Wordless Wednesday #111: Supper Club, Vanessa
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| Olive-Oil Poached Halibut - parsley-fennel-vermouth broth, pickled asparagus, braised leek, spicy walnut crumble |
Showing posts with label beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beef. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Wordless Wednesday #107: El Gastronomo Vagabundo Dinner Party
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| Asparagus Salad - poached quail eggs, candied bacon, pickled turnip, tarragon emulsion, dukkah |
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Rare Roast Beef en Choux
My friend Joel hosted his annual Meatluck this past weekend. His meatluck parties are always a bonanza of an evening, and any meat-lover and first-rate carnivore will find themselves in Heaven for just one night. The rules? Simple. Bring a dish that contains meat in it, no matter what course you're assigned. Yes, even dessert.
I've been to the previous two Meatlucks (you can read about them here and here). The dishes and the course you're assigned may always be different. But you're always guaranteed the same thing: fantastic, creative foods, LOTS of food, flowing wine, great company amongst fabulous friends, old and new, and a wicked meat hangover the next day.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wordless Wednesday #62: Holy Chuck Burgers
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wordless Wednesday #48: Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. White!
Not completely wordless this week. For those who follow my tweets, you may know that I was at the wedding of my good friend this past weekend. It was a beautiful day, and I'd just like to say congratulations to my friends! I'm so happy for them! Don't they make a beautiful couple below?
It wasn't my intention to take pictures of the dinner, sitting at the head table and all, but they turned to me and asked if I was going to take pictures and put them up. So here they are... Quite good for a wedding, I must admit. That chocolate mousse dessert was divine, although I couldn't finish it because I was so full by that point! And I never did make my way to the midnight buffet table. Congratulations again to the happy couple!)
Monday, March 14, 2011
Apricot-Mustard Glazed Corned Beef
Ah...St. Patrick's Day. When we celebrate all things Irish—Guinness, green beer, shamrocks, Irish cream. And corned beef. I haven't had corned beef in a long, long time and suddenly had a craving for it. And what better time to make it than right around St. Patrick's Day?
I took a shortcut and bought my corned beef from the market, which already came pre-packaged with the spices. Some butchers will pack the spices separately so that you can choose not to use it if you don't want to. I decided to just throw everything, beef and spices, into my dutch oven.
Friday, October 22, 2010
French Fridays with Dorie: Hachis Parmentier
This week's French Fridays with Dorie challenge was Hachis Parmentier, a french version of shepphard's pie. How can one go wrong when meat and potatoes can together so nicely in one dish? This dish certainly doesn't disappoint, with its rich, meaty filling, creamy potato mash and cheesy topping.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Let's Get Meat-Crazy!
It sure was a lucky evening last night, to be in the presence of so many fabulous people and delicious food. When I was invited to the Meatluck—a meat-centric potluck that was organized and hosted by the wonderful Joel Solish (@foodie411), I was extremely excited. How could I say no to great company and good food?
I mean, just feast your eyes on a small sample of the menu… Beth’s beef brisket with green pea puree and horseradish on chips.
Friday, August 22, 2008
A Taste of Japan
August has been quite a busy month for me as I prepare for my big move, which also explains the lack of updates around here. From packing, to moving, to finalizing the little details, I haven't found much time to play around in the kitchen. However, it was time to get back into the kitchen for a break yesterday, where we prepared a simple and easy Japanese dinner.
I used to think eels were disgusting and ugly (and if one needs to be reminded of this impression, please go watch Disney's The Little Mermaid again ^^). Well, to be honest, my opinion of them hasn't really changed much, but I do have a different perspective from a culinary perspective. Eel isn't a particular favourite in our family, mostly because my brother and I weren't such fans of it as children, and neither was my father, who disliked the fact that eel meat is riddled with many tiny, pin-like bones. The bones are indeed an annoyance, and can be a major turn-off to eating it. However, I've come to really like kabayaki-style unagi, filleted eel that is brushed with an incredibly delicious, sweet soy sauce-based glaze before being broiled on the grill and sometimes finished off with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Incredibly popular in Japan, it is often simply served over a bowl of steamed white rice, or made into hand-shaped sushi. We ended up rolling some into some sushi rolls, along with some cucumber and rolled egg. As Ross of Friends said, feel the power of unagi!
While my mom also fried off some Agedashi Tofu, deep-fried silken tofu that is topped off with bonito flakes, I also made Beef Tataki, seared raw beef. A thick piece of beef is seared in a hot pan on all sides until brown before the heat is turned off, then a bit of sake and soy sauce is sprinkled over the beef. The beef is then immediately covered by a lid and is cooked for another 5 to 7 minutes (depending on the thickness) on low heat. I probably could have taken my steak off the pan 2 minutes earlier, but despite being a little more overdone than what I would have liked, it was still delicious. The savoury glaze from the soy sauce and sake goes so nicely with silkiness of the meat. I can only imagine what this dish would be like with a glass of sake to go along with it!
Lastly, I made chawanmushi, a classic, traditional steamed savoury egg custard. The eggs are stirred with soy sauce, sake (or mirin) and dashi stock added as flavourings, and usually consists of such fillings as gingko nuts, shiitake mushrooms, kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), shrimp and/or chicken. It looks lovely when you set some spring onions and some coloured kamaboko, cut into cute flower shapes, into the top layer of the custard. Our own pantry was a bit lacking, so we only used the white kamaboko, along with some shrimp and shiitake as fillings. Furthermore, we didn't have the traditional chawanmushi cups, which resembles Chinese tea cups with lids, so we steamed them in ramekins instead (and it works just as well!). The custard was extremely smooth, soft and extremely light. A great treat to end the evening!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Summer Grillin', Korean Style
I have a confession to make: I actually enjoy going grocery shopping. That can't be said for many people, who find the weekly chore tedious, and despite the necessity to stock up on kitchen staples, begrudgingly make the trip to the grocery store and back in as little time as possible. However, I love going to the grocery store, my list in hand, and if I have a bit more time that day to spare, to spend a few extra minutes browsing the aisles to see what new products they have in stock, or come across a special sale.
Therefore, I was excited when my mom came across a Korean supermarket and suggested we visit it during our trip to Toronto last week. I was absolutely in for it. I think a great way to learn about different cultures is through their cuisine, so my mom and I have always been fascinated by supermarkets and grocers of all kinds: Italian, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Korean...the list goes on. Every time I go to a new cultural supermarket, I feel like a kid again on a field trip: there's always something new to see and learn.
The Galleria Supermarket is similar to the Chinese supermarket we frequent when in the GTA area, T&T, with the obvious fact that everything here is Korean. The supermarket boasts a food court which serves traditional Korean, Korean-Chinese, and Japanese dishes. It also has a wide variety of already prepared hot meals and snacks, and makes tofu on-site. The meat and seafood selection also boasts a large variety and is extremely fresh, while you can head over to the banchan station to try almost two dozen different sidedishes.
Naturally, we ended up picking up a bunch of things up while at the Galleria as I started to plan for a Korean barbecue dinner for later in the week when we returned home. I ended up making two classic Korean barbecue dishes: Galbi (갈비), grilled beef short ribs, and Samgyeopsal (삼겹살), grilled pork belly (pictured above).
I was lucky enough to have the chance to experience a true Korean barbecue meal two years ago during my trip to Seoul, and it was unlike any Korean barbecue meal you'll ever experience in a North American restaurant. Firstly, North American Korean grill houses are always, always heavy on meat, a reflection on the more carnivorous diet of North Americans. Meat is quite expensive in Korea, and is consumed in small portions. What I found the most interesting too is that they'll often wrap a piece of grilled meat in a lettuce leaf with some rice, garlic, ssamjang, alson with some grilled kimchi or other grilled vegetables. Not only does this help cut through the greasiness of the meat, but you also end up eating a lot less meat overall, and you get a balance of both your proteins and your greens.
I've come to love the way Koreans eat their grilled meat, and always wrap my meat in lettuce whenever I get the chance. With the discovery of the Korean supermarket, I was finally able to get my hands on some perilla leaves (pictured above) to try out, which is also a very common leaf used to wrap meat with. Perilla leaves has a really distinct flavour, reminiscent to basil and mint and thus, adds a really interesting flavour to the grilled meat. I love wrapping a piece of meat with some white rice, grilled sweet potato (the purple skinned, yellow flesh variety), grilled mushrooms (we grilled King Oyster mushrooms this time), some grilled green onions and sliced garlic cloves, a dab of homemade ssamjang and a slice of cucumber, a refreshing touch, in a piece of lettuce and perilla leaf (pictured below). Koreans often eat these lettuce wraps in one bite, so good luck trying to stuff the package into your mouth!
Besides buying some banchan (sidedishes) at the supermarket, including Ggakdugi (radish kimchi), Miyeok Joolgi (seasoned seaweed), Myolchi Bokeum (seasoned dried anchovies) and the staple on every Korean table, Kimchi, I also made some Pyogo Bohsot (stir-fried shiitake mushrooms), Sukju Namul Muchim (seasoned mung bean sprouts), and Ojingeochae Bokkeum (stir-fried dried squid strips) to accompany the grilled meat, rice and lettuce wraps.
I also picked up some fresh rice cakes at the supermarket and stir-fried them a few nights ago in two different ways: one in a sweet & spicy sauce, and the other in a savoury sauce. The sweet & spicy sauce, known as Ddeokbokki (떡볶이) is the more commonly eaten dish in Korea, and can be found all over the streets of Seoul at street vendors. While in Seoul, I often saw groups of people standing around these carts and vendors, a toothpick or wooden chopsticks in hand with a bowl of this bright red concoction, poking away at these soft and chewy rice cakes. The other version I made is made with soy sauce, and is also quite delicious. That version is known as Gungjung Ddeokbokki, which translates into something like "Royal Rice Cake"
It's definitely been a culinary adventure these past few days, as I've been absorbed in learning more about Korean cuisine, and enjoy their food. It's a fun (and delicious!) way to learn about a different culture, and I strongly urge you to do the same when you some free time on your hands. Check out a cultural grocer and supermarket, and have fun with the new and unfamiliar ingredients you'll come home with next time!
Galbi (Grilled Beef Short Ribs)
Adapted from TriFood.com
Serves 4, or 2 very generous portions
8-10 beef short ribs, cut LA style
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 Asian pear or 1/4 Korean pear, chopped **
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp juice of ginger (or finely grated, using a fine microplane grater)
Rinse meat under cold water. Dry wet paper towel and set aside.
In a food processor, add the chopped onion and pear and puree finely. Pour mixture out into a large, nonreactive bowl and add the remaining ingredients; stir.
Add the ribs into the bowl, and mix to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the ribs for 8-10 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Alternatively, place the ribs into a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the ribs. Seal the bag, massage the ribs a little and place the bag into the fridge.
Traditionally, galbi is grilled with wood charcoal, but you can certainly grill it on a gas stove, indoor electric grill or an outdoor grill. They cook fairly fast, about 2-3 minutes on one side.
Serve with lettuce, perilla leaves (if available), spring onions, sliced garlic cloves, cucumbers sliced lengthwise, ssamjang, and white rice, if desired.
**N.A. If you can't find either Asian pear or Korean pear, you can substitute 1/2 a kiwi for the pear. The pear juice actually acts as a meat tenderizer, but the kiwi fruit does the same trick. Using pear juice or kiwi juice will ensure that you'll have beautifully tender short ribs after being grilled, rather than trying to chew on stringy and tough beef.
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