hello old friend: korean bbq sandwich

My poor food blog, how you've been neglected.
That's okay, sometimes life gets in the way and hobbies go to the wayside. However, one thing that I really can't stop doing is cooking. That, or make sandwiches.

Speaking of sandwiches, my favorite hot sandwich would have to be my Korean BBQ. A lot of trial and error went into them but now I have it exactly the way I want it. It's got lots of different textures, sweet, salty, and definitely tasty!

My favorite thing about it is getting to use my Mom's kimchee recipe. It's not traditional in any sense, but it's a mild kimchee without any fishiness...perfect for picky eaters who don't like that pungent taste. ^_^

---- o o o o ---- Bulgogi Beef Sandwich with Crispy Leeks and Mom's Kimchi
(adapted from Tasty)

For the Bulgogi:
3 tbsp bottled garlic
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp Healthy Boy Brand sweet black soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear or sweet apple

1 tbsp Japanese mirin
1 tbsp sesame oil
5 to 6 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 to 3 lbs extra thin carne picada or stir-fry beef

Mix marinade together until sugar and honey are dissolved/distributed. Add beef and marinate overnight or up to 2 days. Cook over medium high/high heat on an iron skillet. Serve immediately.

Mom's Kimchee:
4 cups Napa cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup matchstick carrots 

1/4 cup sliced green onions, green parts only
1 to 1.5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 bottle Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup matchstick carrots

Blanche cabbage and carrots in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain well then toss with salt. Let stand in a strainer for 1.5 to 2 hours until excess liquid has drained. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss, seasoning with additional salt as needed. Refrigerate, keeping up to 2 weeks.

Seasoned Japanese-Style Mayo:
1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise
1 to 2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Whisk together and adjust proportions as needed, to taste.

Crispy Fried Leeks:
1 leek, thinly sliced to 2-inch slivers
vegetable oil

Heat enough oil to fry leeks. Fry until leeks are golden brown around the edges. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.

Bulgogi Sandwiches:
bulgogi beef
kimchee
crispy leeks
shredded romaine lettuce
seasoned Japanese-style mayo
toasted French rolls

To assemble sandwiches, spread some Mayo on the rolls. Add a good portion of bulgogi on one side of the bun, shredded lettuce on the other. Drizzle with mayo, top with crispy leeks, then drizzle with mayo again to taste, then serve.

for cozy winter days...

So, after a little bit of hiatus, I'm back!

Since it's been a while, I figured that I'd post with something warm and cozy for the winter months . . . a hearty turkey meatball soup! I found this recipe off Pinterest while I was looking for something to do with kale. Kale is one of those random ingredients that I occasionally buy but never really know what to do with. That's when looking for recipes come in handy. ^_^;

For the soup, I decided to add my own twist to it by including some dried pasta. Again, I wanted a really hearty soup and this was going to be used for more of a lunch/dinner type of entree. I also changed the taste profile...the cumin and the star anise seemed really weird to me so I omitted them in my soup.

All in all, the ending result was nice...savory and lemony, hearty and filling like I wanted it. Add a couple slices of toasted and buttered sourdough and his was the perfect good eats for a cold day. This does make a big pot of soup, so be prepared to have leftover for a couple of days! Enjoy!

---- o o o o ----

Lemony-Garlic Turkey Meatball Soup with Pasta and Kale
(adapted from The Holisitc Ingredient)

For the Meatballs:
1 lbs. ground turkey
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks, white part only
handful fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried mint leaves, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil
additional oil for cooking

For the Soup:
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
5 peels of lemon
1 tbsp minced bottled garlic
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
12 cups (3 quarts) low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp fish sauce
1 (6.5oz) pkg dry cheese tortellini pasta
10-12 kale leaves, stems removes and torn into smaller pieces
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil for cooking

 
Make the Meatballs:
Combine all ingredients for meatballs and mix well until well incorporated.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Roll mixture into small meatballs, size smaller than a ping-pong ball. Fry meatballs for 7-8 minutes, turning them throughout so they are golden-brown on all sides. Set aside on some paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Make the Soup:
Over medium-high heat, add some oil to a large soup pot. Once hot, add the onion, celery, carrot, and lemon peels. Saute for a few minutes, then add garlic, thyme, chicken broth, and fish sauce. Season with salt and pepper then bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the dried tortellini. Continue cooking until tortellini is al-dente. Reduce heat to medium, add the meatballs, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Prepare the kale and add to the soup, stirring through, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat then add the lemon juice. Stir and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Let sit for 5 minutes off heat before serving.

Makes about 8 to 10 servings.

it's complicated...

I'm a glutton for punishment, I think, when it comes to cooking. Instead of following the recipe, I tend to make things more complicated than they sometimes need to be. Take my stuffed chicken. I had a crazy idea that I'd make it fancier and wow the hubby.

See? Glutton for punishment.

What really sparked the idea was this video of someone deboning a chicken in less than ten minutes. Well, Hell! I can do that! As you might've expected...it took slightly longer than what I thought it would take...

Nevertheless, I plowed on despite almost butchering the hen and was pleased with the outcome. As for the recipe, I altered it just a little, working with things I had on had and/or needed to get rid of... That meant a handful of feta and some onion. I also seasoned the hen with more spices to give it a little more interest.

To save some time, I actually made the stuffing, rolled it, then stored it in the fridge until I was ready to cook it. By dinner time, bringing it to room temperature, searing it, then popping it in the oven was all I had to do besides making the sides to go along with it. Made for an easy dinner, lol.

Presentation-wise, this thing is a beaut! Not only does it slice nicely, but drizzling the pan juices just before serving really makes it wonderfully flavorful. I decided to serve this with some garlicky Brussels sprouts and some buttery mashed potatoes for some classic Americana. Dinner is served!

---- o o o o ---- 

Cornish Hen with Mushroom-Leek Stuffing
(adapted from Whole Foods)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 (4oz) can mushrooms, sliced (we use Giorgio chunky portabella)
1/2 cup plain or Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 large sprigs fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp dried savory
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp paprika, plus 1/2 tsp divided
1 (24oz) Cornish game hen, deboned
1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
1/2 tsp onion powder, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leeks, and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheeses, herbs, and 1/2 tsp paprika. Add the leek mixture and 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then mix to combine. Set aside.

Arrange hen skin-side down on a clean surface so that it lies open and flat. Drizzle a little oil, enough to lightly coat the hen. Season all over with remaining 1/2 tsp paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, then salt and pepper to taste.

Take stuffing and tightly pack towards the middle of the hen. Fold hen over the stuffing and snugly secure with either wooden skewers or kitchen twine, tucking the stuffing and the ends of the roll.

Add oil to a pan large enough to hold the stuffed hen. Sear the hen on high, turning slowly to evenly color to a golden brown. Transfer to a foil-lined sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 155°F-160°F.

Transfer hen to a carving board, tent with foil and set aside for 10 minutes (hen will continue to cook as it rests). After the hen as rested, confirm internal temperature is safely at 165°F. Remove and discard skewers or twine, slice, and serve.

not one...but two.

When I was in my late teens, I thought that I would get older and live by myself in an awesome apartment in a cute little trendy, hipster neighborhood. That was also about the time that I started getting interested in cooking. With that expectation in mind, I wanted to be ready and make sure that I could survive out there by my self. I tried to save money, started doing things for my own, and bought a cookbook to ready for my journey.

Well, that expectation didn't turn out the way I thought it would. Instead, I stayed home with my parents up until I met my husband. I did things for myself, but I was still depending on my mom to do my laundry. Also, I rarely made food...limited to only cakes, cookies, and the occasional experimental curry (I made a bomb-ass sandwich, tho!).

When me and the hubby started dating, I found that slowly but surely, I started living with him. I learned to be more independent but I never really got to live by myself. I mean, I still got to live in an awesome apartment in a cute little trendy, hipster neighborhood, but it was with someone else. I felt like I skipped a grade in life, somehow, and advanced to the next stage in life: living with my significant other and getting married.

Do I regret not having the chance to live by myself? Sometimes. But I think the trade off is much more better than the one missed opportunity. And instead of cooking for one, I get to cook for two...for me and for the love of my life. :) He's a much better guinea pig and his feedback helps so much when I'm cooking something...especially if it's for the first time. Like this recipe. Verdict? Well, it might not look pretty, but it's a keeper!

---- o o o o ---- 

Pork with Apple and Sweet Potato Mash
(from Family Circle Step-By-Step: Cooking for One)

1/2 green apple, unpeeled
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 leek, thinkly sliced lengthways
1/2 tsp soft brown sugar
2 tsp oil
1 (0.5lbs/200g) pork fillet, trimmed
1 cup (100g) orange sweet potato, cubed
1 tsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/3 cup (100ml) cream
2 tsp snipped fresh chives
1-2 tsp milk

Core the apple and cut into 6-8 slices. Melt half the butter in a frying pan and add the leek and sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the apple and cook for 5 minutes, or until the leek and apple are golden brown. Set aside and keep warm. I used half a fuji apple here and sliced it thin, making them about coin-sized pieces instead of large rings.

Heat the oil in the same pan and cook the pork over medium heat for 3-4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan, cover with foil for 5 minutes and then cut on the diagonal into thick slices. For the pork, I used a center-cut pork chop and seasoned it with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Place the orange sweet potato in a saucepan of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until tender. I only had white so I used that. Added a bit of salt to the water as well.

Combine the flour and mustard in a small bowl, then add the cream. Add to the frying pan and cook, stirring, until bubbling and slightly thickened. Add the pork and chives and stir until warmed through. Season. When I was making the roux, I also added honey, sage, and paprika before adding the cream.

Drain the sweet potato when just tender. Add the remaining butter and enough milk too moisten, season and mash with a fork or masher. To serve, arrange the pork over the leek and apple and spoon on the sauce. Serve with the sweet potato mash and steamed vegetables of your choice. For the mash, I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and a little bit of onion powder.

big bang and dinner.

just a quick post. had my sister over last night and made some delicious food. For the main we made some broiled chicken and for the sides we did asparagus with leeks and bacon with caramelized onion and goat cheese mashed potatoes. Couple that with a four hour marathon of big bang theory and you got yourself a good night! XD life is good. :)

 
Easy Garlic Broiled Chicken
(from All Recipes)

1/2 cup butter
3 tbsp sminced garlic
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
6 boneless chicken thighs, with skin
dried parsley, to taste

1. Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly grease a baking pan.

2. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, garlic, soy sauce, pepper, and parsley. Cook 2 minutes on High in the microwave, or until butter is melted.

3. Arrange chicken on the baking pan, and coat with the butter mixture, reserving some of the mixture for basting.

4. Broil chicken 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until juices run clear, turning occasionally and basting with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

 

Absurdly Addictive Asparagus
(from Food52)

4 ounces pancetta, cut into 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces on the bias
1 1/4 cup leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1-2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a large non-stick pan, sauté pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leek and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.

 

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
(from Food52)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 pounds yellow onions (approximately 2 large onions), thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1.5 cups half and half
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
3 ounces goat cheese
Black pepper

1. To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir them to coat with the fat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. If the onions get too dry, add a small amount of water to deglaze the pan. Set aside.

2. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the half and half, garlic, bay leaf, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

4. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot, dry pot. Stir them over low heat for 2 minutes until they are dry. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Gently stir in the hot cream mixture a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth and creamy (discard the garlic and bay leaf). You may not need to use all of the liquid. Set aside a small amount of the caramelized onions for garnish and stir the remaining onions into the mashed potatoes. Crumble the goat cheese into the potatoes and stir to combine well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. (deviated from here. i just took out the bay leaf and mashed everything together, stired in 3/4 of the caramelized onions and all of the goat cheese, seasoned it, and garnished it with the rest of the onions while in the pot.)

5. Spoon the mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining caramelized onions. Serve hot.

skin-on, potato leek fennel soup.

it's been so cold here as of late. we've have a couple days of rain and i've been hiding under the blankets. brrr....soup was definitely in order. up next: hearty soup for a cold winter's day. :D


i've never cooked with leeks or fennel before so i thought, "great! experiment time!" chopped those up along with some onion and got some red potatoes. and because i didn't want to peel them, just took most of the big eyes and cubed them. huzzah for laziness!

and then buttery goodness with a dallop of garlic. yummm....

first in the pot were the potatoes. sauteed them a bit in the butter till they were half done then added the leeks, fennel and onions. threw in some salt and pepper and all-purpose seasoning for some extra kick. :D then after that sauteed some, chopped parsley and a bit of the fennel fronds was put in the mix.

then horrors upon horrors, i added a can of creamed potato soup. nooooo!! i don't know...there's just something about adding a can of soup that makes my inner chef cringe. but, with that said, i added the can anyway and told my inner chef to shut up, added a cup of water, then stirred that around a bit. then i took some low fat half-and-half (cuz i's tryin' to be healthy, yo!) and added enough to have a semi-thick soup consistency. then i let it have a rapid boil to a small simmer.

as the soup was happily simmering away, i prepped the bread and then added the green onions to the concoction during the last five minutes of cooking.

mmmmm....delicious hot soupy goodness. very hearty with the potatoes and an experiment that ended well. and the bread i bought went surprisingly good with the soup. i will definitely make this soup again. tasty!