Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 1lb of brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (peeled but whole)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Balsamic

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400°
  2. Prep: cut ends off and half (long ways) Brussels sprouts and peel off the limp outer leaves
  3. In a cast iron skillet heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmery
  4. Add in brussels sprouts flat side down and let them be! (Don’t move around because we want a nice brown color on the bottom of sprouts) for about two minutes
  5. Add in garlic and salt and pepper to taste (I usually go lightly with this and then try them when they are done and add more if necessary)
  6. Let flavors marry for about 4 more minutes, check to see if bottom of Brussels are brown, once they are…
  7. Put the cast iron skillet into the 400° oven
  8. Shake the brussels sprouts around every 3-ish minutes for 10-15 minutes until the sprouts are tender
  9. Take out of the oven and let rest for 2 minutes (important to let rest because we don’t want the balsamic to burn, it’ll have a really nasty bitter taste)
  10. Drizzle balsamic and shake pan around

Crab Cakes

A great recipe for simple, delicious crab cakes.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
  • 30 ritz crackers, finely crushed
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Method:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and hot sauce until smooth.
  2. In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crabmeat with the cracker crumbs. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  3. Scoop the crab mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds; lightly pack into 8 patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the crab cakes and cook over moderately high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about 3 minutes per side.
  4. Serve with tartar sauce or lemon wedges.

Dos: Use nice, fresh crab. King Crab legs have the best lump texture and are easy to pick.

Don’ts: Over-mix the crab mixture, pack the mounds tightly, skip refrigeration time.

Guacamole

  • 5 avocados
  • 1/4 onion. Very finely diced
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1/4 cup Monterey Jack Cheese. Very finely shredded.
  1. Scoop avocado halves out of their skin into bowl.
  2. Sprinkle salt on halves
  3. Sprinkle the very finely chopped onion on halves evenly
  4. With a spoon chop up and mash the avocado, not too mashed
  5. Once the onion is mixed in and evenly distributed sprinkle the shredded jack and mash and mix again.
  6. In the end you should still have chunks of avocado.

Good to go.

dont: overmix

do: chop the onion very finely.

 

 

Mussels Recipe

A simple mussels recipe, you cant go wrong.

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • Veggie options
    • 1 Fennel bulb, thinly sliced (2 if they are small)
    • 3/4 cup finely chopped kale
    • you can do either or both
  • 3 pounds mussels
  • 1. 5 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tblsp heavy cream
  •  fresh parsley, chopped
  • Saffron threads

Directions:

  • Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the fennel/ kale and shallots and work for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes all in.
  • Add the saffron threads
  • Add the wine.. work for a bit to de alcohol (1 min+)
  • taste and add a touch of salt if you want
  • Add the mussels and cover
  • After a bit, give it a shake or stir and work until all open, may be 5 minutes
  • Plate the mussels evenly in individual bowls
  • Turn heat up on the epic broth…bubble a bit (1 min+?)
  • Add a couple tablespoons of cream…. stir and take off heat
  • Drop in a couple of tablespoons of large chopped parsley
  • Evenly ladle over the plated mussels
  • quick dash of fresh lemon juice if you want (not necessary but nice touvh
  • Serve with crusty buttered toast….(u can add a pesto spread to toast)

Do: go extra on veggies

Don’t: do too much cream, let the wine be the source of love…

Ribs

Ribs with Espresso Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients
2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 to 6 ribs per person)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Espresso Sauce

Espresso Barbecue Sauce:
4 tablespoons mashed and minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 cups honey
Grey salt
2 demitasse cups espresso (or about 1/2 cup of strong coffee or instant espresso)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut each rack of ribs in half along the bone so they can be easily stacked. Lay them out on the parchment paper in which they were wrapped for easy cleanup.

Salt and pepper liberally on both sides and pat spices into the meat. Make sure to over season the ribs, because part of the rub will inevitably come off in the pan. On a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, stack the ribs close together, about 3 layers high. Place in the oven for 2 hours, shifting the bottom layer of ribs to the top every 30 minutes until they are tender and almost falling off the bone.

One half hour before serving, transfer ribs to a preheated grill (if using coals, make sure they have burnt down to an ember). Brush ribs with Espresso Sauce and close grill. Continue to turn and brush the ribs with sauce every 10 minutes, about 3 more times.

Espresso Barbecue Sauce:
Fresh ground black pepper

Mash garlic with the side of a knife and then mince finely to release oils.

Add olive oil to a preheated saute pan. Add the garlic and saute until it gets light brown, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey and stir well. Add a pinch of grey salt, then whisk in the coffee. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Leeks Risotto

Ingredients:
Leeks:
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup whipping cream

Mushrooms:
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Risotto:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Tip
White truffle oil is sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Black truffles are available at specialty foods stores and from igourmet.com. A flavorful substitute for the shaved truffles is the Truffle Gatherers Sauce

미역국 (pronounced MEE-yuck-gook).

Shout out to Jung.. (WIP)

Ingredients (should make 4-6 servings)

  • Dried anchovies. There are various sizes, but it should be the type for making broth (larger size) = pinky-ish length, 4-6 should be enough
  • “Miyuk” = dried seaweed, Multiple types/packages, but prices should range $2-$7
    Can cut after seaweed blooms if it looks excessively long
  • Clams: Soak in cold water, rinse, repeat > to clean out the sand
  • Minced garlic, 1-6 cloves, your preference, start  with 3
  • Water (more than enough to fully submerge all ingredients)
  • Salt (season to taste)
  • Splash of sesame oil (optional)
  • Splash of soy sauce (optional)
  • Chopped green onions (optional)

Directions

  1. No more than a handful of dried seaweed – soak in cold water for 15-20 mins. Drain water once the seaweed blooms. It will “grow” to be quite a bit, even if in its dry state looks to be very little.
  2. Boil water in pot. Once boiling, drop in dried anchovies. Let that boil for 3-5 minutes, then remove and throw out. Just getting the flavor.
  3. Turn down heat a bit. Add in bloomed seaweed, minced garlic, salt (if you want).
    Cover lid and boil ~15 mins.
  4. Add clams, minced garlic, splash of soy sauce (optional) – stir a few seconds.
  5. Cover lid and boil 10-15 more mins. Remove pot from heat.
  6. Taste and salt to taste
  7. (Optional) Drizzle a couple drops of sesame oil, sprinkle in chopped green onions.

Serve, eat, enjoy with a side of rice and kimchee.

Sea Bass in Saffron Cream

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Two 6- to 8-ounce fillets sea bass, skin on (if you can, not necessary)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup vermouth
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Pinch saffron
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  1. Heat a large skillet with olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
  2. Season the fillets with some salt and pepper.
  3. Place fillets in skillet and cook about 5 minutes on each side.
  4. When the fish is cooked, set aside on a plate and deglaze the pan with the vermouth
  5. Add the thyme and saffron leaving to bubble until it’s reduced by two thirds.
  6. Add remaining butter and whisk followed by the heavy cream and heat through