Korean Beef

My friend and co-worker Stacy J gave me this Korean Beef recipe.  My family loves this sweet and spicy favourite, so as a treat, I no longer reduce the Brown Sugar/Honey.

Basically it’s 1 part Soy: Sugar: Water with Garlic, grated Onion, lots of Black Pepper and Sesame Seed Oil.

I’ve added Ginger, Cilantro and some heat.  Sometimes a shot of Fish Sauce.  Of course,  I sub out Soya Sauce with either San-J Organic Sodium-Reduced Tamari, Coconut Liquid Aminos or Bragg’s GF All Purpose Liquid Soy Seasoning.

You can buy the LA cut of Beef Short Ribs at Asian stores such as H-Mart or TNT Supermarket.  Beautiful marbling ! But if you’re on a budget like us, we use tough ol’ Blade Steak, a whole warehouse pack and use a whole mashed Kiwi.  Throw surplus Kiwi in the freezer for this purpose.   It’s got to be Green because a co-worker of mine used Yellow Kiwis and they’re still chewin’ on it ! No Kiwi on hand try Pineapple…some Koreans use grated Apple or Pear too.

Occasionally, I’ll strain and boil up the marinade, then thicken with Tapioca Starch Slurry.  If you’re not avoiding Corn like me, Cornstarch works better.

 

Sean’s Spaghetti Sauce

Sean started making this family favorite soon after he moved into my Richmond condo.  They’re both Keepers…we eloped a couple years later in 1994.

We have fond memories of us and another newlywed couple watching the Canucks vs. the Bruins in the Stanley Cup final during our St. Kitts honeymoon. Too bad the other bride wasn’t a hockey fan !  

I’ve made some minor tweaks to this easy recipe.  I add Hot Peppers on hand and skip the Cheddar. I don’t like the orange colour or the extra fat. Sean’s Spaghetti Sauce is easily used for Lasagna, just add extra Italian Seasonings, a bit of ground Fennel and chopped Sausage.  Layer your Lasagna pan with sauce, GF bake ready lasagna noodles, sauce, cottage/ricotta cheese mixture containing pesto sauce and egg, grated Mozzarella and repeat a few more times.  Top with homemade Béchamel sauce or GF Alfredo sauce.  Top with more grated cheese and parmesan.  Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Simply turn out a great Chili by making Sean’s Spaghetti Sauce.  Then add 2-3 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1 can of drained and rinsed Red Kidney Beans, Mixed Beans and/or Brown Beans, 1-2 Tsp Cocoa and more chopped Hot Peppers.

To make this recipe even better…use fresh ORGANIC GARLIC !  It’s a difference-maker.

 

Umami Burgers with Pickled Radishes and Miso Mayonnaise

Tired of the same old, same old hamburger ?  I’ve merged these two recipes to make our Go To Burger, Umami Burgers

Korean BBQ Hamburgers with Pickled Radishes and Miso Mayonnaise (PDF) plus the Shiitake Mushrooms, Cilantro, Chinese Five Spice found in the Gluten-Free Asian Beef Burger with Tomato-Garlic Jam (PDF) then added a bit of heat and a dash of Fish Sauce, UMAMI! Note there is no MSG.  These are great on gfJules Hamburger Buns or Rebecca’s GF  Buttermilk HB Buns.  No time to proof yeast raised buns ?  Try these GF Hamburger-Sandwich Buns

Short Cuts:  I love burgers and have them for lunch whenever there aren’t any leftovers to eat. When I’m in a hurry, I grab a grass-fed beef patty from the freezer, quickly sear then top with some carmelized balsamic onions and sautéed mushrooms.  I split a GF Potato HB Bun (from the Healthy Monkey Cafe) and dress with unsalted butter, Chipotle Dressing*, Miso Mayo* and Dalla Terra Mediterranean Antipasto.  Pop it in the oven until warm and crispy. Place the patty and vegetables on the bun, garnish with sliced avocado and carmelized red pepper.  My version of a Triple-O burger.

*For quick plating, I pour the homemade condiments in a squeeze bottle.  Make small amounts as it gets runny in the fridge.  No time to measure ? just spread Miso Paste sparingly on the bun and squirt some Sriracha on top, mayo and hot dog relish on the other side.

Pickled Eggs Galore

It all started at Costco, I saw this humungous jar of 24 Strub’s Pickled Eggs made with Vinegar, Water and Sugar…for 12 bucks WoW!  I remember seeing these rubbery treats at bars too.  Intrigued, I found Elise Bauer’s recipe and tried 3 of the 4 variations.

My FAV is combining the Curry and the Jalapeno recipes together.  The hard part is waiting a week for the flavours to penetrate into the egg…the easy part is reusing the brine for a second batch.  Click on this Pickled Eggs Galore PDF to see the five versions.

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Olive Warrior, she thinks this treat is Da Bomb !

Sweet and Sour Pork III

1000 folks tried Sweet and Sour Pork III on AllRecipes.com and I agree with their high rating.  There’s quite a few steps but it’s worth the effort.  To healthify it, I only use enough Oil in a PFOA-free pan to sear the Pork.   I add more colourful veggies and replace some of the Sugar with Erythritol and Green Stevia…no one was the wiser.

If you like umami, add a touch of Fish Sauce when seasoning the meat.  For more heat, add minced Jalapeno Pepper.

Serve over Chinese Rice Pilaf, garnish with toasted Sesame Seeds and Cilantro.

Curried Beef Stew

The original Curried Beef Stew is based on GLICO curry paste.  The revised GF version uses a heaping tablespoon each of Thailand’s Nam Jai Matsuman red and green curry paste.  Simply sear Beef cubes that have been dredged in seasoned Flour.  Then place it in a crock pot.  Saute vegetables, add curry paste, plus other curry seasonings on hand and deglaze the pan with a bit of stock.  Add a can of Coconut Milk to your mixture and pour over the Beef. Several hours later you’ve got tender morsels of comfort food.  Serve over Chinese Pilaf and garnish with Cilantro.

For chicken, you can sear or broil pieces with or without the skin. Simmer the stew in a frying pan or dutch oven for 30 minutes or until tender.

Note:  Full fat Coconut Milk is good for you, but can always use low fat versions.  Another option is to place cans of Coconut Milk in the fridge ahead of time.  You can reserve the creamy fat that rises to the top for New Roots Herbal’s Salted Caramel Frosted Brownies and use the de-fatted liquid for your stew.  Voila !

 

Black Bean Chicken

Black Bean Drumsticks

Black Bean Chicken offers a really unique taste from a very simple marinade.   You can find these pungent, fermented Beans at oriental grocers or in the international section of your big chain stores.  Both brands below are under 4 bucks.  A little goes a long way.

Black Bean Drumsticks

You can go with the basics:  Chicken Legs, Black Beans, Tamari, Green Onions, Garlic & Ginger OR go all out and add Sesame Seed Oil, Fish Sauce, Cilantro, Citrus Zest and Heat – Jalapenos or Chili Flakes.

BlackBeanChickenIngredients

Korean BBQ Hamburgers with Pickled Radishes and Miso Mayonnaise

 

Korean BBQ Hamburgers with Pickled Radishes and Miso Mayonnaise

Tired of the same old, same old hamburger ?  This Korean version has unique flavor combinations with sour pickled veggies and salty-sweet-spicy Miso Mayonnaise. Try this Panning the Globe Cooking Light 2007 recipe link or Korean BBQ Hamburgers with Pickled Radishes and Miso Mayonnaise (PDF)

I love burgers and have them for lunch whenever there aren’t any leftovers to eat. When I’m in a hurry, I grab a grass-fed beef patty from the freezer, quickly sear with some sliced onions and mushrooms.  I split a GF Potato HB Bun (from the Healthy Monkey) and dress with Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Chipotle Dressing*, Miso Mayo* and Dalla Terra Mediterranean Antipasto.  Pop it in the oven until warm and crispy. Place the patty and sauteed vegetables on the bun, garnish with sliced avocado.  My version of a Triple-O burger.

*For quick plating, I pour the homemade condiments in a squeeze bottle.