Studio 5: Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) & how to eat it!

Bulgogi is Korean BBQ Beef.  But really, it is SO much more!

First of all, you do not need to grill it or Barbecue it.  You can, if you want to, but I love using my heavy cast iron pan to cook it.  Get it scorching hot and listen to that sizzle!  Then that heavenly smoky, sweet aroma hits and you know you have a winner!

Takes a minute to cook and you're ready to eat.  On its own (it's so tasty, it might not even make it to the plate), or in lots of easy applications, like Salad, Bibimbap (rice bowl), lettuce wraps and tacos!

Bulgogi

I make a large amount, then freeze into Quart Freezer Ziplock bags for future use...alternatively, you can cook it all and store in the fridge for several days, or freeze.

3 lb chuck roast, shaved thinly 1/8"<

(freeze your meat for at least 12 hours to be able to slice it thinly, or ask your butcher and he'll do it!)  Typically, Koreans use Rib eye, sirloin or tenderloin.  I just like using chuck.

1 Asian Pear, finely grated (could use a Bosc pear if you can't find Asian Pear)

1 large onion, cut in half, then sliced very thinly

Thumb sized ginger, finely grated.

half a bulb of garlic, chopped

2 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

4 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

6 Tbsp Brown sugar

Mix marinade ingredients together, then pour over meat and gently mix.  Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.  At this point, you can also divide your raw Bulgogi into smaller portions and freeze some of it.

Heat a cast iron pan VERY hot.  Drizzle a few rounds of Olive oil.   Carefully spread out and lay your Bulgogi meat over the pan.  It cooks very quickly because it's so thin.  Turn when browned on one side.  Do not overcrowd.  As you get to the bottom of the bowl, where there is more marinate, try to shake as much off as possible and put fewer pieces in the pan so it doesn't steam.

It'll take several times in the pan to cook all the Bulgogi.  Keep putting it in a bowl until it's all done.  Eat hot or refrigerate for a meal later on.

Now you've made a LOT of Bulgogi...how to serve it?  So many quick meals can be made with a Bulgogi...the following are just a few ideas, enjoy!

Korean Banh Mi with Bulgogi

Bulgogi (prepared...see recipe above)

French Baguette:  slice lengthwise & then diagonally for 3-4 sandwiches, depending how long your baguette is.

Carrot & Daikon radish (shredded and tossed with a little rice vinegar, Salt, Pepper and sugar)

Green onions, sliced thinly

cucumber (Sliced thinly & tossed with a little rice vinegar, Salt, Pepper and sugar)

Mayonaise

Sriracha (or Sriracha Mayo if it's too hot on it's own)

Cilantro, chopped

Option:  Thinly slice Japapeno if you like it really hot.

Combine carrots, diakon and green onions with pickling ingredients. 

Combine thinly slice cucumbers with pickling ingredients.

Lightly toast insides of baguette.  Schmear insides of bread with mayonaise.

Layer veggies first, then bulgogi.

Top with cilantro and green onions.

Drizzle with Sriracha or sriracha mayo.

Top with bread and enjoy!

Bulgogi Bibimbap (rice bowl)

{Bibimbap is like ramen, except with rice and no broth.  super comfort food!}

Bulgogi (prepared...see recipe above)

Rice (any rice will do, but Koreans use a medium grain rice, similar to sushi rice)

1 egg per bowl

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Vegetables:  This is where you can customize your rice bowl.  Koreans will often use up leftover vegetable sides, so really, anything that makes you happy goes.  But here are a few suggestions...

·         Sauteed spinach

·         Carrots, shredded  or ribbons (cooked or raw)

·         Bean sprouts

·         Baby Corn

·         Red or green onion

·         Mushrooms

·         Zucchini

·         Kim Chee

·         Cucumbers

·         Cabbage

Keeping it simple, just place rice in a bowl and top with ingredients, except for egg, which goes on top, as well as the Toasted sesame seeds.  Drizzle with Gochujang (Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste. )

Bibimbap is typically arranged around the bowl, keeping ingredients separate.   Once served, you can mix it as you like.

However, true Bibimbap is serve in a hot stone bowl, which then  creates a crispy bottom texture on the rice.  To duplicate this texture, you can place your rice in a hot fry pan (with a little oil) and cook it until it gets that same crispy texture...then place in the bowl.

Bulgogi Noodle Salad

{or just with veggies...it's all good because there is Bulgogi on top!}

This makes a big bowl, reduce amounts for a smaller salad.

 

Bulgogi (prepared...see recipe above)

1/2 of a small green cabbage, sliced thinly

1 red, yellow & orange sweet pepper, sliced thinly

1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on  the diagonal (reserve some for top)

several handfuls of snow or snap peas (edible pods), sliced on the diagonal

1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 pkg of noodles, cooked and cooled

·         any Asian kind will do, but I used Thai rice noodles, because I had them on hand

1 pkg of frozen edamame, thawed and lightly salted.

Toasted sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing (add a little at a time and taste).

Place in a bowl and top with Bulgogi (it can be freshly cooked, or cooled).  Top with Green onions and sesame seeds.

Gochujang Salad Dressing (or sauce)

2 Tbsp Gochujang

·         Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste.  Add less/more depending on your heat tolerance.

4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

4 Tbsp Cooking Sake

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

4 Tbsp Brown sugar or Honey (or more is you like it a bit sweeter)

2 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Oil

Mix well and drizzle over.

Option:  Thicken with heat & a slurry of cornstarch for a dipping sauce or drizzle over lettuce wraps

Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps

{light lunch or appetizer}

Bulgogi (prepared...see recipe above)

Carrot (matchsticks)

cucumber (matchsticks)

Rice Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

tsp sugar

1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on  the diagonal (reserve some for top)

Toasted sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing (add a little at a time and taste).

Place in a bowl and top with Bulgogi (it can be freshly cooked, or cooled).  Top with Green onions and sesame seeds.  Drizzle with straight of the bottle Gochujang (Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste.) or thicken the Gochujang Salad sauce.

Studio 5: Cornbread Stuffed Acorn Squash!

Thanksgiving Point (a nonprofit farm, garden, and museum complex here in Utah) hosts the only First Thanksgiving reenactment outside of New England.

I've never been, but after preparing for the Studio 5 segment I want to!

Growing up in Canada, we would celebrate Thanksgiving, but in October.  I didn't know much about the roots of this beloved holiday, so I was excited to learn.  Wow, what an amazing story of courage, perseverance and friendship.  

To leave everything you hold dear, to start a new life in a land you are completely unfamiliar with, to lose half of your original party, to suffer sickness, homesickness, to live on the Mayflower that first winter...all of it must have been incredibly difficult and I'm sure made their first harvest all the more sweet.

Both the English and the Native Americans (Wampanoag tribe) celebrated the harvest.  I love that, for a time, two different cultures could come together, put aside fear and share their resources and knowledge.

I've included a list of what was likely served at this 3 day feast, in case you want to host your own "eat like a pilgrim" dinner next year.  Or you could include just one part of the meal, add it to your traditional Thanksgiving menu and use it as a launching pad to talk about the original feast.

We only know 2 things for sure about that first Thanksgiving dinner.  Venison & wild fowl.  Everything else is a guess, but an educated guess.  We know what was indigenous to that area and what the Wampanoags were cultivating.

Based on that, I created a Corn bread stuffed Acorn squash!  I took a few liberties, but we do know that Acorn squash and Pumpkin were aplenty, in fact, the Pilgrims called Acorn squash "Ground apples".  Apples were something they sorely missed and both Pumpkin and Acorn squash, once pureed reminded them of Apple Butter.

We also know that there were berries & nuts growing in that area.  The Wampanoag would dry berries and cranberries, although they called them Ibimi (which means sour or bitter).  They also cultivated important crops of Corn, beans and Squash.

The Pilgrims brought seed with them, and were able to grow vegetables and herbs.  And they most certainly hunted and used every part of the animal, including making sausage...so there you go.  Everything we need to make a real show stopping Thanksgiving side dish!

Corn bread Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe will fill approx. 2-3 Acorn squash depending on how large they are.  One half would make a great meal on its own, but as a side dish, I would cut squash into halves or quarters.  You can also double the recipe for larger crowds.

Ingredients:

2-3 Acorn squash

one 8x8 pan (Approx 6 cups) of homemade cornbread

(or you can use a mix,  just don't buy the corn bread stuffing in a box.  I tried it, not good.)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisens)

1/4 apple cider vinegar

3/4 lb. Hot Italian sausage (or mild if you prefer)

1 1/4 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup sliced celery

2/3 cup chopped roasted Pecans

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme leaves

1 Tbsp Fresh Sage Leaves, chopped coarsely

1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped finely

2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1 Tsp Freshly ground pepper

1 Egg

1 cup chicken broth (you may not use all of this)

Directions:

At least one day before, cut cornbread into 3/4" squares (these will get smaller by the time they dry and are assembled).  Spread out and let dry thoroughly.  You can speed up this process by toasting them in the oven.

Cut Acorns in half.  You may need a cleaver for this, as they are hard.    Trim off outside (bottom) part with a knife until they sit evenly.  Rub cut part and inside with olive oil.  Generously salt & Pepper.  and cook in a 400 oven for 30 minutes.  They will be partly cooked at this point.  A fork should insert fairly easily at this point.

While squash is cooking, cook stuffing.

Place Craisens in a small bowl and pour the vinegar over them to macerate.  This will plump them up and add a little zing.

Cook Sausage until brown, remove and set aside.

Add onions & celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until soft.

Depending on how much fan rendered from the sausage add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the butter.

Add Pecans & Herbs and seasoning.  Cook another 5 minutes.

Drain off vinegar from Craisens and add to mixture.

Meanwhile, beat one egg and add to a corn bread cubes in a large bowl.  Mix.

Add cooked ingredients and mix.

Add chicken broth a little at a time, until the corn bread has soaked in the moisture, but don't let it get mushy.  Do not over mix, just toss lightly.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (ei: more salt).

Use an ice cream scooper and scoop stuffing into center of cooked acorn squash until quite full.

Place back in oven and cook for another 30 minutes until top of stuffing is golden brown and squash is fork tender.

Oh my goodness, such a perfect balance of sweet & savory!  real comfort food!

First Thanksgiving Menu

Roast Turkey

Roast Beef

Steamed Mussels or Lobster

Corn bread

Sallet (Salad) of Herbs & Cucumbers

Roasted Root Vegetables

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Berry Cobbler

Indian Corn Pudding

Pumpkin custard

Historical Readings

For fun, take turns reading historical readings during dinner (see notes in red).

During this 1600s, good food consisted of meat, bread & beer.  Hard labor needed carbs & protein and during this time, even children drank beer, as often water was not suitable to drink.  (Even though the Pilgrims had no apples, a spiced apple cider is a good substitution for our meal.)

As a result, meat, fowl & seafood was center stage on the first Thanksgiving table.  In preparation for the 3 day feast, the men had gone hunting for wildfowl.  The Wampanoags (the native people) brought venison.  It's likely that they had seafood as well, as mussels, clams, lobster and fish were abundant in this area.

"If you will boil chickens, young turkeys, peahens, or any house fowl daintily, you shall, after you have trimmed them, drawn them, trussed them, and washed them, fill their bellies as full of parsley as they can hold; then boil them with salt and water only till they be enough: then take a dish and put into it verjuice [the juice of sour crab-apples] and butter, and salt, and when the butter is melted, take the parsley out of the chicken's bellies, and mince it very small, and put it to the verjuice and butter, and stir it well together; then lay in the chickens, and trim the dish with sippets [fried or toasted slices of bread], and so serve it forth."  The English Housewife 1615

Gravy?  Absolutely!  Every part of the animal would have been used, including the drippings!  Here's an original transcript from 1615.

"Take fair water, and set it over the fire, then slice good store of onions and put into it, and also pepper and salt, and good store of the gravy that comes from the turkey, and boil them very well together: then put to it a few fine crumbs of grated bread to thicken it; a very little sugar and some vinegar, and so serve it up with the turkey: or otherwise, take grated white bread and boil it in white wine till it be thick as a galantine [a sauce made from blood], and in the boiling put in good store of sugar and cinnamon, and then with a little turnsole [a plant used to as red food coloring] make it of a high murrey color, and so serve it in saucers with the turkey in the manner of a galantine."

Cute poems about Pumpkin & Corn Pudding

Instead of pottage and puddings and custards and pies

Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies;

We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,

If it was not for pumpkins we should be undone!

And all my bones were made of Indian corn.
Delicious grain! Whatever form it take.
To toast or boil, to smother or to bake,
In every dish ’tis welcome still to me,
but most, my Hasty Pudding, most in thee. 

John Josselyn, in hisNew England Rarities Discovered (London, 1672) also discusses the use of hominey or corn in puddings:

It is light of digestion, and the English make a kind of Loblolly of it to eat with Milk, which they call Sampe; they beat it in a Morter, and sift the flower [flour] out of it; the remainder they call Hominey, which they put into a Pot of two or three Gallons, with Water, and boyl it upon a gently Fire till it be like a Hasty Puden; thye put of this into Milk and so eat it.

In 1662, John Winthrop, Jr., son of John Wilthrop (1588-1649), first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wrote the following about the pudding in his letter to the royal Society in London. 

. . . this is to be boyled or Stued with a gentle fire, till it be tender, of a fitt consistence, as of Rice so boyled, into which Milke, or butter be put either with Sugar or without it, it is a food very pleasant. . . but it must be observed that it be very well boyled, the longer the better, some will let it be stuing the whole day: after it is Cold it groweth thicker, and is commonly Eaten by mixing a good Quantity of Milke amongst it. . .

Studio 5: Creamy MAPLE Dressing & Fall Salad

It was a beautiful Fall Day in Sydney, Nova Scotia...day six of a ten day Fall Colors Cruise.

After over a week of going, going, going, we decided to enjoy a simple stroll in town and a leisurely lunch at a popular restaurant near the dock.

My sister-in-law ordered a Spinach Salad with a Creamy Maple Dressing.  I ordered Lobster.  It was good, but WOW, the Salad dressing was outstanding!  Donna had ordered it on the side, so we kept dipping in it, trying to figure out the ingredients.

I walked out of the restaurant and immediately emailed my producer over at Studio 5 and said if she had a kitchen segment needed, I had something I wanted to share!  Yeah, it was that good. :)

There are several recipes online, but I came up with my own and it's a winner! 

Creamy Maple Dressing

{tangy, slightly sweet and creamy.  Perfectly paired with a Fall Salad}

Mix the following in a jar, then shake to mix.  Store in fridge for 3-4 weeks.

·         5 Tbsp Maple Syrup

·         2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard (grainy or smooth)

·         2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar

·         1/4 Cup Mayonaise

·         3 Tbsp Half & Half

·         1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

·         1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

Of course, we need an actual SALAD for the dressing, so I combined all my favorite Fall food into one glorious salad. 

Fall Salad

Serves 6 generous servings or 12 smaller servings

{A combination of your favorite Fall Flavors, plus colorful & crunchy!}

Fry bacon

slice 6 pieces of bacon into small 1/4" pieces and cook on medium heat until chewy & crispy.  Lay on paper towel to drain off some of the fat.  Let sit at room temperature.

Cook Butternut squash cubes

Pour off excess bacon fat, keep hot and place 2 cups butternut squash (1/2") cubes into pan.  Add generous amounts of salt & pepper.  It will only take 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your cubes.  I like to slightly under-cook my squash, so try one. :)  You're looking for nice golden cubes.  They look like croutons!  

Marinate Red Onion

To take the bitter bite out of onion, slice a 1/4 of a red onion very thinly (or chop) and soak in White Balsamic vinegar while making the salad.  Drain before adding to salad.

Assemble in a bowl or display on a platter

1 bag of pre-washed spinach

half to whole Honey Crisp Apple (sliced thinly or chopped)

1 Pear (sliced thinly or chopped)

1 cup honey roasted Pecans

1/2 cup Shaved or crumbled sharp white cheddar (Bellavatano from Harmons grocery store here in Utah, is perfect.

1/2 cup Craisins (optional)

Finish off salad with a freshly ground pepper.

Serving Options

·     For a dramatic food centerpiece, deconstruct your salad into layers on a long serving trough.

·     For a quick side salad, chop ingredients and toss in a bowl.

·     For a plated salad for a dinner party, toss Spinach & Onions in dressing, then layer rest of the ingredients on a single plate.

·     For a main dish, add a sliced chicken breast on top of salad, OR serve with a soup or grilled sandwich.

Studio 5: BBQ to Brunch

My two favorite meals during the summer are a good 'ole fashioned Texas style Bar-B-Q and a lazy, lingering breakfast, aka brunch!  The following recipes marry these two meals, using precious Bar-B-Q leftovers to make beautiful savory brunch dishes.

I always cook extra for my Bar-B-Qs,  with plenty of Baked Beans and Succulent slow-cooked meats, like brisket, ribs and pulled pork, and because watermelons are so big, I always have enough left over to whizz in the food processor or blender and freeze.

This frozen watermelon juice is great for smoothies, sorbets, lemonades and the a perfect brunch cocktail / mocktail, Watermelon Bellini.  Typically an alcoholic drink made with Champagne or Sparkling wine, my mocktail version uses nice fizzy Pellegrino instead.

Watermelon Bellini

Quick, easy, refreshing & pretty!

Blend the following ingredients:

3 cups frozen watermelon juice (broken up into chunks.

2 -4 Tbsps of white sugar (to taste depending on sweetness of watermelon).

2 - 4 Tbsps of fresh lemon or lime juice (to taste depending on how tart you want it).

Pour into glasses till about 1/3 full.

Pour chilled Pellegrino until bubbles reach the top.

Garnish with a skewer of watermelon pieces, fresh basil or other herb or wedge of lime.

Toast & Beans Breakfast Stack

An American take on the classic British Toast & Beans, with avocado, fresh tomatoes, Beans & green onions.

Use your favorite baked beans recipe (I use Pioneer Woman's recipe).

Tip:  If beans have thickened in the fridge, when reheating, add a little warm water until the consistency is a bit saucy.

 

Toast a nice thick slide of country bread.  Spoon hot beans on top, layer half of an avocado over beans and top with an over easy egg.  Drizzle with a bit of good olive oil and sprinkle with finely sliced green onions.

 

Tomatoes play an important role in the taste of this dish.  Toss some cherry tomatoes in a little white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper or slice tomatoes and add to the stack.  The tomatoes brighten the dish in color and taste!

Eggs & Brisket in Purgatory

 

A classic Italian brunch dish (Uova in Purgatorio); eggs are poached in a spicy marinara sauce and topped with a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan cheese & fresh basil.  My husband is always asking "where's the meat", so I added leftover brisket to the sauce, which adds a nice dimension to the dish.  You could also add meat from pulled pork or meat pulled from ribs.  It's already tender and delicious, so just add to sauce, no cooking necessary,  just a little reheating.

 

Just a note of interest...  similar to Mexican Huevos Rancheros and Middle Eastern Shakshouka, this Italian dish supposedly originates from the Catholic faith, with the poached eggs representing the 'souls' and the fiery tomato sauce surrounding them representing "Purgatory", the idea being  the souls are suspended between heaven and hell. 

 

This time of the year, my marinara is made by roasting my garden fresh tomatoes, onions & garlic and pureeing in blender.  I add some Italian seasoning, fresh basil, Salt, pepper and a touch of cream.  To create the spiciness I add red pepper flakes.

 

Place a ration of 1 cup per egg of your favorite marinara sauce into a oven proof pan.  Heat and bring to a simmer.  Make sure sauce is saucy enough, add a bit of water if not.  You want it thick enough to hold the egg in place, but thin enough to it's dippable...the best part!

 

Crack eggs into small bowl.  Have these ready to go.  Move sauce with large spoon and immediately pour egg behind spoon, so it rests in its hole.  Repeat with how many eggs you are making.  3 in small pan, or 4-5 in large pan.  Salt & Pepper tops of eggs.

 

For yolky eggs, simmer eggs on stove top for 5 minutes and transfer to broiler just long enough to cook the top of the whites.

 

If you like a soft egg yolk, put the pan directly into a 375 oven for 10 minutes until whites are cooked though.

 

Use a large spoon to serve up the eggs into a bowl, getting as much of the sauce at the same time (you can always add more on the sides).  Drizzle with some good olive oil, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

 

Don't forget a nice thick crusty piece of toast to dip into the sauce!  Enjoy!