Sundubu Jjigae - Easy Korean Soup!

I was inspired to make this soup, as I hadn't had it in ages, and it is such a satisfying meal.  Elatia Harris was the trigger to this endeavour though, as she posted, asking a key question to this meal, do you use kochujiang (hot pepper paste) or kochugaru (Korean pepper flake)?  I prefer to use the kochugaru, as you can control the salt better, but adding a bit of the paste won't hurt either.

Sundubu Jjigae is a versatile soup, as you can add more seafood to make it a seafood soup.  I added New Brunswick Shrimp, from Gimli Fish.  PEI Mussels are also available and would work wonderfully in the soup.

Once you have all of the ingredients ready, it is very simple to prepare.  The stock takes a 20 minutes as it is simply dried anchovies, sliced radish (daikon), and kelp.  All of these ingredients are readily available at many Asian markets.  I found the dried anchovies in the cooler section at Sun Wah.

Stock:

8 large anchovies, heads removed (they snap off easily)
2 inches of daikon, peeled and thinly sliced
6" X 6" kombu (kelp)
4 cups water

In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients and cover.  Cook at medium high for 10 minutes after it comes to a boil.  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes and strain the stock.

Soup:

1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used wonderful dried garlic from Berrard Farm, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
1 tbs oil, for cooking
1/2 cup chopped bacon or pork belly
1/2 cup chopped kimchi (Also use Cook's Creek Kimchi, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs Kochugaru (red pepper flake)
1 tsp good sesame oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 square soft tofu, cubed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 egg per person (I used Nature's Farm Eggs, also available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)

Options:  chopped peppers, soybean sprouts, shrimp, mussels, firm white fish, pickerel

Mix the pepper flake and sesame oil together and set aside.

In a heavy pot, (clay pot will take a little longer, but is traditional), heat and add the cooking oil, onions and garlic.  Cook until soft and add the bacon or pork belly.  Cook until the pork is soft and no longer very pink.

Add the stock and kimchi and tofu, salt and sugar.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.   Drop an egg for each person, to poach, and add the green onions and top with the pepper flake with sesame oil.

Enjoy!  Usually served with rice. 

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Gado gado, an Indonesian Veggie dish

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders, I had the great pleasure of presenting a wonderful vegetarian Indonesian dish that really highlights seasonal vegetables and is so easy to prepare. The local vegetables are all sourced from Fresh Option Organic Delivery.


Gado gado (Indonesian peanut veggie dish)


Peanut Sauce
Makes 2 cups
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon grated ginger
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 tablespoons cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
Crushed red pepper to taste(or hot sauce)

- Put everything in a blender and puree until smooth. If it's too thick, add a little extra water.
Generously pour over steamed or sautéed veggies as listed below, placed over a bed of yellow rice (rice cooked with turmeric).

Optional veggies and toppings:

6 cups Organic Chopped Spinach
2 medium stalks Broccoli, steamed or sautéed
1 cup local Green & Wax Beans, steamed or sautéed
1 cup Red Cabbage, shredded, sautéed
3 Carrots, shredded, sautéed
12 oz Tofu, Firm, sautéed
3-6 Hard boiled eggs
4 tsp Lime Juice
3 tbsp Coconut, Unsweetened, toasted

You can enjoy this hot or cold. Add veggies as they come into season.

Enjoy!

Fiery Foods from around the world with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

(Ma Po Dofu - Sichuan tofu dish)


The other night I had the pleasure of presenting fiery foods from around the world for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy with the MLCC. Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Conservancy, presented on the flora indicated in the recipes while Sheila Nash, MLCC Product Ambassador, provided excellent beverage pairings for each dish.

1. Penne all'arrabbiata (Italian)
Paired with Highland Park (204560) $ 59.95 (With Ginger Beer)


1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
1 cup good black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 cups tomato puree
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs hot pepper flakes
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs dried basil
½ - 1 cup red wine
Salt, to taste
½ tbs brown sugar
½ cup chevre (optional)
Cooked pasta

Sauté onion until translucent. Add olives and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomato, garlic and chilies. Add red wine to desired thickness of sauce. Stir in salt and brown sugar. Mix with pasta and drop in bits of chevré.

Enjoy!

2. Jamaican Jerk Chicken and marinade
Paired with Grand Reserve Mommessin (8152) $ 13.63 and Paulaner Hefe Weissbier (577296) $2.28


1 tbs Ground Allspice
1 tbs dried Thyme
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground Sage
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs Garlic, minced
1 tbs white sugar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Soy sauce
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Orange Juice
Juice of one lime
1 Scotch bonnet pepper (habanero) *
3 green onions – finely chopped

*Optional (may try a variety of chilies)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour over scallops or chicken. Let marinade for at least 3 hours. Grill fish or meat.
Cooling agent: Beer, yoghurt, cucumber, ice cream
Enjoy!

3. Shrimp with dip (Korean)
Paired with Soju Chamjinisulro (568568) $ 10.85

1 bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish)

Blanch shrimp in boiling water until fully cooked and then cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain completely.

OR

Sauté shrimp in a drizzle of sesame oil until pink. Season with salt and white pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with the following dipping sauces:

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.


4. Ma po Dofu (Sichuan Tofu dish)
Paired with Firesteed Pinot Gris (7147) $ 17.95 and O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale (5445) $4.16

Firm Tofu - 200 gm
Fried tofu (minced) - about 75 gm (replace with minced beef for the original version) (Try Veggie ground round by Yves)
Chili bean paste - 1.5 tbsp
Peanut oil - 3 tbsp
Fermented black beans - 2 tsp
Whole Sichuan red chilies - 6-10, depending on your chili tolerance
Chicken stock or vegetable stock (unsalted) - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 large pinch
Light soy sauce - 1 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tsp mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
Sichuan peppercorns (Hwa Jiao) (ground) - 1/4 tsp
Spring onions (scallions) - chopped - 2 tbsp

Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.

Heat a wok on high heat. When it's nice and hot, add the oil. Add the minced beef (or minced fried tofu or veggie ground round) and stir-fry for about a minute on high heat. The beef should be brown on the outside but still have some cooking left.

With a spatula, move the beef to one side of the wok so the oil can drain back into the middle of the wok. Turn the heat down to medium. (If you don't, you will shortly start coughing till your lungs pop out.)

Now add the chili bean paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds. The oil should turn red. Add the fermented black beans and red chilies and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. The oil should have a nice smell from all this seasoning.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and stir it in. Then gently add the cut tofu to the liquid. Don't stir-fry this too much or the tofu could break apart. Try to hold the pan by its long handle and gently shake it back and forth.

Add the sugar and light soy sauce. Turn the heat down and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Depending on how thick the sauce is at this stage, stir in some of the corn flour-water mixture and turn up the heat to medium. The sauce should start to thicken. Add more of the mixture and cook till the sauce has the consistency slightly more runny than tomato ketchup. It should cling to the tofu nicely.

Stop the cooking at this stage; add the spring onions and mix.

Empty the dish into a hot bowl. Scatter with the powdered Sichuan peppercorns and serve.

Vegetarian Fare - Some ideas for easy preparation

Vegetarian Fare

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting a few vegetarian dishes at the Madison Square MLCC with Product Ambassador and host, Sheila Nash who presented some wonderful pairings as well.

1. Sautéed Tofu with Korean dipping sauces
Paired with Gekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake #8548 @ $6.90 and Zonin Prosecco Brut #6017 @ $13.28

4 4-ounce cakes of medium - firm tofu
3 tbs vegetable oil

Cut the tofu into rectangles or squares 3/4 inch thick. Pat dry.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place tofu in pan, careful not to overfill the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side and turn, looking for a golden colour. Cook the other side for about 3 minutes and remove from oil and place on a warmed platter with paper towels. Serve with dipping sauces

Korean dipping sauce #1


1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

Korean dipping sauce # 2

1/4 cup good soy sauce
1/4 cup Mirin
drizzle sesame oil
pinch white sugar

Mix ingredients and serve as dipping sauce for tofu and other fried foods.

Enjoy!


2. Saag Paneer
Paired with E @ J White Zinfandel #285767 @ $8.99, Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon Rose #8938 @ $10.99 and Trivento Reserve Torrontes Mendoza #9385 @ $11.95.

1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6+ cloves of garlic, peeled
1 fresh hot green chili, sliced roughly
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs "curry powder" spice blend (I make my own but several excellent ones are available commercially)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
~ 4 tbs vegetable or olive oil
6-8 cups chopped mixed greens (spinach, kale, chard, beet greens, sorrel, arugula, mustard greens, etc)
1 - 2 chopped tomatoes
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbs butter (optional)
salt, to taste
paneer (homemade or available at Dino's on Notre Dame in block or frozen)
1 tsp brown sugar

Place the ginger, garlic and green chili into a small blender with a few tablespoons of water and purée until you have a smooth paste. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and add the onion. When the onion is translucent, add the spices and cook on medium heat until the spices are soft. Then add the chopped tomato and the ginger, garlic, chili paste. When they have softened, add the greens, slowly so as to let them cook down and stir all together. Add the salt. When the greens have cooked down, add the yoghurt, butter if desired and remove from heat. Using an immersion blender or a blender, mix all of the ingredients into a purée. Return to heat and add the fried or non-fried paneer. Cook slowly with a lid so as to not have the hot vegetables bubble up and burn you.

Serve with rice or naan or other flat breads.

Enjoy!


3. Patliçan Yogürtlü
Paired with Laurus Chateauneuf De Pape Gabriel Meffre #8922 @ $51.82 and D'Alba Docetto Tenuta Carretta #8024 @ $16.50

1 lg eggplant sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Slice and salt eggplant and let sit in a bowl of cold water. If eggplant is very young, skip the step of salt and water. Rinse and squeeze out water from slices.

Mince garlic and stir into yoghurt with salt.

Sauté eggplant slices on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and let sit for a moment on a paper towel. Place on platter and top with yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle rubbed oregano and paprika over yoghurt. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with baguette slices or water crackers.

Enjoy!