Korean Tacos

Look, I just put Korean and Taco together in the title, so we’ve pretty much taken authenticity off the table, right?  I’ve been reading about these for months – they started out as  street food in Los Angeles and have found their way across the country all the way to New York City, at least if you believe the New York Times, which I do.  They’ve even found their way onto the California Pizza Kitchen menu and this I know for a fact because I had them for lunch there today.  (For the record, mine are much, much better, and I don’t say that carelessly about CPK food because I love pretty much everything they make.)

Now I'm not claiming these are better than korillabbq or kogibbq because I've never tried theirs, but I can tell you the entire family went crazy for these and that includes the carnivores and the vegetarian.   Be brave.  Try these.

Korean Tacos

inspired by a slew of recipes, including several from the New York Times and Steamy Kitchen

Corn Tortillas

Korean Barbecued Meat (Pork, or Chicken) or Tofu

Cabbage Slaw

Pickled Onion, Cucumber, and Cilantro Relish

Sambal Oelek Sauce (optional)

Steamed Rice (optional)

Heat corn tortillas on a cast iron pan until warm.  Assemble tacos by placing some meat (or tofu)  in each tortilla.  Top with cabbage slaw, relish, sambal oelek sauce, and rice (if using).  Fold and eat, and be sure to keep plenty of napkins close by.

Meat:

Prepare marinade by pureeing in a blender of food processor the following:

½ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons mirin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 pear, peeled and roughly chopped

About one hour before serving, place marinade in a Ziploc bag.  Add:

1 1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin, or boneless skinless chicken breast,very thinly sliced on the bias.  Squeeze excess air from bag and place in refrigerator until ready to cook. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add a small amount of vegetable oil to lightly coat bottom of pan. Saute meat in small batches until golden brown on all sides, replenishing oil as necessary. Set aside.

Cabbage Slaw (fake kimchi):

Whisk until well blended:

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon sambal oelek (Asian garlic-chili sauce, available at most grocery stores, including Stop and Shop)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

In a large mixing bowl combine:

4 cups of napa cabbage, thinly chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Just before serving, toss cabbage mixture with several tablespoons vinaigrette.

Pickled Onion, Cucumber, and Cilantro Relish

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup cold water

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 or 3 dashes of Tabasco

1 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup paper-thin slices of English cucumber

3 tablespons chopped cilantro

Combine vinegar and cold water.  Whisk in kosher salt, sugar and Tabasco.  Add the onions and let them sit for at least one hour, bur preferably overnight.  (These also keep in the refrigerator for several weeks and get better over time) 

Just before serving, add English cucumber and  cilantro to onions.  Stir to combine.

Sambal Oelek Sauce:

Whisk together:

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ to 1 teaspoon sambal oelek sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

 Notes on the recipe:

-I prefer pork tenderloin, but I'm sure beef would be good instead.  Let me know if you try it.  

-For the vegetarian I marinated cubed tofu instead of meat, and then gently warmed it in a saucepan. We all loved the tofu.

-Romaine lettuce is a good substitute for the napa cabbage.

-Some recipes I found called for shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.  I disagree.  Vehemently.  

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

I am a changed person.  Last week I ate fresh asparagus that was grown one mile from my front door and picked only hours before I roasted it.  The locavore movement suddenly seemed relevant.  I'll probably never be satisfied with grocery store asparagus again, unless its doused with plenty of balsamic browned butter.

Don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you.  Browned butter makes pretty much anything taste amazing, but the combination of butter, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar is nothing short of astounding.  There was a little family scuffle towards the end of dinner as we all tried to clean the remaining sauce off the asparagus platter with our crusty bread.  Next time I might have to double the sauce.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
adapted from Cooking Light

2 pounds of asparagus
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt
black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange asparagus on baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil, or coat with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until tender to your liking.

While asparagus roasts, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Shake the pan occasionally.  Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and vinegar.  Drizzle over asparagus and serve immediately.

Crispy Popped Potatoes

I looooove potatoes.  Maybe it's because I grew up in a state that borders Idaho.  Or not.  Mashed, smashed, baked, fried, au gratined - I don't really care.  Potatoes rank right up there near chocolate in my book, although I'm not as strict about eating them every day.

This is a recipe for an easy and rustic side dish that goes well with just about anything, including ketchup.

Crispy Popped Potatoes

adapted from someplace in my past that I don't remember

4-5 small red potatoes per serving (smaller is better)

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper
Fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, basil, thyme (optional)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Scrub potatoes, place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain potatoes, return to the pot and shake for a few seconds to dry them out. 

Place potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a measuring cup (or your palm if you can stand the heat) gently “pop” each potato just until the skin breaks.  Try to keep the potato in one piece while exposing plenty of flesh.  They should look like this:

Drizzle each potato with a little olive oil then give a generous turn with the salt and pepper shaker. (Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper are amazing.) Sprinkle with the fresh or dried herbs, if you are using them.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes until potatoes are crispy and browned and then get out of the way because they go quickly.

p.s. Thanks to Nancy and Lori for helping me name this recipe, and to Sarah for taking pictures and not complaining that they are brown.

Beans beans the magical fruit…..

Black bean soup is not typically thought of as a romantic food, and I’m making no such claims about this recipe.  Seeing that today is the eve of Valentine’s day, maybe I should have thought harder about posting something rich and chocolate, but I kind of used up those recipes previously.  So I offer this consolation - if you are all alone tomorrow you can eat this soup for lunch and several hours later the beans will keep you company by talking back!

Black Bean Soup 

loosely adapted from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 medium red or green pepper, diced

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

5 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne or ground chipotle pepper

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

salt to taste

Garnish: sour cream and tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat.  Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until the onion is soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

While the onions and peppers cook, puree 3 cups of the drained beans and half the chicken stock in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne (or chipotle powder) to the onion and pepper mixture.  Stir for 20 seconds until spices are fragrant.  Add the pureed beans, the whole beans, the diced carrots, the remaining chicken stock, and the vinegar to the pan with the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour (or longer if you have the time).  Add salt to taste and simmer one or two more minutes.  Garnish with sour cream and tortilla chips, if desired.

Serves about 4 or 5

Notes on the recipe 

-I've tried tons of black bean soup recipes.  This one rules.  

-Instead of simmering for an hour, the soup holds well in a crock pot for at least 8 hours, set on low.  The onions and peppers still need to be sauteed first though. 

-Some smoked meat like sausage or bacon would be delicious in the soup.

-Don’t leave out the vinegar – it sounds strange but it balances all the flavors perfectly.

-The smoked paprika gives this soup a deep and smoky flavor. I prefer Penzey's brand, but the  McCormick brand from the grocery store will do. 

Moroccan Chickpea Soup with Lemon-Apricot Couscous

I’m going to say something shocking. Get ready. Here it is: I am sick and tired of chicken always thinking it’s invited to dinner. Every time I open the freezer, there it is, that bag of Costco frozen chicken tenders, front and center, waiting for the inevitable invitation. It’s not that I don’t appreciate all the good times we have had together – and there have been many. It’s just that I get tired of trying to make new conversation with my old chicken.

So when I found this intriguing recipe for Moroccan spiced chicken soup with apricot couscous I took a very bold step. I closed the freezer and told chicken, “nope, not tonight.” Instead I added an extra can of garbanzo beans to the pot and renamed the recipe Moroccan Chickpea Soup with Apricot Couscous.

And I am really sorry I don't have a picture. The photographer will be home for Thanksgiving next week and maybe, just maybe she'll help me out.



Moroccan Chickpea Soup

adapted from Cuisine at Home

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven.

Add:
2 cups diced onion

Saute until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add:
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon each: paprika, ground coriander
½ teaspoon each: cumin, cinnamon, cardamom
¼ teaspoon each: turmeric, nutmeg, red pepper flakes

Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute until spices are fragrant.

Deglaze pan with:

½ cup dry white wine or chicken stock

Reduce until nearly evaporated, then stir in:

4 cups chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 ( 28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in puree, chopped to your liking
1 (13.75 ounce) can artichoke hearts or bottoms, chopped (NOT the marinated kind)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Serve with a big scoop of lemon-apricot couscous.

Lemon-Apricot Couscous

*2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
minced zest of one lemon
pinch of salt
1 cup dry instant couscous
¼ cup dried apricots, diced

Bring water, honey, oil, lemon juice, zest, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Off heat, stir in couscous and apricots; cover and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. *Adjust amount of water to the brand of couscous.

Notes on Recipe:
If you want to invite chicken to dinner go right ahead, I won't think any less of you. Just add a cup or two of shredded rotisserie chicken to the pot when simmering and use just one can of chickpeas.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce

Sarah, my daughter/photographer has been complaining that all the recipes I have posted are brown. Apparently brown is very boring to photograph. A quick glance through the index shows she is right. In fact, with the exception of the raspberry poppy seed salad dressing, everything is brown, brown, and brown. Boring. I also noticed that lately the blog has been leaning a little too heavy in the confectionary direction, which is really disappointing since I have a recipe for chocolate sheet cake that I want to post. I suppose that will have to wait a week or two. I hate being in a rut. Today I decided to try my hand at something a little more exciting than brown. It's orange in fact, which you might consider kind of brownish, but the addition of fried sage leaves expands the color palate enough. And the brown butter sauce, which is my brown security blanket, doesn't really look brown on the plate, unless you burn it.

Gnocchi
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 container whole-milk or part-skim ricotta (15- or 16-ounce)
1 cup panko (japanese bread crumbs)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
salt
pepper
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for shaping and rolling
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup), plus more for serving

Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
10 or 12 small sage leaves
1 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar

Gnocchi
Place butternut squash chunks in a microwave safe bowl, add 1/4 cup water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until squash is very tender, checking about every 3 minutes. When squash is tender, drain water, place squash on a plate and mash with a fork. Line a strainer with paper towels and spread 1 1/2 cups of puree over towels. Any extra puree can be frozen for later or used as baby food for the kids.

Line another strainer with paper towels. Spread ricotta over towels and allow both squash and ricotta to drain for about an hour.

Transfer ricotta and squash to food processor and process until smooth, about eight 1-second pulses. Using rubber spatula, combine ricotta/squash mixture, eggs, sage, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper in a large bowl. Add flour, Parmesan, and panko; stir until well combined. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes (this allows the mixture to firm up a bit as the panko absorbs some liquid). Check texture of dough by scooping up a golf ball sized portion. Dough should hold together nicely. If it is too sticky and coats your hand then add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. The trick is to use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and work surface; using too much flour will result in tough gnocchi.

Dust work surface with flour. With floured hands, roll lemon-sized piece of dough into 3/4-inch-thick rope, rolling from center of dough outward. Cut rope into 3/4-inch-long pieces and transer to parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, dusting work surface with flour as needed.



For Sauce
Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally. Add sage leaves and allow to crisp. Remove leaves from butter, place on paper towels to drain and continue cooking butter until it is browned and releases a nutty aroma. Off heat stir in balsamic vinegar; cover to keep warm.

To Cook Gnocchi
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat so water is simmering, then gently drop one-fourth of gnocchi into water and cook until all pieces float to surface. Continue to simmer until gnocchi are cooked through, about 2 minutes longer, adjusting heat to maintain gentle simmer. Using slotted spoon, scoop gnocchi from water, allowing excess water to drain from spoon; transfer gnocchi to skillet with sauce and cover to keep warm.


Repeat cooking process with remaining gnocchi. Using rubber spatula, gently toss gnocchi with sauce until uniformly coated. Toss fried sage leaves over top and serve immediately. Pass extra Parmesan on the side.

This recipe was loosely based on a ricotta gnocchi recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I added the butternut squash and panko and changed the proportions. We love how light and puffy the gnocchi are and how they melt in your mouth. Cooks Illustrated claims that the gnocchi can be rolled, cut, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. To freeze the uncooked gnocchi, place the baking sheet in the freezer until gnocchi are firm (about 1 hour), then transfer them to a zip-lock bag and store them for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen gnocchi overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking as directed.

The gnocchi pairs especially well with the asiago cheese version of Stupid Easy Peasant Bread

Black Bean Patties

This recipe is my version of a Cooking Light recipe. I like to serve these over rice (preferably with something interesting in it, like cilantro) and some fresh mango or pineapple salsa. (Let me know if you want the recipes for these.) While especially suited to the vegetarian crowd, all my carnivores like these too. I always make a double batch and cook only the amount we need. They freeze beautifully and are great for a quick meal. Be warned, if you fry them unfrozen, as the original Cooking Light recipe instructs, you will have a pan full of delicious tasting refried beans with absolutely no semblance of a patty anywhere.

2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans (1 [15-ounce] can), divided 
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white 

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers 

1/4 cup diced red onion 

1 or 2 eggs, thoroughly whisked
some panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or dried bread crumbs 



To prepare patties, place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Using an ice cream scoop (about ¼ cup size), place mounds of bean mixture onto waxed paper. Using a wet hand, gently press the mounds into patties. Place cookie sheet in freezer and allow patties to become hard, at least 30 minutes or up to several months. When ready to prepare, dip each frozen patty into egg, then cover in panko. Immediately place patties in a preheated nonstick skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil. When nicely browned, turn and cook other side. Patties can be kept warm in a 300° oven for 15 or 20 minutes.

Tip: When freezing the patties for extended storage don't stack them or they will stick together.