Sam's after school snack

Sam is now making sushi for an after school snack.    It's his new burrito!

bo ssam

Korean antipasti

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Bo Ssam

From Momofuku:  Mix 1 cup sugar and 1 cup kosher salt and rub on 10 pound bone in pork butt.  Marinate in the fridge for at least six hours or overnight.  Put in 300 degree oven and cook for 6 hours, basting every hour or so.  Then remove from oven.  Rub seven tbsp light brown sugar and 1 tbsp salt on pork and turn up oven to  500 degrees.  Cook for 10-15 minutes.  Serve with raw oysters on the half shell (we didn't do this), ssam sauce (Combine 1 tbsp ssamjang(fermented bean and chile paste, 1/2 tbsp kochujang (chile paste), 1/2 cup sherry vinegar and 1/2 cup neutral oil)), kimchi, 1 cup pureed kimchi, ginger scallion sauce (Mix together 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions, 1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger, 1/4 neutral oil, 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce, 3/4 tsp sherry vinegar, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt) and rice.  Serve with bibb lettuce to roll it in.

Ramen, chicken patties

Ramen with a ginger scallion dressing from Momofuku

Korean Beer

Chicken with sesame and ginger: (from Madhur Jaffrey):  Grind one pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  Mix with minced garlic, 1 inch grated ginger, 1 chopped scallion, 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne.  Make patties, cook in 2 tbsp veg oil.  Serve with korean dipping sauce.  I think I might make these again, stuff them in casing and grill them this summer, serve on a bread with kimchi relish.

Daikon and broccoli saute.

All Sanford tonight!

Beautiful potato scallion pancakes.  Makes mine look pretty sad!

Always this is served with rice and kimchi.  Jack is committed to taking a bite of the kimchi every night, each night it's getting bigger.  When asked if he likes it alone or mixed in with everything else, he said "results may vary."

Cabbage, red pepper, scallions, bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms tossed with a vinagrette of sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chili flakes and sesame seeds.

Dwaeji Bulgogi:  Spicy marinated pork.  Combine 3 tbsp korean red pepper powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp mirin and black pepper.  Toss with sliced pork shoulder.  Stir fry.  (from Discovering Korean Cuisine) So far the best meat has been the ribeye.  Who would have thought? 

Radish and bean sprout soup

Stir fried pork loin with red bell peppers.  Sanford thought it was crappy, the rest of us liked it.  Not as much punch in flavor as last night's beef and it was much drier, but I think we might try it again.

Tonight's pancake was made with garlic chives.  Too doughy.  It doesn't call for salt, and I haven't added it to compensate for the salt in the soy and other ingredients.  Will try new recipe soon.

Radish and bean sprout soup.  This was surprisingly good.  The boys said they would like to have it next time they were home sick.  Warm and comforting.  From Madhur Jaffrey:  Bring 5 cups beef stock to a boil with an asian radish cut into strips about 2 inches long.  (7 oz radish)  Simmer 15 minutes, until radish is soft.  Add 3 scallions cut into 2 inch long strips and 3/4 pound bean sprouts.  Simmer 5 minutes.

First night in Korea

The ever changing look of our refrigerator!

We started by buying 3 pounds of kimchi, next we will try to make it.

Bulgogi:  Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp mirin, 2 tsp water.  Add 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced rib eye.  Stir fry over high heat. (from Discovering Korean Cuisine)

Green onion pancakes:  Mix 1 cup flour with 3/4 cup cold water.  Add 5 sliced scallions and a pinch of black pepper.  Pan fry in vegetable oil.  (from: Eating Korean)

Also tonight: 

Seasoned fermented soybean paste:  Combine 4 tbsp fermented soybean paste, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 chopped green onion and 2 tbsp sesame oil.  (from Eating Korean)

Pa-Muchim:  Scallion salad (adapted from Discovering Korean Cuisine):  Cut scallions into 3 inch segments, then finely cut again lengthwise.  Add 1/8 cayenne, 1/8 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp granulated sugar, 1/2 sesame oil.  Toss.  Add 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds.

Stir fried zucchini with sesame seeds:  (from Madhur Jaffrey's Far Eastern Cooking):  Cut 4 zucchini in half lengthwise.  Then cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp salt.  Let them sit 30-40 min.  Drain.  Heat 3 tbsp veg oil.  Add 4 minced garlic cloves until they begin to color.  Add zucchini and fry for 4-5 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 chopped scallion, and 1 tbsp sesame oil.  Stir once or twice.  Add 2 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.  Stir.  Serve warm or as a cold salad.

All of this was served with rice.  It went together perfectly!  And best of all, dinner took a little over an hour to get on the table!

Vacation, next up: Korea

I was starting to lose my enthusiasm for one month at a time before spring break.  We traveled across the midwest up into Ohio.  We ate some great meals at Lola, the Greenhouse Tavern and the Flying Fig, but we also ate a lot of midwestern fare.  I am longing for some more flavor, more spice, more garlic.  Jack so far is winning the bracket and is very excited for Korean food, although he is hesitant about the Kimchee.  We just picked up a few more Korean cookbooks at the library.  Now, a trip to Chong's and we are ready to begin!