RECIPE: Soondooboo Jiggae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew)

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
this is not for the light of heart

Ingredients
Soft Tofu
oil
garlic
red pepper flakes
shrimp stock
shrimp chopped
baby shrimp
onion chopped
mushroom chopped
zucchini chopped

Directions
1. Heat the soup bowls on the stove top

heating up the bowls

soft tofu from the asian market

prep the veggies

2. Once hot, pour in oil and add garlic and red pepper flakes.

add garlic, oil and red pepper flakes

3. Add shrimp stock, onions and mushroom.

add shrimp stock and veggies

4. Add the soft tofu and green onions.

letting stuff boil

5. Boil until the tofu has absorbed some of the color of the soup (cooked through).

some like it non-spicy

my parents and my brother don’t like theirs spicy, so they barely have any red pepper flakes.

this is not for the light of heart

I like mine spicy so it has a ton of red pepper flakes. But don’t add the red pepper flakes once the broth is in because it will just float (you need to add it before with the oil).

Sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개)

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RECIPE: Julia Child’s Stuffed Eggplant

March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
broiled eggplant

Julia Child’s Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients:
3 eggplants
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely minced onion
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound finely minced fresh mushrooms (I used white button mushrooms)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 1/2 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons parsley, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons grated Swiss cheese
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter

  1. Stem the eggplants and halve them lengthwise.
  2. Cut striations 1″ apart in the flesh, going down to about 1/4″ above the skin.  Try very hard not to go through the skin.

    cutting up eggplant

  3. Preheat your broiler.
  4. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and lay the eggplants flesh-side down on the towel for half an hour.  This will help remove any bitterness in the eggplant.
  5. Gently squeeze the eggplant to remove any excess liquid.  Pat dry.
  6. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer in the roasting dish.  Put about 1/8″ of water in the bottom of the dish and drizzle the eggplants with olive oil.
  7. Broil 10 – 15 minutes, until the flesh is moderately browned and tender.

    broiled eggplant

  8. Remove all but 1/4″ of the eggplant meat with a spoon and chop.  Place it in the mixing bowl.
  9. Heat the first 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet.
  10. Slowly cook the onions in the oil until tender but not browned.
  11. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to the mixing bowl with the eggplant.
  12. Heat the 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet and add the mushrooms.  Saute until lightly browned and tender, 5 – 6 minutes.  Season to taste and add to the mixing bowl.
  13. Mash the cream cheese in the second bowl with the parsley.
  14. Add the basil, taste for seasoning and add to the bowl with the vegetables.
  15. All of these steps can be performed in advance.
  16. About 40 minutes before you are ready to serve the eggplants, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  17. Fill the eggplant shells with the mixture from the mixing bowl.

    filling the eggplants

  18. Combine the bread crumbs and Jarlsberg and top the eggplants with the mixture.
  19. Roast 25 – 30 minutes to thoroughly heat and to brown the topping.
  20. Cut each half into two pieces and serve.

    delicious!

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RECIPE: Salmon Cakes

August 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound fresh salmon
  • Good olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
  • 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)
  • 1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
  • 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
  • 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked. Remove from the oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

salmon pieces

vegetables

Cool to room temperature.

Break the bread slices in pieces and process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. You should have about 1 cup of bread crumbs. Place the bread crumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally.

Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into 10 (2 1/2 to 3-ounce) cakes.

mix everything

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. In batches, add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven and serve hot.

salmon cakes

 Some other seafood recipes:
Bruschetta with shrimp
Honey ginger grilled salmon
Lobster
Salmon in Chipotle sauce
Spicy Korean fried shrimp

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RECIPE: Potato Au Gratin

June 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

1 yellow onion thinly sliced
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds russet potatoes ( 4 large potatoes)
2 cups heavy cream
2.5 cups of grated gouda cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

butter the inside of a 10x15x2 inch baking dish

saute the onions in olive oil and butter on medium low heat until tender (about 15 minutes)

peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand. mix the sliced potatoes with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of gouda cheese, salt and pepper. add the onions and mix well.

pour the potatoes into the baking dish. press down to smooth the potatoes. combine the remaining gouda cheese sprinkle on top. Bake for 1.5 hrs until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.

so i’m not sure what I did, but the cream and cheese didn’t really form the creamy mesh I was hoping it would. it kinda baked crumble-y and didn’t act like glue at all! still yummy!

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