Tag: Pasta

  • Korean Style Arrabbiata Sauce

    Korean Style Arrabbiata Sauce

    “Fusion” Korean-Italian dishes aren’t unique in Korea but they’re often quite pretentious. Pasta dishes in general still convey a “luxurious” image in Korea and this somehow justifies the often exorbitant prices in restaurants for Italian dishes (with their names italicized on the menu for added effect).

    Arrabbiata sauce, however, is an inexpensive and common spicy sauce in Italian cooking with arrabbiata literally meaning “angry” and referring to the dish’s heat. The dish is a simple one that traditionally uses ingredients such as tomatoes, basil, garlic and crushed red peppers. In Korean cooking, kimchi, pork belly, perilla leaves (“kkaetnip”) and red pepper paste (gochujang) are common ingredients so I experimented with a swapping to make this hybrid dish. It’s Italian arrabbiata meets a Korean pork belly wrap.

    I don’t claim it to be a glorified version of anything. It’s just something that simply came out of wanting the best of both worlds for a humble meal.

     

    DSC065614

     

    Korean Style Arrabbiata Sauce

    Makes 4 servings

     

    You’ll need:

    • 1 1/2 cup of Penne pasta

    • 1 cup of ripened Kimchi (chopped)

    • 2 Garlic cloves (minced or sliced)

    • 6 Perilla leaves (sliced into strips)

    • 1 stalk of Green Onion

    • 1 tbsp of Red Pepper Paste (Gochujang or 고추장)

    • 150g of Pork Belly or Bacon

    • 1 28 oz can (about 3.5 cups) of Crushed Tomato or Tomato Sauce (If you have a can of Whole Tomatoes, give it a whirl in a blender before adding)

    • 2 tbsp of Olive Oil

    • 1/2 a medium sized Onion, sliced (optional)

    • 1 cup of sliced mushrooms, sliced (optional)

    • Parmesan Cheese for sprinkling (optional)

    • Red Chili Flakes for sprinkling (optional)

     

    1. Cook your pasta in salted boiling water until al dante. Drain and set aside when done.

     

    1. Meanwhile, wash your veggies and cut them as needed. Perilla leaves should be cut into strips, green onion stalk chopped, garlics minced or sliced (depending on your preference). I chose to slice and add some mushroom and onions for added nutrients.

     

    Chop your ripened kimchi, and slice your pork belly (or bacon) into thin slices. If you like bigger, chewier cuts of meat in your pasta, cut accordingly.

     

    DSC065472

    Diced, chopped, sliced and ready to go

     

    1. Add just a tad bit of olive oil to your pan on medium high heat. The bacon or pork belly will release a lot of fat on its own. Stir for a minute or two before adding the garlic. Stir for another minute. If the pan is too hot make sure to lower your heat temporarily as you don’t want to burn your garlic.

     

    DSC065482

    I had bacon on hand, but pork belly should work fine too

     

    1. Add your chopped kimchi to the pan, stir and cook for a minute.

     

    DSC065492

     

    1. Add your onions and mushroom (or other vegetables) if you choose to add them. Cook until the onions begin looking translucent.

     

    DSC065522

    The onions and mushrooms are optional and added just for nutrient benefits

     

    1.  Add in your green onions and perilla leaves, stir and cook for a minute and then add your tomato paste/sauce. Give it a mix, add the red pepper paste and then mix and cook on medium heat (uncovered) for approximately 6-10 minutes so all the flavors from the pork, garlic, perilla, etc, all incorporate together.

     

    DSC065531

    Instead of basil, we’re giving it a Korean twist with perilla leaves and green onion

     

    DSC065562

    Crushed tomato sauce or pasta sauce works fine

     

    DSC065572

    Red pepper paste for the Korean heat

     

    1. When the sauce has slightly thickened and finished cooking, turn off the heat. Add in your cooked penne and gently stir so all the sauce thoroughly coats the pasta.

     

    DSC06560

     

     

    1. Serve the pasta immediately and add Parmesan cheese, chili powder flakes to your liking.

     

    DSC065616

     

  • Nous, c’est le vrai gout, le slow-food : Sauce Camembert-Doenjang (Miso)

    Nous, c’est le vrai gout, le slow-food : Sauce Camembert-Doenjang (Miso)

      IMG_0025

    Un des avantages du slow-food est son côté « fast ». Ce sont les aliments fermentés qui en sont doués.
    Capables de fournir instantanément du goût subtile et profond, ils sont nos soldats d’élite de saveur prêts à intervenir à tout moment et efficacement. Nous pouvons compter sur eux pour rendre gouteuses nos cuisines. Les vinaigres, les produits de soja fermenté ou les produits de la mer fermentés, les fromages, les vins et les kimchi sont de bons exemples. En les employant savamment, mais en toute simplicité, on obtient des plats savoureux comme si on y a beaucoup travaillé.

    IMG_0032

    IMG_0037

    Ce qui est le cas de ces délicieuses Pâtes à la sauce camembert-doenjang.
    Épargnez-moi du devoir de décrire son goût aussi généreux que raffiné, aussi complexe que tout simplement bon, et sa longueur de goût qui ne finit pas de solliciter les papilles, j’en serais pas capable. Je peux simplement témoigner que le camembert ne dérange absolument pas ceux qui adore le soja fermenté, le soja fermenté ne dérange absolument pas ceux qui adore le camembert. La bonne surprise ici, ces deux aliments, nonobstant le caractère fort de chacun, ne se confrontent pas, mais se boostent en synergie tout en s’infiltrant aisément comme s’ils se connaissaient bien depuis toujours. Le mariage est parfait, on finit vite l’assiette avec beaucoup de bénédiction.
    Mes pâtes étaient prêtes en 10min, ma langue a une mémoire vive encore son incroyable longueur en bouche. Un plat du rapport efficacité-temps imbattable.

    pasta sauce camembert doenjang 1

    Avec Gochugaru, poudre de piment coréen

    Le Denjang, pâte de soja fermenté coréen, utilisé dans cette recette est de 100% soja, ayant le goût plus corsé par rapport au Miso, pâte fermentée japonaise, fabriquée avec des céréales et du soja, qui a le goût sucré. Il peut être remplacée par le mame miso (100% soja) ou le hacho miso, pâte de caractère prononcé.
    Pour la sauce moins caractéristique et plus sucrée, le miso blanc ferait l’affaire. Selon votre gout, vous pouvez ajuster la proportion de camembert et doenjang.

  • Gochujang Pasta

    Gochujang Pasta

    Gochujang (고추장) is one of Korea’s most important “mother sauces.” It is the backbone of many popular recipes: 닭갈비 dakgalbi, 김치찌개 kimchi jjigae and 떡볶이 tteokbokki. It’s also used to make 쌈장 ssamjang, the quintessential barbecue condiment.

    gochujangpasta111

    Gochujang‘s fermented yet sweet demeanor can also add some spicy backbone to your favorite marinara meat sauce.

    Take note with this recipe: The sauce-to-pasta ratio is more Italian than American. Americans like lots of sauce on their pasta. Italians prefer lots of pasta for their sauce. This recipe leans towards the Italian style.

  • Kimchi Dakgalbi

    Kimchi Dakgalbi

    Korean barbecue depends on the quality of the marinade. Diners might not have the well-trained sense of a sommelier, but they will detect a difference even if they can’t identify exactly which ingredient they are noticing in a good or bad way.

    There are two basic styles of marinades: acidic or enzymatic. Commonly used acidic marinades include citrus juice, such as orange or lemon juice, vinegar or wine. Enzymatic marinades include papaya or pineapple purees. The marinade’s jobs are to enrich the flavor of the meat and, depending on the cut, help tenderize it.

    Herbs, oils and spices in the marinade tag along for the ride.

    This particular marinade depends on the acid of the kimchi to flavor the chicken before grilling.

    For many cravers of Korean cuisine, the word 닭갈비 dakgalbi is associated with commonly called 춘천 닭갈비 Chuncheon dakgalbi, a stir-fried dish of diced chicken with large rice noodles, cabbage, and sweet potato. Although dakgalbi is simpler than Chuncheon’s iconic variation, it’s very tasty in its own right.

    There was enough sauce that I decided to serve it as a pasta sauce rather than on top of rice. It worked surprising well.

    Inspired by Eueueunji

     

  • Creamy linguine with leeks, corn and sesame leaves

    Creamy linguine with leeks, corn and sesame leaves

    Leekandsesameleaflinguine1

    A recipe for creamy fettuccine with leeks, corn and arugula near the back of the June 2010 edition of Real Simple magazine could have been written by one of those corn-obsessed Korean foodies.

    Koreans try to sneak corn in everything: pizza, potato salad and even ice cream. Nutritiondata.com reports that one cup of corn kernels provides 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Is there a hidden anemia epidemic to explain the kernel corn craze?

    So the cup of those ubiquitous sweet corn kernels already gave this recipe Korean moxie, as did replacing the arugula with sesame leaves.

    Here’s my spin on the Real Simple recipe:

    1 pound linguine (I use high-protein pasta by Dreamfields to reduce the glycemic level of this meal.)
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 leeks (white and light green parts, thinly sliced)
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    1 cup corn kernels
    1/2 cup dry white wine (use drinkable wine, not cooking wine)
    1 cup sesame leaves, julienned
    3/4 cup heavy cream
    1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
    salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper)

    1. Rinse the sliced leeks to make sure there’s no dirt between the layers.
    2. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
    3. Heat the olive oil in skillet on medium high heat.
    4. Add leeks, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and cook for approximately three to four minutes, stirring occasionally until they are tender.
    5. Add the corn and wine. Allow to simmer for two to three minutes until the corn is tender.
    6. Add the cream and stir in.
    7. At this point, add the pasta and season with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and stir to combine.
    8. Fold in the sesame leaves and sprinkle with the grated pecorino just before serving.