Tag: easy

Bibimbap. Korean ultimate crowd pleaser.

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Like most of my culinary adventures, it all started accidentally with my Bibimbap as well.

I’ve realised that I bought not one but two portions of minced beef from my local butcher, and although I cook most of my meals in batches, the prospect of consuming a kilo of meat for one dish did not amuse me. at all. My resourceful instinct took over my braincells and one portion landed in the freezer. The other one landed in the bowl and has been soaked in a basic marinate of sweet soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil. I also grated ginger which added that little extra warmth to the mixture!
I left it all overnight in the fridge which I am glad I did as the marinate did its bit and flavoured the meat so beautifully.

The good thing about this meal is that it is not possible to overdose any of the ingredients when preparing. If you either fry too much meat/veggies or perhaps cooked too much rice, you can always reuse it as a lunch-at-work option ( I do that quite regularly, hence my addiction to batch cooking, actually) or perhaps dinner the day after. Long live leftovers!

To make two portions you’ll need the following ingredients:

For the salad

One cucumber, halved and spiralized
2tbsp of rice vinegar
4 tbsp of sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp of sesame oil
1tbsp of finely grated ginger
a pinch of sugar, a pinch of sesame seeds – toasted

In a small bowl mix all the wet ingredients with grated ginger.
Once ready pour over divided and spiralized cucumber ans sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place in the fridge for the time being.

For the bibimbap:

2 portions of Nishiki rice (its the best due to its consistency),
a handful of radishes – finely sliced and bathed in vinegar and pinch of sugar,
a handful of chestnut mushrooms – roughly sliced,
1 large carrot halved and cut lengthways into quarters,
2 eggs for frying or egg yolks only – up to your taste and decorating preferences, really.

Cook the rice according to the instructions. Meantime slice thinly the radishes, place them in the bowl and soak in the white or rice vinegar and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Mix gently and place in the fridge to cool.
On a heavy bottomed pan, with a glug of sesame oil, fry gently carrot and mushrooms until soften slightly, al dente ideally. Finish with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the same, unwashed pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the meat stirring occasionally doing so on a low heat. Don’t try frying on a high heat as the marinated meat will more likely burn rather than caramelise, and the taste won’t be as delicious. Trust me, been there, done that 🙂

Once the rice is ready, cover bottom of each and then following the images below, place the carrot, mushroom and pickled radishes on one side and meat on another. Place an egg yolk gently in the middle and finish with either sriracha sauce or the proper Gochujang Korean sauce.

Take the cucumber salad out of the fridge, stir gently and enjoy your undoubtedly delicious Bibimbap!

umami+beetroot velouté

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I must admit that I have a love/hate relationship with beetroot.
Yes, I know that it’s sweet and healthy purposes are hard to ignore, but if like me, you were overfed it in every possible version ( juiced, pureed, caramelised, etc., etc. ) then it’s not so easy to appreciate it years later.

Having said that, here it is, my less than usual take on this underestimated veg – 
easy, delicious and yes, a bit of “once you try it”, well, you’re going to love it…again!

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This recipe, like many others published here, is very simple and require:

2 medium finely chopped shallot onions
6-8 baby potatoes, chopped (I am leaving them unpeeled)
1 liter of good vegetable stock
2 tbsp of umami paste
1 medium beetroot, sliced
a small bunch of lemon thyme
2 small apples, quartered
salt, pepper to season

In a heavy-bottomed pan sweat the onions on a low heat in 2 tbsp of olive oil, stirring occasionally. Add baby potatoes, and sweat for another 5 mins or so. Once gently fried, pour in vegetable sock mixed with umami paste and simmer until all is nicely combined. Then add lemon thyme and quartered apples. As they begin to soften (about 3-5 mins) add sliced beetroot and season it gently. Be careful not to overpower the meal with salt and pepper and lose the gentle flavour of umami and beetroot 🙂

Blend it all until creamy and serve with a scoop of crème fraîche and dill.

bon appétit !


Scallops&Buckwheat

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In search for a summer meal? Well, there’s nothing better than scallops carmelised with sesame oil. A succulent and light alternative to meaty meals. Buckwheat roasted with shallot and pumpkin seeds is a delicious companion to sesame fried scallops.

To prepare meal for two:
100g of white buckwheat
8-10 scallops (fresh or frozen)
1 medium shallot onion
a handful of pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tbsp of white sesame seeds

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Cook  buckwheat according to the instructions on the packaging. When ready drain well from water and fry with chopped shallot, then season with coarse pepper and sea salt and add the pumpkin seeds.
Meanwhile dry the scallops with paper towel (especially when defrosted) and sprinkle them with sesame oil and sea salt. Following this dip the scallops in sesame seeds. Heat a heavy bottomed pan and fry them for about 5 mins until tender and carmelised. Leave to rest for a minute before serving.

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TIP: 1. do not overdose with sesame oil, otherwise scallops will tend to burn rather than fry.
2. fry scallops on both sides in total time approx 5 mins.
3. to perfectly fry the onion with the buckwheat, start with lightly frying the shallot with a glug of olive oil and when softened, add cooked buckwheat and toss all together. Finally  add the pumpkin seeds.

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Enjoy!

Cavolo Nero!

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Not cabbage nor lettuce. Actually Cavolo Nero is a cousin of kale.
It has an interesting, slightly earthy and peppery flavour and is a great alternative if you are tired of the greens that regularly appear on your plate.
Until recently, I didn’t have a clue what Cavolo Nero was and what I could make with it.
I bought it from my local grocer attracted by its beautiful colour and interesting structure (AKA Dinosaur skin!) He said I’d like it and he wasn’t wrong. These unusual leaves were in my fridge for two days before I decided to cook it, and it was still fresh and firm.
I created this new meal out of what I had left in the fridge and cupboard, a bit of a stir fry idea with an Italian twist. And the result was rather flavoursome.

It consists of:

2 bunches of cavolo nero
2 tbsp of grated ginger
1/2 of unwaxed lemon
1 large spanish onion
4 garlic cloves
1 chilli pepper
a pinch of crunchy salt and coarse pepper

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Heat up a glug of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add chopped onion and stir until soft. Add sliced garlic, chilli, rosemary (optional) and grated ginger. Cover with lid and sweat for a few minutes. Add the cavolo nero, stir with vegetables on very low heat until wilted. Season with crunchy salt and pepper. Mix with freshy cooked linguine pasta and serve immediately sprinkled with lemon juice.
I didn’t have any parmigiano in the fridge last night but I think it would be a perfect ingredient to grate on top of this meal before serving.

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#yum!

Stuffed + Peppers = Yum.

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Like most of the food ideas presented here on my blog, this one is super easy and simple to prepare. And tastes oh-so-good!
It takes 20 mins to make this meal happen; perfect timing for a quick after-work dinner. Another bonus- it’s healthy as hell!

And this is how it goes…

3-4 long sweet red peppers
2 unwaxed lemons
1 bag of white buckwheat
1 red onion
1 can of tuna (an option for pescatarians)

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Place the buckwheat into boiling water for 15 mins. In the meantime:
set the oven to 200C
Sauté chopped onion in olive oil on a low/medium heat until soft and season with salt,
coarse pepper and juice from 1 lemon and zest.
Add the cooked buckwheat to the pan with the softened onion mixture and stir on low heat for a couple of minutes.
If like myself, you eat fish, add tuna at this moment.
It will give a perfect flavour.

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Stuff the peppers with the cooked mixture and tie them with thread. Sprinkle with lemon juice and place on tray with a glug of olive oil.
Bake for 15-17mins. Voilà!
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Mr Potato&Co.

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First time I tried this cream soup was at one of my favourite restaurants in Warsaw, Poland.
Qchnia Artystyczna always has on the menu rather simple yet sophisticated meals to offer.
I don’t live in Warsaw anymore, hence my need to prepare this soup every so often. Every time I’m making it, I’m getting a bit nostalgic about great times I’ve spent with my friends in that place and cannot wait to pay visit again, when in Poland.
To meet friends and… get more inspiration!

Creamy Potato Soup is super easy to prepare.

You need:
2 white onions
8 medium potatoes
1 litre of vegetable boullion
2 table spoons of salted butter
2 bay leaves
200 ml of milk
pinch of coarse pepper
few slices of organic smoked salmon

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Glaze the chopped onions with melted butter in a deep pan. Add the bay leaf. That’s the best way to give the flavour.
When the onion is softened, add chopped potatoes, stir with onions and pour the boullion into the pan.
Simmer on low heat covered by the lid until potatoes are very soft.
Add milk, and stir for a couple of minutes.

Blend the mixture to a creamy consistency and add the pepper. Add more milk when necessary.
Pour the creamy soup into bowls, decorate generously with salmon and freshly grounded pepper.

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Bon appetit!