Korean Beef Bulgogi

Recipe taken from Damndelicious.net

I cooked this 2-3 weeks ago, so don't remember all the details.

I used 1 thing of boneless rib eye steak (don't remember the poundage) and chicken.  

Didn't use the prime rib as it was very expensive and since marinating the meat....

Doubled the recipe (except for the brown sugar) for the extra meat, since also using the chicken for my lunches.

Marinated steak and chicken together so was a bit of a pain to separate to cook steak separate.

Ingredients:

-1.5 lbs boneless rib eye steak (+1.5 lbs chicken)

-1 small pear - peeled and coarsely grated (cuinsarted)

-1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (probably could have used a little less)

-2 TBSP brown sugar (orig was 4)

-4 TBSP sesame oil (probably used less)

-6 cloves garlic, minced

-2 TBSP freshly grated ginger

-2 TBSP gochujang, Korean red pepper paste (just used the spice)

Veggies: broccoli, yellow onion, bell pepper, and zucchini

Garnish: green onions, toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Freeze steak for 30 min. Slice across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices

2. Combine pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and gochujang --> marinate meat

3. Grill steak 2 min per side

4. Cook chicken and set aside

5. Cook veggies in pan briefly and add the juice from the chicken into pan to cook with veg

6. Garnish green onions and toasted sesame seeds

Steak

I am trying to get good at making steak. 

I got these tips from reddit post and modified a little.

Directions:

1. Heat pan to med-high heat

2. Dry steak with paper towel and salt

3. Sear one side for about 3 min (depending on how thick the steak is - I've done 2 min)

4. Halfway through second side, turn down heat and add some butter, thyme sprig, and bay leaf to pan / add black pepper, garlic, other seasons (pepper and garlic burn at high heats)

5. Baste steak with melted butter for a couple more minutes on each side.

6. Pull it off and rest it for 10 min

Moroccan Roasted Vegetables

Used with the already pre-made Moroccan spices for chicken and the other recipe for Moroccan rice.

Eric wanted more crunch and cold - we had a white onion that was sweet and good. Eric suggested fresh tomatoes.

Modified from the greedybelly.com

Eric cooked them for me using his veggie oven rules.

Also served with wheat pita and avocado

Vegetables:

-1 red onion (used half here and half in the rice)

-1 green bell pepper

-1 red bell pepper

-1 zucchini

-chickpeas (used 1/4 bag dry)

NEXT TIME:

-grape tomatoes (fresh) 

-white onion (fresh, diced)

Other veggies to consider:

-sweet potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms

Spices:

-garlic powder (recipe called for fresh)

-1 Tbsp cumin

-1 Tbsp coriander (used less)

-1 Tbsp black pepper (used less)

-2 tsp paprika

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp turmeric

-1-2 Tbsp harissa (didn't use)

-salt to taste

Directions (per Eric)

1. Bake veggies dry 10 min 375 degrees

2. Take out and mix with olive oil and spices and salt

3. Bake another 10 min

Moroccan Rice

Bought some Moroccan spice from the store to use on chicken and looking for side dishes to accompany. 

Modified this recipe from feastingathome.com and used the rice cooker

Served with the chicken marinated in the Moroccan spice and Moroccan roasted veggies.

Ingredients:

-2 cups of basmati rice (the "small" cup)

-olive oil

-1 onion, thinly sliced (used half of a regular red onion)

-1/2-3/4 cup raisins (used the golden ones)

-2 cinnamon sticks (or sub 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp coriander

-1/4 tsp turmeric

-1/4 tsp cardamom (or nutmeg)

-1 tsp salt

-3 1/2 cups water/broth - 1 bottle

Garnishes

-1 orange (juice and zest)

-1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (didn't use since was using serranos with chicken)

-2 cups Italian parsley or 1 cup fresh mint (didn't use)

-1/2-1 cu pomegranate seeds (didn't use since using the raisins)

-1/2-1 cup slivered almonds (toasted)

Directions:

1. Prep and soak rice

2. Sauté onion until tender

3. Add raisins, cinnamon sticks, spices, and salt - toast 1 min

4. Removed from pan and toasted the almonds in same pan - would add a little oil next time to get the spices on the nuts

5. Add everything (minus nuts) to rice cooker and cook on mixed

6. After done, add orange zest, orange juice, ground pepper, ground cinnamon, salt, cayenne to taste

7. I didn't add the nuts since reheating and wanted to keep them crunchy

Sourdough French Toast with Kefir

Made this a while ago, so don't remember exactly all of the modifications I did.

Didn't have milk, but we had some kefir and it worked out!

Modified recipe from marcellinaincucina.com

I halved the recipe because sourdough slices were thin, and it was still too much sauce - maybe half it again?

Ingredients:

-4 slices sourdough bread

-2 eggs 

-1/2 cup whole milk (I used kefir)

-1/8 cup brown sugar

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (used a shake)

-pinch salt

-1/2 TBSP unsalted butter (used ghee)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 195 degrees (I think it did more)

2. Heat up pan

3. Whisk ingredients and put in shallow pan

4. Add bread both sides

5. Add butter to pan (almost brown - didn't do that)

6. Add bread to pan and cook for about 3 min

7. Flip bread - may have to decrease heat

8. Transfer French toast to baking sheet and keep in oven to warm while do the other slices

Crispy potatoes

Trying different potato recipes with baking soda. 

Used this one from seriouseats.com and a guy on instagram

Reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.

Make sure you don't use the strainer when boiling as there isn't enough room for all the potatoes and don't want to boil over. I forgot how many potatoes I used, but could have used more for 6 servings because they shrink down.  

Ingredients:

-4 lbs of russet or Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-5 Tbsp olive oil

-Small handful of rosemary, finely chopped

-Small handful of parsley leaves, minced - DIDN'T USE

-3 cloves of garlic, minced (used more)

-salt

-black pepper

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven 450 or 400 F if convection

2. Boil 2 quarts of water. 

3. Add 2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and potatoes, and stir

4. Return to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until knife meets resistance, about 10 min after returning to boil

5. DIDN'T DO - Cook separately olive oil, rosemary, garlic, black pepper. Strain and set aside both.

6. Drain potatoes and let rest in pot for 30 sec to allow excess moisture to evaporate

7. Shake potatoes.

8. I added the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary to potatoes here

9. Roast for 20 min

10. Unstuck potatoes with spatula and shake around. Cook 30 to 40 min longer

Cilantro Chimichurri

Forgot to post this I made a month ago, and I served with steak, potatoes, and asparagus. Eric said it was the best thing I ever cooked.

Recipe taken from braziliankitchenabroad.com

Ingredients:

-2 cups of fresh cilantro - stems and leaves (I used 1 large bunch)

-3 cloves of garlic peeled (I didn't do more cuz not cooked and using raw)

-1/4 small red onion, peeled and cut into chunks

-2 tsp red pepper flakes

-2 tsp dried oregano

-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

-1 cup olive oil (I used like 2/3 I think)

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a food processor, add cilantro, garlic, onion, pepper, oregano, vinegar, and half the olive oil

2. Pulse the ingredients

3. Add remaining olive oil and gently stir to combine

4. Transfer sauce to a mason jar and let sit 20 min at room temp before serving