Bibimbap - a colorful Korean feast!

I've been wanting to make Bibimbap for a while now. It's easy to make, it is pretty to look at, and it is delicious!

Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish, whose name means "mixed meal." A scoop of steamed white rice is surrounded by colorful items (meat optional), topped with a raw or fried egg. You stir it all up and get busy eating.

For this I used the following items from the garden: chard, peppers, greenbeans, baby crooked neck squash.  This is a felxible dish, I suspect each family has their own way of making it and Grandma's was probably the best.

Bibimbap
Serves 2 -  prep time 20 minutes
Ingredients:
white rice
2 eggs
1 cup green beans julienned
1/2 cup pickled gingered carrots - or 1 medium carrot julienned
baby lettuce or "mixed greens"
1 small red pepper - julienned
1 cup julienned mushrooms ( I used beautiful oyster mushrooms from the farmers market)
1 cup julienned summer squash or zucchini
1 rib of celery sliced thin
1 cup cooked meat ( ground beef or pork, shrimp or chicken. I used some spicy merguez) (Optional)
1 -2 cups chopped Swiss chard (or spinach)
Garlic Chili paste
vegetable oil for cooking
sesame oil

Directions:
Cook  rice according to directions

While the rice cooks,

In a saute pan, over medium high heat, add a scant tablespoon of oil  a couple drops of sesame oil and quickly saute  one vegetable at a time - the peppers, green beans, mushrooms, squash or zucchini, celery, chard or spinach, removing to plate, and adding oil as needed. If using pickled carrot, do not saute them. Don't cook the lettuce

Keep the cooked vegetables separate.

Fry eggs, one at a time, reserve.

To assemble the dish, place a scoop of white rice in the middle of a bowl, arrange all the vegetables and meat around the rice, top with the fried egg. Add a generous tablespoon of garlic chili paste and serve.

It's gorgeous isn't it? Stir it all up and enjoy!

The crunchy pickled carrots and celery play nicely with meaty mushrooms, fiery sausage and garlic chili paste. This dish is light enough for a hot summer night, yet satisfying as well. I'm looking forward to making it again!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
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Korean BBQ

Lets try this again, last time I bought the beef short ribs but they were the wrong cut for this, though they were excellent braised. This time,  I purchased the right ones.

I've been wanting to make this for a long time so finally we're going to. This recipe is adapted from Allrecipes.com.  I scaled it as I have 1.5 lbs of short ribs. I'm sure the recipe isn't super authentic, b ut let's see what happens anyway.

Marinade Ingredients:
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3-3/4 cloves garlic, chopped

2-1/4 green onions, chopped

4-1/2 teaspoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon sesame seeds

Make the marinade:
Whisk together the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the black pepper, garlic, green onions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

For the ribs:
1-1/2 pounds Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flanken, cut 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick across bones)

Remove any extra fat, sprinkle with sugar and allow to rest 15 minutes.

Place the ribs in a large plastic sealable bag, and pour the marinade over the ribs. Squeeze out the air and seal.

Shake to coat the ribs with the marinade, and refrigerate. Massage the marinade into the ribs a few times, making sure all the meat contacts the marinade.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the ribs from the marinade, discard the marinade, and grill the ribs until brown and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side.
 
Serve with Kimchee. The ribs were tender, salty/sweet. The sour pickle-like kimchee packed quite a wallop of chili heat. A really great combination. I'll make this again in the heat of the summer with an ice-cold beer!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Quick Kimchi

In preparation of Korean style BBQ beef short ribs, I'm making this recipe for Quick Kimchi. I don't have a lot of time so we'll try this quickie method.

This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network.

Ingredients:
1 head Napa cabbage, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup rice vinegar (I used white vinegar)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons hot chili paste
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions:
Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Cut cabbage in quarters and remove the tough inner core. Pretty huh?

Slice across sections into 1/2-inch slices.

Put into a colander, add salt, and mix well.

Place over a bowl and let drain, covered, until wilted, about 2 hours.

In a large bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the chili paste, ginger, garlic,  and stir.

Rinse the salt off the cabbage with a couple of changes of water.  I used my trusty salad spinner.

Dry well and add to the vinegar mixture; stir well to combine. Put into a sterilized glass jar and pack the cabbage down; add enough water to cover.

Close the jar and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This is spicy and gets spicier the longer it sits



The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
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