Bulgogi - Beef Korean Style

This is probably one of my all time favorite dishes from growing up. It is the kind of comfort food that brings me right back to my childhood. I remember when my mother used to cook this, the smell would perfume the entire house, and every minute I had to wait to eat was torture! I'm salivating just thinking about it.

I thought that it was just me (and probably every other Korean child) that loved this dish, but it isn't so. When I made this for SB for the first time, he couldn't get enough of it. I believe the words out of his mouth were "I could eat this every day for the rest of my life!"

But without further ado here it is:

• 2 lbs of beef sliced into thin strips against the grain (any cut of your choice is fine - obviously the more tender of a cut the better but you don't have to go crazy)
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Mirin
• 1/4 cup of beef broth (or water is fine too)
  
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (or ground through microplane)
• 3 cloves of minced garlic (or ground through microplane)
• 1 small onion julienned
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 diced green onions
  

In a mixing bowl combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, Mirin, beef broth (or water), ginger and garlic and toss the beef strips in the marinade and set aside. In a frying saute the julienned onion in olive oil. When the onions are translucent, turn up the heat to high, and all the entire beef marinade mixture. Cook until the beef is cooked through. The cooking times will vary depending on how hot the pan is and how thinly sliced the beef is. Turn the heat off and as a finishing touch sprinkle the green over the top and it's ready to be served. I will generally served with over brown rice with a side of kimchi. In Korea no meal is complete without a side of kimchi :).

Happy eating!!

J

Herb Goodness

A few nights ago SB came home from a dinner with a couple of leftover steaks. I happen to be a big fan of leftovers because it cuts the cooking time in at least a half but not necessarily the flavor!

The steaks SB brought home were rare. Here is what I did: I placed them on a cookie sheet, in the oven, with a dollop of butter on each steak, for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, flipped them 5 minutes into it (for a medium temperature). I let them rest for 10 minutes and then sliced them on a diagonal. (Remember the steaks he brought home were already precooked and preseasoned. If the steaks were raw I would have seasoned them first with salt and pepper then seared them in a very hot pan, preferably a cast iron skillet, for a couple of minutes on each side and then finished them in the oven in the above manner. Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the steak.) The butter definitely helps to add a little flavor but to kick it up a few notches I drizzled some of my Herb Goodness on top of the sliced steak.

Herb Goodness:

• 1/2 cup of parsley
• 1 bunch or 3/4 cup of chive
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Put parsley, chive, garlic, salt in food processor. Turn the processor on and drizzle the olive oil in. Taste for flavor and you are done! How easy is that??!! Add it on the steak right before you serve it and you are golden!! It's so simple, so beautiful! I strongly believe that food does not have to be complicated in order to taste good.

You can add a variety of different herbs to this goodness to adjust it to your flavor palette to make it your own. Occasionally, I like to add some cilantro and jalapeno if I have it around, to put a little Latin spin on it. But by no means do I miss it if I omit it. Really, you can use any combination of herbs you like.

Being in the height of the grilling season you can use the Herb Goodness, as a marinade as well. All you have to do is add ¼ cup of lemon juice and the juice of half a lime. It is super delicious with pork tenderloin, chicken or shrimp. But don’t limit yourself to just meats! Brush it on the veggies of your choice and throw it on the grill – YUMMY!!!! Take ¼ cup of Herb Goodness add 2 tablespoon of lemon juice and use it as a salad dressing. Or throw it on pasta with some grilled chicken. DELISH!!!!

Once you taste this scrumptious Herb Goodness you will find a multitude of ways to use it.

Happy eating!!!

J