up my alley-spicy, flavorful tofu soups, pickled vegetables-Kimchi, Korean barbecue, noodles (Japchae), dumplings (mandu), and bap (rice), the cornerstone.  When I was a kid I would always unceremoniously dump my bowl of rice into my soup.  I’d swish the rice around to let it absorb the flavors of the soup before eating.  Now I find myself enjoying Korean Tofu Soups in the same fashion.

Then there is Korean barbecue. Beef, pork, chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic, sesame, and onions-grilled over charcoal giving the meat that lovely smokiness, so good.

Like Chinese meals, Korean meals are very communal. Dishes are placed in the center of the table to be shared by all. Parents select choice tidbits to place in each child’s bowl.  Teens serve their grandparents.  Everyone feeds the babies. Chopsticks constantly moving food from plates and bowls and finally to mouths.  Eating is such a connection.  For Koreans and Chinese we often greet family and friends not with hello but with “have you eaten yet?”.

Bulgogi is thin strips of beef, marinaded, grilled quickly and wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Nestled in the lettuce along with the beef, is a bite of rice, kimchi, and a dab of ssamjang (bean-chili sauce).  Think tacos.  So delicious.  I adapted a recipe for bulgogi I found in Seoul Food Korean Cookbook (Kindle version for 4.99 right now) by Naomi Imatome-Yun.

The marinade starts with the trifecta of Korean seasonings, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame and builds on this with honey, Asian pear and scallions. So much flavor. Most Asian markets generally have pre-cut thin slices of short rib, pork, or chicken, which makes life easy. If you start with a whole piece of meat, toss it in the freezer for a couple of minutes.  Makes cutting thin slices a walk in the park.

It’s not always easy to find Asian pears.  Use a combination of finely grated apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp are nice) and pineapple juice in place of the Asian pear.  Don’t let it marinate in pineapple juice too long as it will break down the meat.  Add pineapple juice no more than a couple of hours before cooking.

Red leaf, Boston, or Gem lettuce, are the perfect shape, size, and texture for a bulgogi wrap.  Winner winner, bulgogi dinner-sweet, salty, garlicky, and smokey wraps and you can use your hands, just like tacos!  Broke da mouth good.

Don’t forget the kimchi!

Bulgogi

Bulgogi, beef thinly and marinated in soy, garlic, and onions. Served with rice and saamjang, wrapped in lettuce. This classic Korean dish is a sure fire hit with its bold flavors.
Course Main Course, Meat
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword beef, Bulgogi, Grilled
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Marinade time 3 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic CHOPPED, not minced, which would be too much
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons grated Asian pear include juice substitute any apple, fuji or honerycrisp, grated 1/2 and 1/2 pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon mirin substitute sake which is not sweet
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3 scallions finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound sirloin steak ribeye or short rib, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, honey, pear juice, mirin, sesame oil, scallions, and pepper and stir until the sugar and honey are dissolved.
  • Add the meat and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. For tougher cuts of meat, marinate the meat longer.
  • Grill the beef until well done and caramelized on the outside, about 3 minutes per side. You can also fry the beef in a cast iron pan.
  • Serve with rice, ssamjang and lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot

Notes

TIP: Top sirloin or tenderloin work best, but almost any steak cut will do. The best quality meat will be more tender and will taste the best. Trader Joe's has thinly sliced ribeye that works well.
Adapted from Imatome-Yun, Naomi. Seoul Food Korean Cookbook: Korean Cooking from Kimchi and Bibimbap to Fried Chicken and Bingsoo
Gettin’ Jjigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Gettin’ Jjigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Ok.  Are you looking at the pic above and thinking WHAAAT?  Hot dogs? Spam? Kimchi? VanCamps BAKED Beans? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It’s like Mom pulling things out of the fridge and the pantry to make dinner… in the 1960s.  But stay with me, these are actually the building blocks for Anthony Bourdain’s version of Budae Jjigae or Army Stew.  A crazy concoction created during the Korean War when food was scarce and the US Army PX was ground zero for processed foods like SPAM and hot dogs-cheap, available protein.  Combined with familiar Korean ingredients, a not so healthy but totally delicious, comforting stew was born.

budae jjigae ingredients

Anthony Bourdain’s mischevious side was in overdrive when he decided to make this dish for Anderson Cooper. He thoroughly enjoyed watching Anderson squirm as he popped open the can of SPAM, container of kimchi, hot dogs, rice cakes, plopped them in a pan and added a generous dollop of Gochujang or Korean pepper paste on top.  Anchovy stock is poured over this bed of deliciousness and set to simmer for 30 minutes. A pack of INSTANT RAMEN is added at the very end. Ten minutes later Bourdain was doing a happy dance while slurping his noodles. So was an amazed Anderson.  Catch the episode here, watch it, smile and remember his wicked sense of humor, his intellect and his ability to never take himself too seriously. Then go make your family a pot of Budae Jjigae to fill your tummy, warm your soul and comfort your heart.

budae jjigae

This dish is like that bad boy you were always crazy about in high school, knew you should stay away from but just couldn’t.  My favorite line in the clip is when he says to Anderson, “it seems so wrong but taste so right, like true love”. Budae Jjigae is right up my alley, processed meats, fermented vegetables, ground meats and instant ramen noodles, yum.  I grew up on baloney sandwiches on white bread, Fizzies as the fruit in my lunch, Spaghetti out of a can, thanks to Chef Boyardee, and Friday night Swanson’s TV dinners.  In college, I survived on instant ramen and Banquet frozen fried chicken.  Those were the days.

Just before serving, place a slice of American cheese right on top so it melts and oozes all over your ramen.  That literally takes it over the top.  Thank you, David Chang, for that addition.

Tips for your Budae Jjigae

Use Korean instant ramen, my favorite brand, Shin Ramen.  If you don’t make Budae Jjigae, at least try the instant noodles. Use the seasoning packet and up your ramen game with an egg cracked into your bowl of noodles (the soup will cook it) and topped with a Kraft single (uh-huh you all know what I am talking about, real cheese food).  You end up with a pretty fine bowl of totally unhealthy but ridiculously yummy noodles.  To appease your conscious add some veggies, corn, peas, kimchi or shredded lettuce.

If you can find it, use Vienna Sausages (those old enough know EXACTLY what I am talking about, mini hot dogs in a flip top can) in place of hot dogs.

Rice cakes (tokbokki) come either tubular or disc shape, either will work.  You can find them at Korean markets, along with kimchi, Gochujang and pepper flakes.

In place of anchovy stock you can use Japanese dashi or broth.

Have plenty of beer on hand to wash it all down and to toast the life of Mr. Bourdain.

Gettin’ JJigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Ingredients

  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom
  • 4 large dried anchovies heads and guts removed, wrapped in cheesecloth
  • One 3 × 5-inch sheet dried edible kelp or konmbu Use Japanese dashi in place of anchovy stock
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 ounces SPAM cut into ½-inch- thick slices
  • cups Napa cabbage kimchi tongbaechu drain
  • 8 ounces sliced Korean rice cakes
  • 1 white onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 3 hot dogs thinly sliced
  • 6-8 ounces ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean fermented chili paste
  • 3 tablespoons medium/fine gochugaru ground Korean red pepper he uses a dash only I used about a teaspoon, he did not come close to 3 T in the video...trust me start small
  • 3 tablespoons cheongju Korean rice wineor Chinese rice wine of Sake
  • 3 tablespoons canned baked beans
  • 1 package ramen noodles preferably the Korean brand Shin, seasoning packet discarded

Instructions

  • To make the anchovy broth, combine the mushroom, anchovies, kelp, 4 cups water, and the salt in a medium, heavy-bottom pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain and discard the solids, and set the broth aside.
  • Place the SPAM, kimchi, rice cakes, onion, scallions, garlic, hot dogs, and pork in small separate piles in a large shallow pot.
  • Add the soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, and cheongju to the pot, then slowly pour in the reserved anchovy kelp broth. Add the baked beans and 1½ cups water. Bring the contents to a steady simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the ramen noodles. Ladle the broth over the noodles to help them break apart. Continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through but still chewy.
Missing Anthony Bourdain (Roast Chicken)

Missing Anthony Bourdain (Roast Chicken)

I admit to being a foodie.  I love to cook, I love to eat out at restaurants, I love to dissect everything I eat.  When I travel I hunt out the local favorites, my philosophy, eat where the locals eat. Hot chicken in Nashville, BBQ in Austin, Tacos in Los Angeles, Lox and Bagels in NYC, my bucket list goes on and on.  I drove four hours for pie for Pete’s sake. My favorite movies include Chef and Tampopo. I binge watch Japanese & Korean dramas on Netflix like Samurai Gourmet and Let’s Eat-Must See Foodie TV, and re-watch episodes of Chef’s Table over and over again.

Parts Known and Loved

Sunday evening CNN’s Parts Unknown is appointment TV for me.  My foodie world was rocked last week when Anthony Bourdain committed suicide.  Parts Unknown was unique. Not content with showing places through rose-colored glasses, the show found the edgy parts, counter-culture, fringe elements or disenfranchised.  He didn’t shy away from talking about politics, injustice, or controversial topics.  But his approach was disarming, ask the hard questions over a shared meal and drinks and be genuinely interested in the answers.  His journeys strove to capture the heart and soul of each place he visited, to tell a story.  My favorite episodes? Hanoi with President Obama, Koreatown and Eastside episodes in Los Angeles, Iran, and Shanghai, I traveled vicariously through his show.

When his book, Appetites came out, I eagerly snatched up a copy.  I loved just flipping through it. I read, laughed and savored his storytelling and irreverence.  His recipes screamed, “this is the stuff I like to eat and share with family and friends, I don’t give a shit if you like it or not”  Now, I felt I had to cook out of it, my own tribute to Mr. Bourdain and personal catharsis.

I made his Roast Chicken, it just seemed like a good starting point.

The recipe is loosely written (is that code for poorly edited? You be the judge).  A 2-1/2 pound chicken?  I used a 4-1/2 pound chicken which worked fine.  I placed the chicken on a bed of chopped carrots, onions, leeks, garlic, and celery to roast just like the photo in his book despite the fact that the recipe does not call for veggies. Does it make a difference?  Don’t know, but I have a sneaking suspicion it would be fine either way.

It was simple, delicious, the perfect comfort food to soothe the soul and mend the heart.

Roast Chicken Anthony Bourdain

Roast Chicken by Anthony Bourdain

Roast chicken by Anthony Bourdain, to soothe the soul and mend your heart.
Course comfort food, dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword anthony bourdain, roast chicken, Soul Food
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 best-quality chicken about 2 1/2 pounds, preferably organic (ok, my chicken was 4-1/2 pounds) where you get a 21/2 pound chicken 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Crushed black peppercorns to taste
  • 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1/2 lemon cut into 4 wedges
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
  • Rub the bird inside and out with salt and crushed peppercorns.
  • Stuff a 1/2-tablespoon pat of butter under the skin of each side of the breast, and under the skin of each thigh.
  • Stuff the thyme, bay leaf, and lemon wedges into the chicken’s cavity.
  • Use the tip of a paring knife to poke a small hole in the skin just below each of the chicken’s legs, and tuck each leg carefully into that hole. (You may also truss the chicken with butcher’s twine if you know how, but this is much simpler.)
  • Place the chicken in a flame-proof roasting pan* and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan, moving it to different parts of the oven to account for hot spots, and basting the bird two or three times with a bulb-top baster or long-handled metal spoon.
  • *Place chicken on a bed of chopped vegetables including carrots, onions, celery and garlic.
  • Reduce the oven’s heat to 300˚F and continue to roast, basting frequently, for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the bird is done: When you poke the fat part of the thigh with the paring knife, the juices should run clear.
  • Remove the bird from the oven, let it rest 15 minutes, then remove the breasts and legs from the carcass, reserving everything. Use a ladle to skim off and discard as much surface fat from the pan juices as possible.
  • Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over high heat and stir in the wine and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge and dissolve the browned bits. Bring this mixture to a boil and cook until it is reduced by half. Stir in the stock with the wooden spoon, bring to a boil, and reduce again by half. Remove from the heat and strain this sauce through a sieve into a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Fold in the parsley and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
  • Serve the chicken—half of the breast plus a drumstick or a thigh per person—with the sauce ladled over, and any remaining sauce in a sauceboat on the table.
  • Appetites
Grilled Pork #2 Belly up to the Table for Some Delicious Pork and Conversation

Grilled Pork #2 Belly up to the Table for Some Delicious Pork and Conversation

The kids were all home for a couple of days, which is a miracle in itself, so we threw a party! Really, it was to celebrate the twins’ graduation from college (boy that went fast) and the end of tuition days. I polled the kids to see what they wanted for eats, after all, that’s the Asian mom way of saying I love you…” what would you like to eat?” and the response was “anything, Mom”. Ugh, no help.
Maybe I needed a theme? Comfort foods? Where they have been and where they are going? Hmm, that had potential. So I went with it.

Where they have been: Where they are going

Houston, Texas for Jamie….Queso!!! You need munchies at a party so Queso and tortilla chips would be perfect. Besides, she is moving to Minneapolis and cheese is HUGE there too right? Anyone care for some cheese curds?
Nashville, Tennessee for Jordan, hmmm…bbq! To combine it with where Jordan is going, Korea, I decided on Grilled Pork Belly and Khal Bi (marinated Beef cross-cut ribs). I just killed two birds with one stone! I’m a genius, lol.

Spicy Grilled Pork Belly

Black Rice and Marinated Pork Belly waiting for the grill to fire up.

The food was casual, friendly, and easy, mostly family favorites.  I pulled out my Somen Salad recipe, perfect for a crowd and the warm weather.  We fired up the grill for the Khal bi (marinated beef ribs) and Spicy Grilled Pork Belly.  Jorge put out the tortilla chips with the Queso Dip, salsa, and Wes’s famous tuna dip.  Bowls of fresh berries from the Farmer’s Market rounded out the menu.  For the grand finale, Jamie made a DELICIOUS banana cake (nooo, forgot to take a photo of it) filled with a chocolate ganache and covered with Cream Cheese Frosting.

We all gathered around the table to eat, gab, laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Isn’t that what it is all about?

The Spicy Grilled Pork Belly was a hit.  The pork is cut into thick slices similar to thick-cut bacon and marinated in chili sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce. I adapted the recipe from the blog Barefoot in the Kitchen and it is SUPER SIMPLE and delicious!  We served it with purple rice, Gochuchang (Korean chili paste) and lettuce to be wrapped like a taco.

Purple Rice, Purple Rice

The purple rice is novel and fun and requires nothing extra except for 2 tablespoons of black rice mixed with your regular rice.  As it cooks the rice turns a really cool shade of purple. Your friends will think exotic and fancy, take the credit with a smile.  Regular short grain rice would work and for carb haters, cauliflower rice is a great sub. The pork would also make a screamin’ slider.  Top sliders with Siracha mayo and an Asian slaw of cabbage, onions, and pickled ginger. YUM.

SpicyGrilled Pork Belly

Spicy Grilled Pork Belly

Grilled Pork belly, sweet, salty, spicy and delicious!
Course Main Course, Meat, pork
Cuisine Asian, Fusion
Keyword bbq, gochujang, Pork Belly
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork belly thick sliced (you can find it at most Asian markets)

Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce pref Sempio 707
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste use either Siracha with garlic or Gochuchang chili pepper paste
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 -1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The Finish

  • 1 head of red lettuce or butter lettuce
  • Chili pepper paste Gochuchang
  • Toasted Sesame seeds
  • Green onions
  • Rice

Instructions

  • Remove the skin from the pork belly and slice the meat into 1/8" - 1/4" wide strips. If you don't have access to already cut pork belly.
  • Stir together the soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, chili paste, sugar, sesame oil, pepper and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Place the meat in the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the grill to HIGH. Grill the strips of pork belly for 2 minutes, flip and grill another 2-3 minutes.
  • When the pork has cooked through, remove from the grill and place it on a paper towel lined tray.
  • Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds to garnish
  • Serve with rice, lettuce and pepper paste for wraps or in a roll as a sandwich or tortilla as a taco with an Asian slaw and siracha mayo.
The Name is Pork, Slow Roasted Pork (Sam Kass)

The Name is Pork, Slow Roasted Pork (Sam Kass)

One of my favorite recipes from Sam Kass’s book: Eat A Little Better is his Roasted Pork Shoulder.  Don’t let the time commitment scare you.  Prep is as easy as rubbing salt all over the roast, letting it sit for 2 hours then popping it in the oven for…

5 hours

So, yes, you will need to plan in advance and start early.  By dinner time you’ll be ready to dazzle. You can serve the roast as is or transform it into delicious dishes like carnitas tacos, pulled pork sammies with your favorite barbecue sauce, or a yummy pasta ragu.  Sam’s book includes ways to use this roast as the base for a variety of tasty options.  All lip smacking delicious.

Roasted Pork shoulder shredded

 

The Name is Pork, Slow Roasted Pork (Sam Kass)

Ingredients

  • 1 5-6 pound bone-in pork shoulder Boston Butt
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine

Instructions

  • Rub the pork all over with 1 tablespoon salt. Let it sit for 2 hours at room temperature
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees
  • Put the pork fat-side up in a heavy roasting pan lined with parchment or foil. Place roast in oven and roast for approximately 5 hours until the meat is deep golden brown and fall off the bone tender. Start checking at about 4 hours.
  • To finish you may broil the top for a darker crisper top.
  • Teansfer roast to a plate. Deglaze pan with stock or wine stirring up bits on the pan.
  • Serve with pork or drizzle on top.
  • You can jazz up the rub with garlic or rosemary, minced and mixed into salt.

 

Let’s “Taco Bout” It (Carnitas Tacos)

Let’s “Taco Bout” It (Carnitas Tacos)

I have been working my way through Sam Kass’s Cookbook Eat a Little Better and have to say it is pretty darn good!  A family favorite has been his Roasted Pork recipe. Start with a nice 5-6 pound pork shoulder and slow roast it in the oven for 5 hours.  You are rewarded with a beautiful mahogany colored, crispy on the outside, meltingly tender on the inside, hunk of deliciousness.  Yum.

But as delicious as it is, IT IS STILL A WHOLE LOTTA PORK.

And as much as I enjoyed standing at my kitchen counter and pulling shreds of warm, succulent, salty pork off the roast and popping them in my mouth, I hardly made a dent.

Variations on a Pork Roast to the Rescue.

First on the list…TACOS

CArnitas tacos Villa Moreliana

THE HISTORY OF TACOS by 3Jamigos

1960s: Taco shells out of a box-the equivalent of Chinese chow mein noodles out of a can (I can’t even), ground beef with tomato sauce, Lawry’s Taco Seasonings packet, iceberg lettuce, shredded yellow cheese, and tomatoes. They were good when I was a kid, now-not so much.  The perils of growing up.

1970s: Tex-Mex Tacos:  Visited San Antonio and had a Puffy Taco Moment. OMG! How can a taco shell be crispy and soft at the same time? Another, please.

1980s: Tacos in Mexico City: Tacos come on a plate with soft corn tortillas and toppings piled on top.  A sprinkle of onions and cilantro, splash of salsa. #SoDamnDelicious. Mom and I sneak off the tour bus to eat tacos…..#RealTacos

1980s:  I’ll take 2 1980s and skip the 1990s.  Roadtrip to San Felipe and Ensenada.  First stop: Buy a six-pack of Coronas and head for the nearest taco stand then head to beach.  Freshly caught fish or shrimp, batter-fried, tossed in a soft tortilla with cabbage, salsa and crema…3 for a dollar.  I have died and gone to seafood taco heaven.

2000s: Live and Eat in LA:  Just about to order Lengua and Carne Asada tacos from fav Taco truck (cheap and open “All Night Long”, props to Lionel Ritchie)when… Wait, there’s a crazy ass long line at that truck over there called Kogi Truck, let’s check it out. Korean BBQ Tacos?!  Mind blown.

2010: Kids work health fair at local church.  After service, Carne Asada Tacos served fresh off the grill for 1.00 a piece.  Kids (3 of them) eat 26 tacos.  The next year the tacos go up to 1.50!  La Vic’s Orange Sauce, say no more.

2018:  Villa Moreliana in LA Grand Central Market 1.75 per taco.  My favorite, Mixed Carnitas Taco.  Comes with shredded pork, tongue, snout, trotter, and chicharrones.  Go. Now. Eat.

NopalitoSF  Carnitas tacos in a hipster setting near Divisadero Street, $14.50,  Really? Afraid so. But damn, they are good.

Making my own with Sam Kass’s Roasted Pork Shoulder and homemade salsa.   #SoDamnDelicious #EatAtHome #AsManyTacosAsIWant

Make your own tortillas too! Easy flour tortillas or corn tortillas from King Arthur Baking.

Carnitas tacos

Let’s “Taco Bout” It Carnitas Tacos

Ingredients

  • Slow Roasted Pork
  • Corn Tortillas Trader Joes makes a nice corn tortilla or La Tortilla Factory has a nice corn & Wheat handmade tortilla

Toppings: Put them all out or keep it real with onions, cilantro and lime wedges

  • shredded cabbage
  • chopped white onions or red onions Soak in cold water to mellow onion
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado slices
  • Pico de gallo
  • Your favorite salsa or try the easy homemade salsa on my blog

Instructions

  • Shred 1-2 cups of roasted pork. To crisp the edges and reheat pork, place shredded meat in a saute' pan with 1-2 tablespoon of oil until heated thru and crispy on the edges. Transfer to warm plate.
  • Heat tortillas. Put different toppings out and let people go crazy.
  • Allow everyone to make their own tacos.
  • #TacoTime
Eat a Little Better with Sam Kass

Eat a Little Better with Sam Kass

I received Sam Kass’s book, Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World to review QUITE a while ago.  I wasn’t too busy and it wasn’t because I didn’t feel like looking at it.  On the contrary, I really liked the book and kept finding recipes I wanted to try before posting.  For those of you not familiar with Sam, he was the personal chef to President Obama’s family and worked with FLOTUS on her healthy eating initiative.  Yes, I am biased and really wanted to like this book (plus he is easy on the eyes-I didn’t just write that, did I?). Luckily I can, in good conscience say, its a winner.

Eat A little better My fridge
Work in progress. Yep, all those fruits and vegetables were hidden in the bins below.

I love the stories about the White House, the first family and Sam’s tips on healthy eating and cooking.  The first change I implemented was rearranging my fridge.  I moved my fruits and vegetables to bowls and see-through containers. Now, when I open the door my weekend farmer’s market bounty is staring me in the face instead of hidden in the  “the crisper”.  No longer out of sight, out of mind.  Be honest, who hasn’t pulled out an unidentifiable fuzzy green object that might have once been an apple or orange, or worse a forgotten cucumber that morphed into a slimy swamp creature…ewwwww.

Those ignored apples stashed in the crisper?  Placed front and center, a visible “I’m here” reminder, turned into a couple of delicious apple crisps.  

The recipes are straightforward, uncomplicated, some healthy, some homey, some both.  Right up my alley.  I LOVE sweet potatoes so a recipe for a trio of dips/toppings for baked sweet potatoes caught my eye. It reminded me of an absolutely scrumptious charred sweet potato with a bone marrow Salsa Negra appetizer I had at Cala in San Francisco.  The potatoes were tender, smoky and sweet.  Borrowing from Smitten Kitchen, I slow roasted the potatoes in the oven and finished them under the broiler for that nice char.  The toppings, an herbalicious sour cream, and a brown butter orange juice were a snap to prepare.  I nixed the bacon dip and made the topping for Kaddo, an Afghani dish of braised pumpkin topped with two sauces, a tomato meat sauce, and a garlic-mint yogurt sauce.  The sweet potato stood in for the pumpkin, pretty yummy.  It deserves its own post which is coming soon.

 

 

 

 

Sweet Potato In-skin Mash-ups

Ingredients

  • 4-6 Whole Roasted Sweet Potatoes I used Smitten Kitchen recipe see link

Brown Butter-Orange Juice

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • Kosher salt

Herbed Sour Cream

  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives or green onions
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • While sweet potatoes are roasting you will have plenty of time to throw these sauces together.

Brown butter-orange juice

  • Place butter chunks in saucepan, preferably a light color one so you can see the butter turn color. Place over medium heat and let the butter melt and bubble, swirl the pot occasionally. The butter will foam and then start to color. Watch carefully, the milk particles will turn a nice toasty brown, remove from the heat and pour butter into a heatproof bowl.
  • Stir in orange juice and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  • Make a slit lengthwise in each potato, season with more salt. Smoosh it with a fork and drizzle the sauce on the sweet potato.
  • Serve immediately.

Herbed Sour Cream

  • In a small bowl, combine sour cream, chives, thyme and lemon juice. Mix until well blended. Season with a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  • Split potato, season with salt and place a generous dollop of the sour cream in the potato.
  • Serve immediately.

at A Little Better Slow Roasted Sweet PotatoesNext,  Butternut Squash and Kale Fried Rice.  The sweetness of the squash meshed well with the saltiness of the bacon and the slight bite of the kale.  Surprisingly good and easy to make. Feel free to use any kind of rice, use a mix of green onions and yellow onions and season to taste with soy sauce.  DON’T SKIP THE EGG.

Eat A Little Better Fried Rice

Leftover roast chicken? Sam’s tasty recipe for Chicken Salad was the perfect answer. Red onion, crispy green beans, fresh thyme, and mayo to bind. A breeze to put together.  For a touch of sweetness, grapes or diced apples would be a nice addition.

Eat A Little Better Chicken Salad

How could I not try the dish featured on his cover?  Braised Chicken with Olives and Oranges.  Bold, bright flavors, sweet from the oranges and tangy from the olives, like tennis a love match.  Even better the second day when the flavors mellowed and melded together.

You can see why it took me so long to review!

His Slow Roasted Pork served as the base for a couple of quick and delicious meals. I still had plenty left despite continually pulling shreds of pork off the bone and popping it into my mouth.

Eat A Little Better Slow Roasted Pork
Slow Roasted Pork out of the oven

First meal-CARNITAS. Topped with a cabbage slaw, homemade salsa, cilantro, and onions on warm corn tortillas, darn fine tacos.

Eat A Little Better Carnitas Tacos
Carnitas Tacos

Second meal-Rigatoni with Pork Ragu. Onions, tomatoes, slow roasted pork and a handful of grated Parmesan, so simple and satisfying.

Eat A Little Better Slow Roasted Pork Ragu

So, verdict? Wonderful, simple, straightforward cookbook with some sage advice.  I plan to use this book a lot.  Hope you will too.

Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

Good morning Mr. Phoods:

The dish you are about to take-on requires that you answer the following questions.  Your answers will determine whether you should proceed with this post or not.

Do you like cilantro?

What does cilantro taste like to you?

If you answered NO and it tastes like soap exit NOW by clicking on MII consolation 

If you answered yes and yumminess, I LOVE cilantro…your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to run to the store for cilantro, boneless chicken, peanuts, garlic, and onions and make this dish. As usual, if you or any other MII fans (Made In India) should be caught while making this dish you will be required to….invite me over for dinner. If not, the secretary (again me) will disavow any knowledge of you.

Yes, Meera Sodha’s Cilantro Chutney Chicken from her book Made In India is that good.  It inspired me to create this homage to one of my all-time favorite TV shows.

Start by making the chutney.  The chutney is sweetened with brown sugar, umami filled from the cilantro, and tangy from the lemon juice. The peanuts give it body. The green chili adds a spicy finish.  If you can’t find Indian green chilis, you can use jalapenos or serranos, not quite the same but will work in a pinch.  If you have extra chutney after making the chicken, spread it on some naan or crackers. Make it in a blender or food processor.  thin the chutney with a bit of water if it seems too thick.

This cilantro chicken curry is very user-friendly. Despite being a newbie at cooking Indian cuisine, this dish was not intimidating and very “doable” and took just minutes to make.  First, saute boneless chicken with onions and the garlic-ginger paste, then add the cilantro chutney and simmer until the chicken is tender. That’s it!

Top with the reserved caramelized onions. This dish is delightful.  Every bite is a flavor explosion.    It’s a great one-pot meal perfect for a quick weekday dinner.

On its way to becoming caramelized onions, yum.

Quick and easy…if you should decide to accept this Mission Possible, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.

Garnish with the onions and cilantro.  Serve with warm Naan and fragrant Basmati Rice.

Enjoy!

Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

Prep Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

Ginger Garlic Chili Paste

  • 2- inch piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
  • 3/4 fresh green chili roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)
  • salt

Chicken

  • 1 3/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, chopped into 3/4 x 1-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons cilantro chutney recipe follows

Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 onions finely sliced

Cilantro Chutney

  • 4 ounces cilantro
  • 2 ounces peanuts unsalted and unroasted
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 to 3 small fresh green chilis roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)

Instructions

Chicken Curry

  • Throw the ginger, garlic, and green chili into a mortar and pestle, along with a pinch of salt, and bash up to a coarse paste.
  • Put the oil into a wide-bottomed, lidded frying pan on a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until they are starting to turn golden. Transfer half of the onions to a bowl and put to one side.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and cook for around 3 minutes. Put the chicken pieces into the pan, sear them on all sides and add the chutney. Stir the chutney, pop the lid on, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for around 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • In the meantime, transfer the onions from the bowl into a small frying pan and continue to cook them on a medium heat for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are dark brown, soft, and sweet, then take them off the heat.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) to the chicken little by little, until it tastes just right, then take it off the heat.
  • Scatter the caramelized onions over the top of the curry just before serving. Serve alongside some steaming hot basmati rice or a pile of hot, homemade chapatis.

Chutney recipe instructions:

  • To wash the cilantro, fill a bowl full of cold water and put the cilantro in it. Move the cilantro around in the water, then take it out and shake off the excess water.
  • Roughly chop the stems and leaves and put them in a blender. Add the peanuts, lemon juice, salt, sugar, turmeric, and 2 small chilis, and pulse them in the blender until the mixture has a smooth, almost pesto-like consistency. Add some water to help the mixture to blend if necessary. The result should be a smooth cilantro chutney which is equally sweet, fiery, and lemony. Add the remaining chili, or more lemon juice, salt, and sugar to balance it to your taste, then spoon it into your clean jar.

 

 

 

 

FALL Into One Pot Meals (Instant Pot Korean Beef Stew)

FALL Into One Pot Meals (Instant Pot Korean Beef Stew)

As summer winds down I head to the back of my closet to pull out my sweaters and jeans. I also start yearning for comfort foods like stews and hearty soups. Over the weekend we made the rounds to our favorite food marts. We find short ribs for a delicious hearty Korean stew called Khal Bi Jim and right next to the short ribs…oxtails!

Are you thinking what? Oxtails?  Are they really swish, swish, in the back of the …yep, they are. Haven’t tried them?  The meat is rich and flavorful. It has a bit more texture than short ribs and if you like chomping on bones, you’ll love oxtails. There is another reason to give this recipe a whirl…

INSTANT POT

I google oxtails, pressure cooker and the blog Korean Bapsang pops up with a recipe for Koriijim or braised oxtails. Bingo. Normally oxtails need quite a bit of time braising to get to the tender fall-off-the-bone stage (which is generally around 3 hours). This means starting pretty darn early in the day to have dinner on the table at a decent time. This time?  Brown the oxtails, pour the marinade/sauce over the meat, top it with carrots, potatoes, and onions.  Then, twist the lid on and set the cooking time to 45 MINUTES. Yep, not a typo-45 MINUTES. Whoa, less than half the time to cook this dish. WOOHOO.

The recipe calls for onions, mushrooms, and carrots. I like lots of vegetables so I added potatoes and extra carrots.  I might even add squash or another root vegetable like parsnips next time. If you don’t have dried shiitakes you can use fresh mushrooms. The recipe calls for a Korean plum sauce, maesil cheong, a sweet-sour sauce often used as a sweetener.  Not having any I used Chinese plum sauce, which may be totally off base but it’s what I have and it is sweet and a bit tart. You can skip it altogether and use sugar and honey, 1 tablespoon of each.

Classic Asian flavors-soy sauce, sesame, garlic, ginger, and onions in a hearty, down-home stew. Delicious. As the weather starts to cool try this dish. If you are really not thrilled with oxtails try this with bone-in short ribs cut into 2-3 inch pieces (ask your butcher) just as tasty.  I love autumn.

FALL Into One Pot Meals (Korean Beef Stew)

Ingredients

Adapted from Korean Bapsang

  • 3 to 4 pounds oxtail
  • 1 medium onion cut into large chunks
  • 2-3 carrots cut into large chunks
  • 1 white potato cut into large chunks Yukon Golds for a less starchy, russets for starchy
  • 3 to 4 dried shiitake mushrooms briefly soaked and quartered (use fresh mushrooms if not available)

Braising liquid

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup rice wine or mirin a sweet Japanese cooking wine
  • 1/2 medium Asian pear or 1 bosc pear or apple, grated
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 inch ginger grated (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 3 tablespoons honey or sugar
  • 3 tablespoons maesil cheong or 1 more tablespoon honey or sugar
  • pepper to taste

Garnishes

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 scallions roughly chopped (and some finely sliced for optional garnish)
  • sesame seeds-toasted

Instructions

  • Trim off excess fat. Rinse the oxtail pieces and let them sit in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to draw out excess blood. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Press the “Saute” button on the Instant Pot. When the pot is hot, add 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil. Sear the oxtail pieces in two batches, browning all sides. Or sear in separate pan and place in Instant Pot
  • Combine ingredients for braising liquid and pour the braising liquid over oxtails. Add the vegetables.
  • Close the lid tightly. Press the “Meat” function, and using the “+” button, increase the time to 45-48 minutes. 48 minutes for softer meat. When finished, the Instant Pot will automatically turn to the “Keep Warm” mode. Leave the pressure cooker alone for about 10 minutes before opening the lid.
  • Stir in the scallion and the sesame oil. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pressure cooker. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl to skim off the fat. Pour sauce over the ribs.
  • Garnish with the optional scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with hot rice.