Pan-fried Udon Noodles with Beef, Broccoli and Shiitakes

As promised, I’m posting the recipe for pan-fried udon noodles, a dish that I submitted to Citymama’s $10 dinner challenge. Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you! I made this dish for under $10! You can read the original post here. Who says flavorful, healthy, low-cost meals can’t be had anymore?

Someone made the comment that this dish looked sensual. That gave me a good chuckle.

This is a versatile recipe and you can use any vegetables you choose. Same goes with the meat or you could leave it out all together. I do recommend the shiitakes though. They really add a nice flavor and texture. The udon noodles also have a nice texture and they are just fun to eat in the same way spaghetti is fun to eat. I think kids and adults alike can enjoy this dish.


Pan-fried Udon Noodles with Beef, Broccoli and Shiitakes
Serves 3 to 4

• 1 package dried udon noodles (usually sold in 8.8 oz packages) or about 1 pound fresh udon noodles
• 10 ounces chuck steak, sliced for stir-frying
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup + 1 tbs mirin (keep divided)
• ¼ cup low sodium tamari (or 3 tbs regular soy sauce)
• 2 tsp sugar (more to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• ½ pound broccoli, cut for stir-frying
• 1 ounce dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted

If using dried noodles, boil them first for about 3 or 4 minutes less than indicated on the package. You’ll cook them further when you stir-fry them. Drain and rinse them with cold water. Allow them to drain well and toss them with a little oil if you aren’t ready to us them right away.

Soak the mushrooms in boiling water until they soften up. Squeeze them dry and set aside until needed.

In a small bowl, combine the sliced beef, cornstarch and 1 tbs mirin. Mix well and allow to marinate for 10 minutes or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

Make the sauce by combining the remaining mirin, tamari and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

Once all your ingredients are ready, heat a wok over high heat. When hot, add about 1 to 2 tbs oil (try refined sesame oil, it’s appropriate for stir-frying). When it gets really hot, throw in the marinating meat and garlic. Quickly stir-fry until just no longer pink, but not until done. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add a little more oil if necessary then add the ginger, broccoli, and mushrooms. On top of that add the cold, drained noodles. Stir-fry without over-stirring for about 2 minutes. The noodles should begin to take on some color and the broccoli should begin to soften. Once the noodles are warmed through, add about half of the sauce and allow the noodles to absorb it. Covering the wok helps this go a little faster. Then add the beef back in and the remaining sauce. Once the sauce is absorbed and the beef is cooked through, you’re done!

To serve, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Regional Recipes: Little Shoes!

I want to remind everyone that I’m hosting Regional Recipes this month, and the region is Greece! If you want to join in, you still have a few more days. The deadline for submissions is October 15th and I’ll post the round-up on the 20th. You can read more about it, including the rules, here.

My submission is Greek stuffed eggplant, also known as “little shoes,” because they look like shoes (surprise!). This is probably my favorite of all the Greek dishes I have tried. Well, this and moussaka, which are basically the same thing.



My favorite part of this dish is the bechamel sauce on top. If you are familiar with it, you probably agree it’s one of those standard sauces everyone should know. It’s perfect for topping so many different casseroles. It's got a mild, buttery flavor, but once you get the basic recipe down, you can begin to incorporate different flavors. In fact, I did a version with chopped spinach that was very delicious. I'll try to get a recipe up in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy the "little shoes".

Little shoes

Inspired and adapted from The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking (1995 version)

• 2 medium-large eggplants
• 1 pound ground lamb or beef
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped (mint, oregano, and basil also work well)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbs crumbled feta cheese

For the béchamel:

• 6 tbs all purpose flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 tbs butter
• 2 ½ cups hot milk (low-fat is fine, but no nonfat)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt (I used about 1 tsp kosher salt, could have used more)
• fresh ground black pepper
• pinch of nutmeg (about ¼ tsp)

Some people prefer to hollow out the eggplants before cooking them, but I find it easier to do when they are softened. Whether you do it before or after cooking, it’s going to take some patience to scrape out the pulp without tearing into the skin. You want to end up with a nice “boat” with about ½ inch of pulp still attached to the skin. If you do decide to do it before, you’ll still need to bake the boats before filling them to ensure the eggplant is sufficiently softened at the end.

Here’s how I do it:
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and sprinkle each face liberally with salt to draw out some of the bitter juices. Let the eggplant halves sit for at least 15 minutes. After that time, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Rub a little oil on the faces and roast them skin side up in a 350F oven until tender but still able to hold it’s shape, about 30 to 45 minutes. If the skins start to burn, tent with foil. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, scrape out most of the pulp (keep a little attached to the delicate skin) and reserve it. Try not to rip the skin! It needs to be able to hold the filling.

In a large skillet over high heat, add a little olive oil and brown the lamb with the onions. Before adding the remaining ingredients, you may wish to drain off some of the fat, if there seems to be an excessive amount. Add the reserved eggplant pulp, garlic and tomato and tomato paste. Allow the filling to simmer until some of the moisture is evaporated. Don’t let it get too dry, though! Add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t be shy with the salt, I think I used at least 1 tsp of kosher salt and I think I should have used more. When you turn off the heat, add the chopped herbs. Adding them at the end preserves their flavor so you’ll actually taste it in the filling.

Arrange the eggplant in a baking dish and fill them. Set aside while you prepare the béchamel sauce.

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and whisk to make a roux. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, but don’t let it brown. Then slowly add the hot milk while whisking vigorously. The mixture will clump, but keep whisking and it will end up smooth. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat briefly and whisk in the eggs. Put it back on the heat and cook over low for maybe another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Watch that the bottom doesn’t burn. The sauce should be thick, like a pudding. Adjust flavor with salt. Another option is to add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. When the sauce is done, spread it over the filled eggplant. If you can’t use the béchamel immediately, transfer it to a heat-proof container and press some plastic wrap on top to keep a skin from forming. Don’t wait too long to use it either. When it cools it will be quite thick and gelatinous and difficult to work with.

Sprinkle 1 tbs of the crumbled feta on top each “shoe” and bake in a 350F to 375F oven until heated through and starting to brown on top, about 30 minutes or so. Allow to cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving. It’s best warm, not piping hot.

Depending on the size of your little shoes and the side dishes you serve (salad, roasted potatoes or bread are perfect), one half will probably be enough for each person.

A Tasty Meal for Under $10!

Citymama’s $10 food challenge has been quite eye opening. I knew that I could make a delicious dinner for my family within that budget, but I was curious to see how far that would really take me. Would I be able to squeeze in more than just an entrée? Would I have to cut out the meat? I was surprised at what I found.

The dish I decided to make was pan-fried udon noodles. I made this dish a couple of weeks ago using beef, shitake mushrooms and broccoli, but of course I didn’t calculate how much it cost. I assumed it would put me over the $10 limit, so I decided to do it with tofu this time. We’re trying to eat less meat anyways. As it turns out, made with tofu, broccoli and carrots, the dish came in at $5.64, well under the $10 limit. With over $4 left over, I could squeeze in a simple salad (lettuce and cucumber sprinkled with sesame seeds) with nice a miso dressing. A balanced, tasty meal for $10!





Since I came in far under budget with the vegetarian version, I wondered how much it would cost to do it with beef. My preference is to use grass-fed beef (chuck steak), which cost $5.99/ lb at Whole Foods. The same cut of conventional beef at Safeway was $5.29 / lb. I expected the difference to be bigger. The big surprise, though, was Safeway’s price for stir-fry cut beef, over $7/ lb!!! It definitely pays to cut it yourself. Besides, they use a machine to cut the beef, rather than purposely cutting against the grain. Big no no, unless you like tough meat. Long story short—using 10 ounces of grass-fed beef still kept the price under $10 ($8.24 to be exact). Not enough left over to squeeze in the salad, but as Hubby pointed out, enough for a beer with his meal.


One way I keep costs down is to shop around. Whole Foods and Safeway are convenient for me, so that’s where I end up the most. I’ll make a trip to a big Asian supermarket (usually Fubonn or Uwajimaya) every couple of weeks or so. I could get a lot of my Asian sauces at the other two, but I rarely do. Asian products are cheaper at an Asian market. Here is an example. Mirin costs $3.58 for a 17-oz bottle at Fubonn. At Safeway and Whole Foods it’s $5.49 and $8.99 for only 10.5 ounces, respectively. I once saw Sriracha for $5.99 for a 28oz bottle at a local supermarket, but it’s only $2.58 for the same size at Fubonn. It’s smart to get to familiar with your local ethnic markets, no?

If you 're interested to see the cost breakdown, click on the file link 10dollarchallenge.doc.
You'll see the prices I paid, the amounts I used and where I got the item.

If you want more $10 meal ideas, check out Citymama’s site in the next couple of days to see the round-up.

Weekend Wokking with Asparagus

If there’s one possession I’d want to take with me to the Afterlife, it would be my wok. It’s my pride and joy and has immense sentimental value. Weighing in at a whopping 10½ pounds, it’s a real cast iron monster. Countless stir-fries and deep-fries have left it beautifully seasoned. I could probably go on and on about how wonderful it is, but I'm afraid you'll think I'm a weirdo.

That wooden spoon is my second most prized possession. It's 19.5" long and perfect for stir-frying. I scored it on our trip to Italy.

I really don’t need a reason to bust out the wok. As it is, I use it easily 3 times a week. But when it’s for a special event, like dinner guests, a potluck or Weekend Wokking, I get particularly excited. What’s Weekend Wokking, you ask? It’s a blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks. The idea is to come up with a dish around a (seasonal) theme ingredient. This month’s ingredient is asparagus, so if you’ve got an asparagus recipe you know we’ll love, then do share! Wandering Chopsticks is the host this month, so shoot her an email with your entry and she’ll include you in the round-up. But you better hurry, deadline’s this Sunday! If you can't make the deadline but want to participate in the future, check out the host list. And don’t let the fact that you don’t have a wok stop you. It’s not a requirement. You just have to feature the theme ingredient in your dish.



Asparagus...such a versatile vegetable. When it’s in season, like now, I actually like to eat it raw, but it’s also great used in stir-frys. I love the way it stays crisp-tender. It’s also on the approved vegetables list, which is another way of saying Sonny will eat it.

This stir-fry uses one of my favorite flavor bases, a seasoning paste called naam prik phao. It’s a chilli paste made using chillies, shallots, tamarind juice, dried shrimp, fermented shrimp paste and sugar. As you can judge from the ingredients, it a little sweet, a little spicy and has a nice dose of umami. I use it in hot and sour soup, atop sunny side up eggs, in stir-fries and as a general dipping sauce. Naam prik phao can be found at any Thai-Viet grocer and maybe other Asian grocers with SE Asian sections. Alternatively, you can make it yourself. There are numerous recipes on the web, however I can not endorse these, as I've not tried them. I have recently made some based on a recipe from The Food of Thailand (see right side bar), and it was good. Next time I do it, I'll post about it with pictures.


Thai-style Beef and Asparagus Stir-fry
Feeds 4

• 1 pound beef chuck steak, sliced for stir-frying
• 1 tbs Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, roughly minced
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch segments
• 2 tbs naam prik phao
• 2 tbs thin soy sauce (regular soy sauce is fine)
• 2 tbs oyster sauce, preferably Thai

In a small bowl, combine the beef, cornstarch and Chinese cooking wine. Combine well and set aside until needed.

In another small bowl, make the sauce by combining the naam prik pao, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine the ingredients. Set aside until needed.

Make sure you have all your ingredients very close by because this stir-fry goes lightning fast. Have a small cup of water handy as well just in case you need to thin the sauce a little. I bet it won’t take you more than 4 minutes to cook this dish!

Heat your wok over high heat until very hot. Add about 2 or 3 tbs oil (no olive! not appropriate for stir-fry; grape seed is best!) then add the beef followed by the garlic. If your wok is hot enough, your beef will cook very quickly. When the beef is seared, but not cooked through (about 30 sec to 1 minute, max) add the asparagus. Cook for another minute. Add about 2/3 of the sauce mix. It should caramelize pretty quickly because of the high sugar content. If it gets too thick add a little water to thin it out. Quickly taste it and add the rest of the sauce if you think it’s required. Give everything a quick stir, then you're done. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Added: Check out the round-up here!

Thai Beef Salad

No, I haven’t been on vacation. Nor did I get lost in the woods for 10 days. I’ve just been busy with work. So busy, in fact, that I haven’t fried, roasted or even chopped a thing since my last post. I kept thinking I was going to make this or that, but by the end of the day, I had just enough energy left to pick up the phone to order out or stick a frozen entrée into the microwave. Luckily, things have settled down again, and I actually have the time and energy to step into my kitchen.



Today we had Thai beef salad. It’s super easy to make. In its simplest form, it’s grilled (or pan-seared) beef that is thinly sliced and tossed with sliced onions, herbs and a lime-chili dressing. Traditionally the herbs are mint and cilantro. Mom likes to add sliced cucumber and sometimes sour cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I add a couple stalks finely sliced lemongrass, finely sliced green onions and/or grated ginger. Sweet red, yellow or orange bell peppers are also a nice addition. Be as creative as you like!

Thai Beef Salad
feeds about 3 adults

• 1-pound steak (I used blade steak, but use whatever you like)
• ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch mint, roughly chopped (save a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• 4 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• sliced Thai chilies or sambal oelek, to taste
• romaine lettuce or green cabbage leaves, to serve

For the dressing: Mix the chilies or sambal with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

For the steak: I like to sprinkle the steak with a mixture of kosher salt, sugar and fresh cracked white or black pepper. The formulation is 1 tbs kosher salt + ¾ tsp brown sugar + pepper to taste. You won’t use all of it; save what’s left in an airtight container. Grilled steak tastes best, but that’s not happening when it’s 29°F outside. The second best option is to pan-sear the steak. Don’t cook the steak beyond medium because the lime in the dressing will “cook” the steak a bit further. Once the steak is cooked, set it aside to cool to room temperature before slicing. Be sure to slice against the grain.

In a large bowl, toss the onion, herbs and any other additions of your choice. Add the sliced steak. Just before plating, drizzle the dressing over the salad (start with about ½), toss and taste. Add more dressing to taste. Serve with (or atop) the lettuce or cabbage leaves. I also like to serve it with Thai sticky rice.

The Best One-Pot Dish Ever

When I saw Citymama’s Korean Beef Stew, I was reminded of a similar recipe I wanted to try when the weather got cooler. There really isn’t much to say about this one-pot wonder. It’s easy and delicious…salty, slightly sweet, just a little hint of heat and wonderfully balanced by the bitterness of the mustard greens (my current favorite veggie).

Oven Braised Beef with Korean Hot Pepper Paste

• 2 to 2 ½ lbs chuck steak, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 10 pearl onions, peeled (or 2 regular onions cut into 8 wedges)
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 knob ginger, sliced
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup low sodium tamari (low sodium soy sauce is fine)
• 2 tbs Korean hot pepper paste
• 3 carrots, cut in chunks (butternut squash could also work well)
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1 bunch mustard greens, stems and ribs removed and chopped roughly
• about 2 tbs toasted sesame seeds for garnish

There’s really nothing more to it than putting all the ingredients into a Dutch oven and putting that into a preheated 325º oven for 2 hours or so. No need to brown the meat first (although you're welcome to). Just make sure the hot pepper paste is dissolved by mixing it with the soy sauce and sugar before adding it to the pot.

When the meat is tender, add the mustard greens and continue to cook for 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted and tender. It’s easiest to do this step on the stove over low heat. I recommend letting the soup sit off the heat for a few minutes to allow the flavors to mellow out. Like any stew-y dish, this one is even better the next day. Serve topped with the toasted sesame seeds on steamed white rice.

Another Reason to Own a Cast Iron Wok

Mom left a couple of days ago, and I’m still finding surprises all over the kitchen. For example, I found the coating on my expensive Dutch oven burned and cracked. But this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. She once used cooking spray on my tri-ply stainless steel (expensive) frying pan when making pancakes, leaving a nice burnt film on the surface and rendering that pan completely useless. Then she made the comment that I should consider spending a little more money on a nice non-stick frying pan. It’s a good thing she is my mother and I’m supposed to love her, no matter how crazy she makes me.

Since the Dutch oven is currently out of commission, I used my wok to make chili. I would actually use my wok more for stewing and braising if only it had a lid. In lieu of a lid, I used aluminum foil. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done.

I’ve never made chili from scratch. When I lived in Denmark, I used the Knorr seasoning packs that just required addition of ground beef. It was easy and tasty, but I wanted to try making it from scratch. For my first attempt, I used beef chunks rather than ground beef (I will be trying a version with ground beef soon). And no beans. I’m just not a beans-in-the-chili type of girl. The beef was nice and tender and the sauce was thick and well flavored without being too spicy (Sonny loved it). The key is to allow the chili to sit overnight in the fridge. I really do insist you do that part. It allows the flavors to meld and mellow.

Beef and no-bean Chili

• 2.5 to 3 lbs stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs water
• ½ large onion, diced
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs ancho chili powder
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tbs honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss the beef chunks in the cornstarch mixture and let it stand for about 10 minutes. Season with salt then brown well in about 2-3 tbs oil (this part was a cinch in the wok). Remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add a little more oil if necessary, and add the onions. When they are soft and browning, add the chipotle and garlic. After a minute, add the dry spices and meat with accumulated juices. Turn to coat the meat well with the spices. Add the beef broth, honey and salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook covered for about an 1 hour or so. When the meat is just tender (but not falling apart), remove the lid and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid and thicken the sauce. It's okay to turn up the heat a little, but don't blast it to save time. When you reach the consistency you want, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly before putting it in the fridge to cool completely. Reheat the next day and enjoy!

What to do with Leftover Chipotle Marinated Tri-tip?

I love leftover grilled meats and fish because I love making meat salads. This type of dish is so easy to throw together because the cooking has already been done and everything is to taste, so you really can’t go wrong. I like to keep it simple by adding only 1 or 2 basic veggies, like onion or tomatoes, and fresh herbs. My favorite herbs to use (alone or in combination) are mint, cilantro, basil, or Italian parsley. A squeeze of lime or lemon will give it a fresh citrus taste. This really is the perfect noshing food and it goes great with beer!

For this salad, I used a little of the chipotle BBQ sauce (see original post for details) to moisten the meat. If you don’t have the BBQ sauce, you can add a tsp or two of chipotle in adobo sauce and ¼ tsp sugar instead. I added sweet onions, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and fish sauce (most people would use salt, but the Thai in me is always reaching for the fish sauce). Served with lettuce leaves, it made a wonderful light meal.

Other delicious options include corn kernels, zucchini, shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, avocado, bell pepper, and celery.

My Latest Favorite Thing

My new favorite thing to add to everything is chipotle in adobo sauce. It’s spicy and smoky and just adds extra depth to just about any dish. I’ve been adding it to fresh salsa and BBQ sauces, and of course I’ve used it to make this delicious dressing. Today we grilled a delicious tri-tip that was marinated overnight in a chipotle marinade. The beef was nicely spiced, but not too spicy for Sonny, who devoured his share.

Grilled Chipotle-marinated Tri-tip

• 1-2 tbs chipotle in adobo sauce (more to taste)
• 5 anchovy filets, minced
• 1 tbs worchestershire
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs honey
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lime
• handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• 2-4 tbs oil
• 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ lb tri tip (or flank steak)
• ¼ to 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl, except the oil, and whisk until you get a uniform mixture. Slowly add the oil, while whisking, until you get a semi-thick liquid. Add the marinade along with the beef into a large Ziploc bag and marinate overnight in the fridge. An hour before grilling the steak, take it out of the fridge to take the chill off (reserve the marinade). Make sure you generously season the steak with salt before grilling. Don’t be shy, as a lot of it will drip off, so you want to be sure something will be left on there.

To make a basting or dipping sauce, combine about ½ to 2/3 cup of the reserved marinade with ¼ to 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce. Heat over low heat until heated through and bubbly. An alternative is to combine the BBQ sauce with the reserved marinade in a microwavable bowl and blast it for two or three minutes. If you do this, give it a stir after each minute. Cool to room temperature if using as s dipping sauce.

It Never Fails...

There's always rain during the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. I was hoping it would only rain in the morning so I could grill for dinner, but it has been sprinkling all day. Not a heavy rain, more of a drizzle, but enough to hinder any grilling plans (unless you have a gas grill, which I don't). However, beef skewers were on the menu tonight, and I was not to be deterred! I just cooked them under the broiler.

Marinated Beef Skewers

• 1 lbs flank steak, cut into 1 or 2 inch square chunks or 1/2 inch slices
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbs honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbs lemon or lime juice
• 2 tbs orange juice
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbs finely chopped cilantro
• bamboo skewers

I chose flank steak (also called London broil) because it's relatively mild in taste (compared to ribeye), so it does well with a little marinating. It can also be a bit tough if overcooked. One way to prevent this is to "marinate" in 7-up (approx 2/3 of a 12 oz can) for 3 or 4 hours before marinating in the soy mixture. This is a trick I learned from this recipe, and have used it a couple of times. It's absolutely not required, especially if you use a more marbled cut of meat like chuck steak.

Combine the soy sauce and all the marinade ingredients. Use half the mixture for marinating the meat, and the other half for a dipping sauce. Marinate for 1-4 hours in the fridge. Thread on pre-soaked skewers and let stand for at least 30 minutes to take the chill off before grilling. Serve with rice or lettuce and/or cabbage leaves to make wraps (great appetizer idea).

The dipping sauce can be used just the way it is, but we like it spicy so I add about 1/4 tsp of sambal oelek. Adjust the flavor by adding more of any ingredient.

Now I'm Glad I Didn't get the Salsa

This last Christmas, a coworker gave me this. She gave the other coworkers salsa. As everyone else dug into their salsa, I sat staring at the jar, wondering what the hell it was. She didn’t actually know either, but heard it was good from “another Asian lady” (she meant well so I wasn’t offended). I put it in my pantry with every intention of finding out what it was, but it got pushed to the back of the shelf, and eventually I forgot all about it. Then a couple of days ago, hubby found it while looking for a snack.

After doing a quick Google search, I believe it’s Gochu-jan, or Korean chili paste (anyone in the know, please correct me if I’m wrong). Proceeding under that assumption, I found a recipe for a Korean-style grilled beef (yes, this is the second one this week) and let me tell you, it was good. Click here to see the original recipe on Foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Ming Tsai (an old culinary hero of mine).

Korean-style Grilled Beef

• ½ cup Korean chili bean paste (also called gochu-jan)
• 2 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup canola oil
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• 1 ½ bunch chopped scallions
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro
• 1 tri tip steak (about 1 ½ to 2 lbs)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal for garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• 1 portion dipping sauce (recipe below)

Put everything, except the meat and oils, into a food processor and blend. As you’re blending, slowly add in the oils. Reserve at least ½ cup of the marinade for making the dipping sauce. Use the rest to marinate the meat overnight. Take the meat out of the fridge about an hour before grilling. Season with salt and grill to medium-rare. I actually seared the beef on cast iron and finished it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

The original recipe used 3 lbs of hanger steak, which is not easy to find. I used tri tip. If you can’t find those, flank steak would be another option. These three cuts of beef should not be cooked more than medium (optimally medium-rare), otherwise they will be dry. Please let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it, especially the tri tip. It is a thicker cut of beef and needs time for the juices to settle. Slice the meat thinly and against the grain. Another tasty option would be to use pork sirloin or tenderloin.

Serve with Japanese rice and kimchee (see the original recipe for cucumber kimchee). And don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Dipping sauce:
½ cup of reserved marinade
½ tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon

Mix everything in a bowl and enjoy. It’s great for dipping tofu too!

I Love Me some Kalbi

We don’t eat enough kalbi. That’s what I said to my husband at dinner as I was chewing a tender piece of beef. One reason is the right cut of beef can be hard to find. I asked at my local grocery store if they could get short ribs cut Korean style, but the butcher just gave me a confused look and pointed out the beef spareribs.

The right cut of beef is worth seeking out, but it can be confusing because there are several cuts of short ribs (read a little more here). This time, I just could not find the cut I wanted (after calling 3 grocery stores), so I tried boneless beef chuck eye steak (name from the packaging). It worked great. Do not use the thick short ribs meant for braising. They are too thick and it won’t work well even with the overnight marinating. The original recipe called for 4 lbs of beef, but since we’re only 3 people, I used 2 lbs and we had enough leftovers for a whole other meal.

This recipe is from Foodnetwork.com. The thing that piqued my interest was the Sprite used for marinating. You can find the original recipe here. I should warn you it is a two day marinating process (not clear from the original recipe), but well worth it.

Kalbi

• 1 20-oz bottle Sprite or 7-up
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 Asian pear, grated with juices (I used Bartlett)
• 2 tbs garlic, minced
• ½ onion, grated or sliced
• 1 tbs ginger, grated
• 3 tbs light brown sugar
• 2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2-4 lbs of short ribs, cut Korean style

To make the marinade, combine everything but the Sprite/7-up. Keep in the fridge until use.

On the evening of day one, combine the soda and meat in a large Ziplock bag or other container, and marinate in the fridge overnight. The following morning, transfer the meat to the marinade and discard the soda. Allow to marinate for few hours in the fridge. Half an hour to 1 hour before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge. Ideally, the meat should be grilled to medium.

Before serving, I like to sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions. Serve with Japanese style short grain rice and various condiments, such as kimchee. Since I’m the only one who eats kimchee in our house, I made a quick carrot and celery sauté with ginger and sesame oil (toss veggies with 1 tbs grated ginger, 1 tsp sesame oil, salt to taste) for the boys.

Ulterior Motives

I didn’t spend 3 hours boiling the hell out of a piece of beef just to make sandwiches. What I really wanted to do was make corned beef hash. There are so many variations out there, but in its simplest form it’s leftover corned beef and potatoes. I like to add fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, parsley, cilantro or basil. I also add mustard or hot pepper sauce to give it a kick.

Corned Beef Hash:

• 2 cups boiled potatoes, roughly mashed
• 2 cups cooked corned beef, diced to your preferred size
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbs Italian parsley, chopped fine
• a few (about 4) sprigs of thyme (oregano or basil is fine too)
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard (or a few splashes of hot pepper sauce or Worcestershire to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
  

However you embellish this recipe, just remember to use a 1:1 proportion of corned beef to potatoes. Mix everything together and, if possible, let it sit for half an hour for the flavors to meld together. I mixed it the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

The key to a good hash is patience. I like my hash to be crusty and “loose”, and that takes time. In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom (about 1-2 tbs). When the oil is hot, add the mix and flatten it out in the skillet. Don’t be tempted to turn it. Give it about 4 or 5 minutes to form the first crust. Flip and spread the mix back out in the pan and wait another 4 or 5 minutes. Keep doing this until you get the level of crispiness you like. For me, it took about 20 minutes. Season with fresh cracked pepper. I like it served with fried over-medium eggs, but poached eggs work as well.

When I lived in Denmark, I would make hash with whatever leftover meat we had. Sometimes it was steak and/or sausages. I’ve even done one with salmon. And we never ate it for breakfast, just lunch or dinner.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Do you like turkey? Truthfully, I could leave it…forever. The only time I really eat it is during Thanksgiving, more out of obligation than actual desire. Well, that’s kinda the way I feel about corned beef and cabbage. Yet I feel like I’m breaking a long-standing tradition if I don’t make it for St. Paddy’s Day dinner.

This year I compromised. Instead of the standard fare, we had Reuben sandwiches with mashed potato salad and creamed spinach. This isn’t an extravagant dinner, but a humble plate of sandwich and sides can still be satisfying (and it tastes really good with beer). It’s all in the details.

For the Reubens, I like to make my own dressing, which is basically Thousand Island. I use this dressing with my Gardenburgers, fries and of course, salads. Most people have the necessary ingredients on hand, and all you have to do is mix it all together.

Thousand Island Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tbs ketchup
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs Italian parsley, chopped fine
• 2 tsp relish
• 1 tbs prepared horseradish

I like to grill my sandwich open-faced in the oven. Sauerkraut and meat on one side; Swiss cheese on the other. Four minutes on a preheated cast iron griddle at 425º should do it. Top with the dressing after it comes out.

Potato salad is one of those things many Americans learned to make from their parents. My mom never made potato salad so I didn’t grow up eating it. I don’t like it too sour, too sweet, or too creamy. I also don’t like it cold.

Mashed Potato Salad:

• 1 ½ lbs potatoes (peeled or with skins)
• 4 tbs sour cream
• 4 tbs mayonnaise
• 1 tbs (or more) fresh chopped herbs, such as cilantro, Italian parsley, basil, dill
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional ingredients: ½ cup thinly sliced celery or fennel, 1 small garlic minced garlic clove, 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs, 4 strips chopped strips of cooked bacon or the like, 2 chopped scallions or ½ of a sweet onion finely chopped, boiled green beans or the like cut into small pieces. Anything else you can think of??

Mix the sour cream and mayo together in a bowl and set aside. Depending on whether you add any optional items or how creamy you like the potato salad, you might not need all the dressing (or more!). Boil the potatoes until they are just tender; drain and roughly mash (or leave in chunks). Add (or don’t add) any optional ingredients, then about half the dressing to start. Mix and add more dressing if you like. Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. It’s that easy. Serve warm or at room temp (even cold if you like).

Creamed spinach is just all around good. Sometimes I use fresh spinach, but if my local store has the tired looking stuff I saw today, I gladly substitute frozen spinach.

Creamed Spinach:

• 16oz chopped frozen spinach
• half a shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

In a pan on medium heat, add about 1 tbs olive oil and sauté the shallot and garlic until soft. Add the spinach and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cream and cook for about 4 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn. The spinach should not be soupy but not completely dry either. Turn the heat to low and add the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

For dessert, we had this brownie Sunday. It’s made with Guinness Stout, and I got the recipe here. I should say, I’m not sure it turned out the way it was supposed to. I take full responsibility for that. I added 1 cup flour and ½ cup cocoa because I didn’t have enough cocoa. It also took almost 40 minutes to bake. The brownie is quite dense, but no matter, the result is still tasty. Especially with vanilla bean ice cream and toasted coconut.