sloppy veggies.

 

My husband likes simple foods so sometimes our meals consist of homey casseroles and quick dishes. I like fancier plates so even the humble sloppy joe gets a little something something added to the meat! I mean, who doesn't like a fancy sandwich?

As I've never really grown up eating this particular dish, I went and googled a few recipes until I found one that I really liked. I loved the idea of adding loads of vegetables in the meat. Thankfully this was husband approved and is part of our regular rotation.

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

Very Veggie Sloppy Joes
(adapted from Simply Delicious)

2.5lbs ground beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large leeks, washed and finely chopped*

3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped*

2 celery spears, finely chopped

1 can mushrooms, drained, chopped

1 tbsp minced bottled garlic

1 tsp minced black garlic (optional)

1 1/2 tbsp Chili powder

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

3/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp yellow mustard

2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 8oz can Tomato sauce

1 tsp beef bullion

salt & pepper to taste

*For even more veggies:

Substitute 1 leek and 1 carrot for: 1 zucchini, 1/2 bell peppers, 1/4 cup of Italian parsley.

soft kaiser rolls or onion hamburger buns, toasted

grated cheese

finely chopped lettuce (optional)

Fry the onion, leeks, carrots and celery until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. 

Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for another 5 minutes before adding the spices and ground beef.  Cook until beef has browned then add tomatoes and tomato paste. 

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes then add beef stock and sugar.

Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes covered.

If the sauce looks very watery, remove the lid from the pot and turn up the heat. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes uncovered until the sauce has reduced slightly. Season to taste.

Serve the mince on the toasted bread with some grated cheese.

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.

blackened, not burned.

Holy. Crap. I think that this may be the BEST fish sandwich that I've ever made. Talk about crazy delicious, this was a spicy, tangy, savory explosion of flavor in my mouth and I am so sad that it's all gone. You should really make this . . . like, RIGHT. NOW.

I came across this fish sandwich when I was looking to try out the blackened seasoning I made. I recently went to Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant down in Jacksonville and had their famously fantastic blackened shrimp nachos. Wow, were those nachos super tasty! I was going to do a food hack of the nachos, but unfortunately I didn't have the right ingredients to remake it.

What I did have was some ciabatta bread and a few frozen flounder fillets. Sounds like blackened fish sandwiches to me. :)

When I was looking for the perfect sandwich recipe, I wanted mainly one thing: no mayo in the slaw. This recipe was perfect. I liked that it was colorful and the red cabbage slaw was vinaigrette based. Also, I was able to utilize two of the seasonings I had in my cupboard; the blackened seasoning I just made and adobo seasoning.

Speaking of adobo seasoning, I had made mine (a mixture of these two recipes) before trying the McCormick's version. I did NOT like McCormick's version at all. I think it was the taste . . . it seemed off and not at all what I was expecting it to be. Whenever I have Mexican adobo sauce, it's usually more red than yellow and the homemade mix came closer to what I was used to. I had to throw the bottle of McCormick's adobo seasoning away. :/

On a happier note, the seasoning mixes worked well in this particular recipe. I've switched out the seasoning that the fish originally had with equal parts blackened seasoning. For the chipotle mayo, I subbed out the canned chipotles with dried ground ones and the adobo sauce for the seasoning. I don't usually have canned chipotles in adobo sauce in the pantry and I've found that this makes an acceptable substitute. Everything else pretty much stayed the same.

I'm telling you . . . these are the best fish sandwich EVAR.

---- o o o o ---- 

Blackened Fish Sandwich with Red Cabbage Slaw and Chipotle Mayo
(barely adapted from Daydream Kitchen)

For the Slaw:
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1½ tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely shredded red (or purple) cabbage
¼ cup thinly sliced, 1-inch strips of green bell pepper (“matchstick” sized)
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

For the Chipotle Mayo:
2½ tbsp light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp dried chipotle pepper flakes
1/2 tsp adobo seasoning

For the Sandwich:
2¼ tsp blackened seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
2 5-oz skinless fish fillets, about ⅓-inch thick (cod, salmon, flounder, etc . . .)
2 crusty sandwich rolls, halved and lightly toasted

 
Make the slaw:
Combine the garlic, shallots, and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Combine the cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro, and scallion in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Make the mayo:
Combine the mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. (Alternately, you can substitute sour cream or greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.)

Make the sandwich:
Rub the blackening seasoning all over the fish, coating both sides well and pressing to adhere. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, season the fillets with salt and add to the pan.

Sear until beginning to blacken on the bottom, about 3 minutes. (Reduce the heat to medium if the spices begin to burn.) Turn and sear the second side until blackened and the fish is just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer, depending on thickness.

To serve, spread the chipotle-mayo sauce on all 4 cut sides of the rolls and lay a filet on each bottom half. Mound the red cabbage slaw on top of the fish and cover with the top halves. Serve right away.

---- o o o o ---- 

Blackened Seasoning
(from Mom-Makes . . .)

2 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
2 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper

 
Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, and oregano in a food processor or spice grinder and pulse until finely ground and evenly mixed. Alternately, sift ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Keeps up to 6 months.

---- o o o o ---- 

Adobo Seasoning
(adapted from Food. and Lemon Chiffon Cake)

1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tbsp achiote powder
1 1/4 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

 
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or spice grinder and pulse until finely ground and evenly mixed. Alternately, sift ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Keeps up to 6 months.

taste it and make it: bulgogi sandwich!

When the hubby and I were still in Guam, there were a few eateries we found that got into our usual meal rotation. Our top three were definitely Katre's Bistro, Pika's Cafe, and surprisingly, Dr. Kabob (a Greek fast food joint). Pika's Cafe, though, would probably be the best "farm-to-table" restaurant the island has. Their moto and menu revolved around the phrase, "Buy local, eat local, support local!".

With that, Pika's Cafe also had a revolving seasonal special and a bunch of unique items on their standard menu. The hubby's favorite was definitely their Korean BBQ Sandwich. In the past month, I've heard the hubby lament several times on the loss of acess to that particular sandwich. Every time we passed the Asian isle on the grocery store, he would comment with "I miss Pika's" . . . which meant the sandwich, of course, lol.

I figured I'd give him a surprise!

Enter, my version of the Korean BBQ Sandwich! Since he was missing the sandwich so much, I thought that I would try and replicate the sandwich as close as I could. I knew that it had bulgogi marinated beef, with kimchi-style pickled vegetables, and cucumbers. It also had a chili mayonnaise.

Knowing was half the battle . . . It's the execution that was the problem. In mine, I decided to sub the beef with chicken. It was lighter than beef (I wanted to get away from heavy foods for the time being) and I thought it would be easier to marinate. Also, I didn't have any beef in the fridge anyway which was another big factor, lol.

For the marinade, I decided to go with this recipe but adapted it slightly to include minced apples and sliced onions. From what I read on the web, one of the traditional ingredients to add was either Korean pears or kiwi. Well, since I had neither, I subbed with Golden Delicious apples instead (since that was what I had in the pantry). After making the chicken, I ended up with quite a bit of marinade left. I decided to cook it down and made it into a sauce for the chicken afterwards.

The kimchi recipe was something that I was pleasantly surprised to find. I thought that I would have to put my ingenuity to the test, but apparently someone had already used theirs. I love that this uses regular cabbage and ingredients I already had on hand ("emergency kimchi" indeed!). In traditional kimchi, a coarse ground red pepper called gochugaru is commonly used. However, I've also seen a few recipes call for a fermented chili paste called gochujang to be used instead of the gochugaru. Well, I decided to go with the flavor notes of the gochujang since this would be quickly pickled to be used the next day. That way, I would have the taste of a long fermented kimchi without actually waiting. :)

During the taste testing, I found that this kimchi had a lot of heat to it. So, I nixed the chili mayo that I was originally going to make. Instead, I decided to use some of the leftover chimichurri, mixed with some ketchup and mayo, to make an aioli out of that (secret sauce, baby!). It has a lot of acidity so I thought it would help imitate the "pickled" part of the sandwich. With the ciabatta, kimchi, chicken bulgogi, aioli, and cucumbers all ready to go, my sandwich was ready to be assembled!

This turned out better than I hoped! It had the same savory, sweet, and spicy flavors the Pika's sandwich had. The only drawback was that the sandwich was messy to eat. The chicken made the whole thing a little bulky and the "take-and-bake" ciabatta bread I bought was a tad bit too chewy. The sauce made from the marinade also made this messy, but I think it wouldn't be the same without it. And the kimchi? Everywhere.

Next time, to reduce the messy factor, I'll get a softer ciabatta and cut the bread so it'll envelope the fillings more. Also, I'll toss the chicken in the sauce first and shake off any excess. That way, I'll still get some of the sauce on the chicken. But man, this was one of my favorite experiments!! Oh, by the way, the hubby LOVED the sandwich. Although it wasn't Pika's Cafe's Korean BBQ Sandwich, he thought it was a damn good substitute. :D Now, back to the drawing board . . .

---- o o o o ---- 

Korean Chicken Bulgogi
(slightly adapted from Meg's Everyday Indulgence)

2 to 3 pcs boneless chicken thighs

For the Marinade:
1/2 a Korean pear, apple, or kiwi, minced
1/2 a small onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine, mirin, or cream sherry
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper

 
Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes up to overnight in the fridge.

To cook, preheat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, reserving the marinade. Cook until chicken is cooked through and slightly caramelized, taking care not to burn. If needed, add the reserved marinade by tablespoon when the pan gets dry. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with a side of kimchee.

---- o o o o ---- 

Quick Emergency Kimchi
(slightly adapted from Maangchi)

2 lbs green cabbage, cut into thin 2-inch strips
1/2 a small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup hot pepper flakes
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/3 cup (3 to 4 stalks) chopped green onion
1/4 cup julienned carrots
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ginger

 
Place cabbage in a large bowl and add cold water and kosher salt. Mix well with hands to properly salt cabbage. Set aside for 10 minutes. Make a paste with the remaining ingredients.

After the cabbage has soaked, wash and rinse the salted cabbage in cold water a couple of times then drain well. Return the cabbage to the bowl and mix the paste into the cabbage thoroughly.

Put the finished kimchi into a container, jar, or plastic bag. Press the top of the kimchi down with your hands to protect from exposure to too much air.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving or eat right away like a salad. Alternately, keep at room temperature a few days to ferment if desired.

something fishy goin' on...

I've referenced Boudin Bakery a lot. It's no wonder that since working there, I've been much more proficient in making sandwiches. Hell, my family turned into sandwich freaks for a while when I was still employed at Boudin!

Now, sandwiches are comfort food for me and the hubby. It's fast, it's healthy, and it's always good. In fact, when my hubby was sick back when we were dating, I would make him a lot of tuna salad based on Boudin's recipe. It's been evolving since then and I've finally got it down to the way I like it.

It starts off with the basics of tuna salad: tuna, mayo, onion, and celery. Then I upped the parsley, added a little bit of this and that to round out the taste, then add a bunch of my favorite sandwich salad seasoning: dill weed! Call me a Trekkie, but I got the idea when I watched the movie, Star Trek: Generations (the part when James T. Kirk was making scrambled eggs for his wife).

Turns out, adding dill was an excellent idea! It adds a little somethin'-somethin' to the tuna to make it extra special. Add some shredded romaine lettuce and a couple slices of juicy tomatoes and we're in business! If sandwiches aren't your thing, you can always dallop a scoop on salad or add some pasta for an awesome picnic pasta salad. Want something hot? I've found that these make excellent tuna melts. The possibilities with tuna salad are endless!

---- o o o o ---- 

Herbed Tuna Salad
(Makes about 2 cups)

3 cans chunk light tuna, drained well
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dried dill
1 tsp Tapatio hot sauce
1 tsp sweet relish
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3/4 to 1 cup light mayonnaise

 
Combine all ingredients except mayo and mix well. Using 1/4 cup at a time, add mayonnaise until preferred consistency. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

taste it and make it: chicken salad!

Back in 2003, I used to work for Boudin Bakery at the downtown mall back in San Diego. I spent a whopping four years there making salads, sandwiches, and realizing that sourdough wasn't so icky after all. It was also there that I found my love of making all things sandwiches.

Of all the sandwiches that I used to make at my time there, there were two kinds that I really, really loved: their tuna sandwich and their chicken walnut. When I left, and years passed, I've developed my own tuna recipe that was based off Boudin's. Their chicken salad, however, was something that I miss and would never change.

Well...unfortunately, when I went to Boudin the last time and ordered their fabulous chicken salad sandwich, I found that they had changed the recipe. Gone were the walnuts and the cranberries that used to dot the salad. And where was the walnut bread that they used to serve the sandwich on?? This was NOT the sandwich that I loved!

So I've been thinking about the recipe for a while now...and trying to remember exactly what went into the salad. Pre-cooked grilled chicken definitely went in it, as well as Dijon mustard. Granny smith apples, cranberries, and toasted walnuts were also in the mix. Today, I decided to finally sit down and try to re-create the recipe from all those years ago. The result? Exactly like I remembered and a kick-ass copy cat, if I do say so myself.

Ladies and gentlemen, here's Boudin's old-school chicken walnut salad...

---- o o o o ---- 

Chicken Walnut Salad
(adapted from Boudin Bakery)

2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I usually use this or a couple packages of this)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1.5 to 2 cups (about 4 ribs) celery, diced small
1 cup dried cranberries
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup or so mayonnaise
kosher salt
coarse ground pepper

Combine chicken with walnuts. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the mayo. Slowly add mayo until desired consistency is reached, adding additional mayo if needed and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Let chill for 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

If using homemade mayonnaise, this will keep for three days. If using store bought, chicken salad will keep for up to a week.

Serving suggestions: Serve on sourdough or walnut bread with romaine lettuce as a sandwich or on spring lettuce/romaine mix with additional dried cranberries and candied walnuts with a side of walnut bread as a salad.

secret sauce.

This morning was one of those "wake up and make something yummy and good for breakfast" kind mornings. I didn't know what exactly I was trying to do, but after looking in the freezer and spying a batch of biscuits I froze a few months ago, I decided that a breakfast sandwich was in order. So I got a bit of this, a little of that, and made my favorite eggs, and wah-lah! Breakfast was served!

I think what really made the sandwich extra yummy was the aioli I made on a whim. I've recently started making lunch for the hubby to take to work and have been trying to mix up the sandwiches I pack for him. I love making sandwiches so I'm always experimenting with fillings and spreads. Since I didn't want to pack him a plain ham sandwich, I whipped up an aioli to make it a bit more exciting.

I started with apricot preserves for something sweet to compliment the ham. Then I added some onion powder and smoked paprika to add a savory touch. Then, just to make things a little interesting, I added cayenne for a little spicy punch and that was it! The aioli was smokey, spicy, and went perfectly with the ham!

And you know what else goes great with a schmearing of aioli? This awesome breakfast sandwich!

---- o o o o ---- 

Spicy Smokey Apricot Aioli
(makes approximately 1/4 cup)

2 tbsp light mayo
1 1/2 tbsp apricot preserves
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried parsley

Stir together until fully combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.

---- o o o o ---- 

Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich with Deli Ham, Herbed Egg, and Garlicky Kale
(makes 2 sandwiches)

1 large kale leaf, stem removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp chicken stock
1 large egg
1 tbsp half and half or milk
3 stems Italian parsley, minced
dash onion powder
dash garlic powder
dash paprika
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 slices tomato
1 to 2 slice swiss cheese
1 to 2 slices deli black forest ham
2 warm biscuits
Spicy Smokey Apricot Aioli

In a small skillet, saute garlic with a little oil over medium-high heat. Add the kale and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. As kale starts to wilt, add the chicken stock and let steam, stirring, until stock evaporates and the kale has softened. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Return skillet to stove top, reduce heat to medium, and add some oil to the pan. In a small measuring cup, add egg, dairy, Italian parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to combine. Pour the egg mixture in the pan and let cook until mostly set. Flip the egg, cook for a few seconds or until the egg is done, then transfer to the plate beside the kale.

Heat the slice of ham in the same skillet until slightly browned. Transfer to the plate with the other cooked ingredients and begin to assemble the sandwiches.

To make sandwiches, take one of the biscuits and open with a fork or knife. Spread aoili on the inside of both biscuit halves. Pile half of the kale, half of the egg, and half of the ham on the bottom half of the biscuit. Add half the cheese slice, a slice of tomato, and finish with the top half of the biscuit. Repeat with remaining biscuit and serve immediately.