Pickled King Trumpet Mushrooms

Recipe adapted from Momofuku Recipes

Ingredients

For brine:

1 cup very hot tap water

1/2 cup rice-wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp powder sugar

2 1/4 tsp kosher salt

2-3 jalapeno peppers, sliced

15-20 king trumpet mushrooms

Directions

Pack mushrooms and peppers in a plastic container.

Cover with brine.

Weigh down the ingredients with a small plate.

Ready in 24 hours!

Saved some for my parents. :-)

Chicken and Rice with Fresh Chorizo

I'm off to Peru for 12 days in mid-September. Thought I would get my belly ready for the trip by introducing some South American flavors created by a Peruvian chef, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino 

serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 links fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage
4 whole chicken legs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup dry white wine
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

Directions
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the chorizo, cover and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until richly browned and just cooked through, 10 minutes; transfer to a plate. Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper and add them to the casserole, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the chorizo.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the casserole. Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Add the turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the wine and boil over high heat until almost evaporated, 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Return the chorizo and chicken to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until coated with oil. Stir in 5 cups of the chicken cooking liquid into the rice. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat, stirring often, until the rice is just tender and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid, about 25 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions, cilantro and jalapeño and warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut each chorizo link into 3 pieces and return them to the casserole. Gently reheat the chicken and chorizo. Spoon the rice onto large plates and top with the chorizo pieces and chicken. Spoon some of the remaining cooking liquid on top and serve.

Saturday Night Bapsang

*Bistro 6*

Shrimp Ceviche

Chicken & Rice with Chorizo

Magno Sorbet with Lemon Pudding

Perilla Leaf Tofu Jun (깻잎두부전)

Pan-fried perilla leaves stuffed with tofu, shiitake mushroom, carrots, and corn.

Perilla leaves from my mom's garden. :-)

Lightly flour each leaf.  Place a spoonful of the tofu stuffing.  (Season the stuffing with soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt & white pepper.)  Fold it into a triagle and dip into egg wash.

 Pan fry over medium low heat.

Fabulous Focaccia

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence's Fabulous Focaccia

Yields 1 loaf
Ingredients
2 teaspoons rapid-rising dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting

Toppings:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
5 Spanish olives, pitted and quartered
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

Directions
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, proof the yeast by combining it with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand 3 minutes until foam appears. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour to the bowl. Dissolve salt in 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the mixture. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold over itself a few times. Form the dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn't form a skin. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise over a gas pilot light on the stovetop or other warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and corn meal. Once the dough is doubled and domed, turn it out onto the counter. Roll and stretch the dough out to an oblong shape about 1/2-inch thick. Lay the flattened dough on the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, coat a small saute pan with olive oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the onions caramelize. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover the dough and dimple with your fingertips. Brush the surface with more olive oil and then add caramelized onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Bake on the bottom rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tea Rice (차 밥)

Mao Cha Rice

Brew a handful of tea leaves in warm water.  Save the tea leaves.

Use the freshly brewed tea to cook the rice.

Once the rice is cooked, add the tea leaves and mix well.

Fresh Pasta

Fresh Pasta with Ragu Bolognese

Recipe adapted from Alice Waters & Mario Batali

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups of flour, unbleached & oranic

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs.

Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands.  Sprinkle with water if the dough is crumbly. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead and dust your board with flour when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 60 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired.

Wednesday Night Bapsang

*Bistro 6*

July 13, 2011 Menu

Green Beans & Carrots tossed with Homemade Pesto

Homemade Pappardelle with Ragu Bolognese 

Oprah's Moscow Mule

Homemade Pesto

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Directions
Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.