momofuku ginger scallion sauce

Makes about 3 cups

This amazing sauce is delicious on noodles or as a condiment with any roasted meat. The fragrance is intoxicating and makes everything taste incredible... This is an important component of the infamous momofuku bo ssam feast that I highly recommend.

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (from 1 to 2 large bunches)
1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3/4 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before using. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

momofuku bo ssäm

This dish takes time (6 hours) to slow cook the pork, but is surprisingly easy. It was so good that we proclaimed it one of the best things we have ever cooked! I posted a more verbose commentary here.

Serves 6 to 10

• 1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 7 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 12 oysters, shucked, for serving
• 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi, cut into strips for serving
• 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi, pureed, for serving
• 1 cup Ginger-Scallion Sauce, for serving
• 1 cup Ssam Sauce, for serving
• 2 cups steamed short-grain white rice, for serving
• 3 to 4 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed well, and spun dry
• Sea salt

Directions

1. Place pork in a large bowl or roasting pan. In a medium bowl, mix together granulated sugar and 1 cup coarse salt. Rub sugar mixture all over pork and cover bowl with plastic wrap; transfer to refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
3. Transfer pork to a large roasting pan, discarding any accumulated juices (or drain accumulated juices from roasting pan that pork is in). Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook, basting every hour with rendered fat in roasting pan, until meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork, about 6 hours.
   
   
   
   
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together remaining tablespoon coarse salt and brown sugar; rub mixture all over pork.
5. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Return pork to oven until sugar has melted into a crisp crust, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with oysters, kimchis, ginger-scallion sauce, ssam sauce, rice, lettuce, and pickled vegetables.

momofuku vinegar pickles

another dish to go with the bo ssam feast, this recipe can be used with a variety of vegetable or fruits such as carrot, daikon or, napa cabbage or fruit like melon or apple-pear.

Ingredients:

1 cup water, piping hot from the tap

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

2-1/4 tsp kosher salt

julienne cut daikon and carrot, scrubbed, peeled, trimmed and cut into thin slices.

Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves

Pack the prepared vegetables into a quart container. Pour the brine over the vegetables, cover, and refrigerate. You can eat the pickles immediately but they will taste better after they've had time to sit -- 3 to 4 days at a minimum, a week for optimum flavor. Most of these pickles will keep for at least a month.

momofuku ssäm sauce

Makes 1/4 cup-ish. I thought the original recipe from David Chang's Momofuku cookbook had too much liquid, so I cut the vinegar and oil in half and increased the miso and chili pastes! You can tweak to your own taste.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon ssamjang (soybean and chile-pepper paste)
1 tablespoon kochujang (Korean chile-pepper paste)
2 tablespoon sherry-wine vinegar
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I had a package of orecchiette pasta in the pantry and when I saw broccoli rabe at the market, I pulled some spicy sausage I had tucked in the freezer and went looking online for a recipe. I found this from from Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian Food Network. It's good, easy and very flavorful, a good hearty dish for winter.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound turkey Italian-style sausage, casings removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool, saving the cooking water. Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat with the juices. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Ton-Jiru, pork stewed with vegetable and thickened with miso

From Elizabeth Andoh's amazing cookbook Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen

Serves 6 to 8

1 Japanese leek or small western leek, about 3 oz
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
6 oz boneless pork from loin or shoulder, cut into small, thin strips
1 small carrot, about 3 oz, peeled and cut into julienne
1-inch chunk daikon, abou t2 oz, peeled and cut into julienne
5 to 6 inches burdock root, about 3 oz, rinsed and lightly scraped and cut on the diagonal into thin slices
Pinch of salt
splash of sake
2 quarts water
about 12 square inches kombu
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 block firm tofu, about 14 oz, drained and pressed, then cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small bunch mitsuba about 15 stalks, trimmed, stems cut into short pieces, and leaves choped
3 tablespoons mugi miso
3 tablespoons sweet, light miso, preerably Saikyo miso

Trim away the hairy troot and any tough green top of the leek and then cut in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold water to remove any grit or oil. Place the cut edges down on a cutting board and slice on the diagonal into thin strips. SEt aside.

Heat the oil in a deep pot over high heat. Stir-fry the pork for 1 minutes, or until it begins to color. Then add the leek, carrot, caikon and burdock root and continue to stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute. Add the salt and sake, and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the burdock root emits a woodsy aroma.

Add the water and kombu. When the soup begins to boil, skim away any froth and reduce the heat to maintain a steady but not vigorous simmer. Continue to cook, skimming away froth as neede, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the pork is thoroughly cooked. Remove and discard the kombu. Season with the soy sauce. Add the tofu to the soup and simmer for 1 minute to heat it through.

Divide the mitsuba evenly among individual soup bowls (I used parsley since I couldn't find mitsuba).

Just before serving, place the miso in a separate bowl, ladle in some of the hot stock from the pot, stir to mix it, and then add to the pot.

Ladle the soup into the bowls. The brief exposure to hot soup is sufficient to cook the mitsuba. Serve immediately.

Many version of tonjiru substitute scallions for leeks and include some kind of mushroom. You can also use a pungent dark miso, such as Sendai miso to balance the flavors.

Bacon Wrapped Petite Filets with Herb Butter

Recipe from Caroline Fey @ Mariposa Kitchen. Serves 8

This is from the Everything's Better with Bacon cooking class I took.
Ingredients:

8 petit filet
8 strips bacon
salt
pepper
toothpicks for securing

Butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons tarragon, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preparation:

Butter: Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Let sit for as long as possible before using to allow flavors to develop.

Steaks: In a medium saute pan, cook 6 strips of bacon for just a minute or two, until half cooked and still pliable. Let cool.



Wrap the filets in the bacon strips and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.



Make sure the steaks are room temperature before grilling. Oil grill over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Top with herb butter while still hot.

Maple-Bacon Ice Cream with Bacon Brittle

Recipe from Caroline Fey @ Mariposa Kitchen. Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

Ice Cream
2 cups heav cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp salt
6 large egg holks
1/2 tsp maple extract
1/2 cup bacon bits

Bacon Brittle
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup bacon bits

Preparation:

Ice Cream: In a heavy saucepan bring the cream, milk, maple syrup, extract and salt to just a boil, stirring occasionally. In a bowl, beat the yolks until smooth. Add the hot cream mixture to yolks in a slow stream, constantly whisking, then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan. cook over moderately low heat, stirring consistently until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off the hat and immediately pour through a strainer into a small metal bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill until it's cold.

Freeze in an ice cream maker. When the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve, remove from maker and stir in bacon bits. Freeze until hard.

Bacon Brittle: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Once the sugar begins to turn a shade of amber, start to swirl it until it is medium amber brown. Stir in the bacon bits and immediately pour it onto the parchment paper. Let it cool, then break it into pieces.

Bacon, Sweet onion, Goat Cheese and Potato Galettes

Recipe from Caroline Fey @ Mariposa Kitchen. Serves 8

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup sweet onions, very thinly sliced

2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and very thinly sliced on a mandolin
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon pepper



Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush a nonstick saute pan with a generous amount of melted butter. Mix the remaining melted butter, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper with the potatoes and toss gently.

Arrange one layer of potato slices in the bottom of the pan, overlapping each slice by about half, like fish scales. Top the potato layer with half of the bacon, onions and cheeses. Repeat with the potatoes, the filling and end with a third layer of potatoes. Press the top layer with your hands to compress the ingredients.





Cook the galette on top of the stove for about 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat until the potatoes are crispy on the bottom and the sides begin to pull away. Using a baking sheet, flip the galette out of the pan. Slide it back in the pan on the uncooked potato side and cook for another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are brown and crispy.



Put the pan in the oven to finish cooking for about 10 minutes or until you can easily slide a knife into the wedge. Let it rest for a few minutes. Invert the galette onto a plate and cut into wedges. Serve hot.

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Gougeres

Recipe from Caroline Fey @ Mariposa Kitchen. Makes 24 pieces

1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, diced
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup unbleached flour
4 eggs, chilled plus 1 egg for egg wash
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 4 0z)
1/4 cup bacon, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chives, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of smoked paprika

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Position one rack in the top third and one rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil in a heavy, medium saucepan, over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the flour mixture forms a ball, pulling away from the sides of the pan. Keep cooking the mixture for a minute or two longer. There will be a light brown crust on the bottom and sides of the pan.

Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into the bowl of the electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes to cool the mixturedown. Add the eggs, one at a time. Make sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. You may not need all of the eggs.



Test the batter by pulling your finger through the batter. If a well forms and then slowly closes, it's perfect. Then add the cheese, bacon, chives and paprika and blend to combine.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a size 6 piping tip with the dough. Using a little bit of dough as glue, pipe a teaspoon at each corner of the baking sheet. Press the parchment into the dough to "glue" it down. Pipe quarter size balls, about 3 inches apart, onto the baking sheet.



Or, using a wet spoon, drop tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, about 3 inches apart.

Crack the extra egg into a bowl with a pinch of salt and, using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the dough with a little egg wash. Bake gougeres until golden brown, about 30 minutes, reversing the pans half way through baking.

Serve hot or warm.

Butter Lettuce Salad with Peppered Bacon, D'Anjou Pears, Candied Walnuts and Gorgonzola Vinaigrette

Recipe from Caroline Fey @ Mariposa Kitchen. Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 head butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 D'Anjou pear, sliced
2 strips of peppered bacon, cooked and chopped into pieces
1/2 cup candied walnuts

Dressing:

1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 small shallot
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Prepareation:

Put all of the salad dressing ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Toss the greens with half the dressing, then add the walnuts, bacon and pear slices. Taste. If the salad needs more dressing, add a little bit at a time. Gently toss one more time and serve.

Momofuku Ramen Broth

from David Chang's Momofuku cookbook.

Makes 5 quarts


Two 3 by 6 inch pieces of Kombu
6 quarts water
2 cups dried shiitakes, rinsed
4 pounds chicken, either a whole bird or legs
5 pounds meaty pork bones
1 pound smoky bacon
1 bunch scallions
1 medium onion, cut in half
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1. Rinse the konbu under running water, then combine it with the water in an 8 quart stockpot. Bring the water to a simmer over high heat and turn off the heat. Let steep for ten minutes.

2. Remove the kombu from the pot and add the shiitake mushrooms. Turn the heat back up to high and bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down so the liquid simmers gently. Simmer for 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are plumped and rehydrated and have lent the broth their color and aroma.

3. Heat the oven to 400F

4. Remove the mushrooms from the pot with a spider or slotted spoon. Add the chicken to the pot. Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer. Skim and discard any froth, foam or fat that rises to the surface of the broth with the chicken is simmering and replenish the water as necessary to keep the chicken covered. After about 1 hour, test the chicken; the meat should pull away from the bones easily. If it doesn’t, simmer until that’s the case and then remove the chicken from the pot with a spider or slotted spoon.
5. While the chicken is simmering, put the pork bones on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and slide them into the oven to brown for an hour; turn them over after about 30 minutes to ensure even browning.

6. Remove the chicken from the pot and add the roasted bones to the broth, along with the bacon. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the broth at a steady simmer; skim the scum and replenish the water as needed. After 45 minutes, fish out the bacon and discard it. Then gently simmer the pork bones for 6 or 7 hours—as much time as your schedule allows. Stop adding water to replenish the pot after hour 5 or so.
7. Add the scallions, onion and carrots to the pot and simmer for the final 45 minutes.

8. Remove and discard the spent bones and vegetables. Strain the broth. You can use the broth at this point or if you are making it in advance and want to save on storage space, you can do what we do: return it to the pot, and reduce it by half over high heat, then portion out the concentrated broth into containers. It keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator and up to a few months in the freezer. When you want to use it, dilute it with an equal measure of water and reheat it on the stove.
9. Finish the broth by seasoning it to taste with salt, soy sauce and mirin. Only your taste buds can guide you as to the right amount of seasoning. Taste it and get it right. I like it so it's not quite too salty but almost. Very seasoned. Underseasoned broth is a crime.

Fiery Parsnips (Kimpira)

from Elizabeth Andoh's cookbook, Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen

I made this as part of my new years feast to celebrate 2010

Serves 4

2 or 3 parsnips, about 7 oz total weight
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sake
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
pinch of shichimi togarashi
White Sesame seeds, freshly dry-roasted for garnish (optional)

To free the parsnips of dirt or other gritty material, scrub them with the rough side of a kitchen sponge or scrape them with the back of your knife. The peel, however, is is nutritious and tasty and should not be stripped away. Slice the parsnips into narrow julienne strips about 1-1/4 inches long. You should have about 1-1/2 cups strips. spread them out on a towel to dry.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil over high heat. Add the parsnips and stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. add the sake and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until the parsnips are lightly caramelized. Add the soy sauce and continue to cook and stir for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly gone, and the parsnips are just tender and well glazed.

Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi and toss to distribute well. Remove the pan from the heat and let the parsnips cool to room temperature.

Mound in small bowls as individual portions, or serve in a single bowl, family style, and garnishw with the sesame seeds. If desired. Store leftovers in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

New Year's Salad

This salad of finely shredded daikon and carrot is accented with citrus and dried fruit and is dressed in a sweet and sour sauce. A red and white color scheme (the carrots are red, the radish is white) is often chosen for a celebratory menu in Japan. This particular dish typically graces holiday tables at the New Year and was part of my Washoku Warriors challenge for January 2010.

Serve 6 to 8

3.5 inch piece daikon, about 7 oz, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1-inch piece carrot, preferably Kyoto red carrot about 2 oz, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp freeze-dried yuzu peel, ground to a powder, or finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 small dried persimmon or 1 small dried apricot, finely shredded
1/2 sweet and sour sauce, prepared with kombu piece

Place the daikon shreds in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Allow the daikon shreds to sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to sweat. Gently toss, gradually increasing pressure with your fingertips, squeezing and pressing to wilt the daikon. Pour off any accumulated liquid and rinse the wilted daikon shreds briefly under running cold water to remove excess salt. Squeeze again. The daikon will be pliable at this point.

Place the carrot shreds in a bowl with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and let sit undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or until they begin to sweat. Gently toss, gradually increasing pressure with your fingertips, squeezing and pressing to wilt the carrot. Pour off the accumulated liquid and rinse the carrot shreds briefly under running cold water to remove excess salt. Squeeze again. The carrot will be pliable at this point.

Combine the carrots and radish in a bowl Add the yuzu peel and dried fruit and toss well to distribute Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the vegetable and fruit mixture and toss lightly. Let stand for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Or, for longer storage (up to 3 days), transfer the mixture with its sweet and sour pickling liquid to a glass jar. With clean chopsticks or another kitchen tool, press down on the mixture, making sure it is submerged in the liquid. Place the kombu piece on top before capping. Cover the jar with plastic wrap (to keep the vinegar from reacting with the metal of the lid) and a tight-fitting lid, or use a Mason jar.

Just before serving, drain the daikon and carrot mixture and discard the kombu. Gently squeeze out excess moisture.

Washoku Sweet and Sour Sauce (Amazu)

This mixture of vinegar and sugar balanced with a bit of salt is used to pickle both spicy and bland foods, helping to bring them into focus and harmony with accompanying dishes. It provides zip to mild lotus root, tames the fire of fresh ginger, and transforms sharp daikon into a pleasantly tangy side dish.

Makes 1/2 cup

1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 piece kombu, 1 inch square

Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and kombu in a small saucepan and let the kombu soak for at least 20 minutes or overnight; the soaking ensures that the natural glutamates of the kelp will mellow the sharpness of the vinegar and enhance the sweetness of the foods that will be pickled in the sauce.

Place the pan over low heat and stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt, slowly bring to just below a boil. Cook until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved, then remove from the heat and let the sauce cool in the pan before transferring it, including the kombu if you have used it, to a glass jar.

When the sauce is completely cool, cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap and then a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Sweet and Sour Lotus Root (Subasu)

Recipe from Washoku by Elizabeth Andoh that I made as part of my Washoku Warriors Challenge New Years feast for 2010

Whenever I see fresh lotus root at the market (especially small, slender, straight segments that enable me to make lots of attractive slices), I double, or even triple this recipe. Having subasu on hand in the refrigerator, I can easily dress up a salad, garnish a plate of broiled chicken or fish, or top a platter of scattered-style sushi.



Makes about 30 to 40 slices

2 cups cold water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 small segment lotus root, about 4 oz, peeled, sliced as thinly as possible, and soaked
1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce, prepared with kombu piece

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the lotus root and blanch for less than a minute, or until barely tender and slightly translucent. Meanwhile, put the Sweet-and-Sour sauce in a glass jar.

Drain the lotus root slices well but do not refresh under cold running water. Transfer them immediately to the jar holding the sweet-and-sour sauce and arrange the kombu piece on top. With clean shopstick or another kitchen tool, press down to make sure that the lotus root is submerged in the pickling liquid. Let cool to room temperature.

When completely cool, cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap (to keep the vinegar from reacting with the metal of the lid) and a tight-fitting lid, or use a Mason jar. Allow the pickled lotus root to mature in the refrigerator for at least one day. It will keep for up to several months. Just before serving, discard the kombu piece, drain the slices, and blot them with paper towels.