Are You Kimcheelicious?

Kkakdugi: pickled Korean radish salad

I haven’t blogged in a while. Someone even messaged me and asked if all was OK. I’ve been busy exploring a  healthy obsession: Kimchi. I’ve become quite the fermenteur. Kimcheelicious is a project that I’ve been developing—soon to launch as a Kickstarter campaign. Side dish or part of the main meal—my mission is to explore and document ways of making this Korean pickle a part of the American table and grill.

Kimchi meatball stuffed dumpling

Veggie dumplings made with shitake mushrooms and pickled radish

Kimchee is the unofficial Western spelling, as opposed to kim chi (김치). My Kimcheelicious project will not convert the un-converted but it will give those who appreciate it’s complex flavor more ways of enjoying and sharing a meal. Aside from varying degrees of spice, Kimchi has a deep savory complex flavor that some call it “umami.”

Lion's Head, a large meatballs stuffed with a kimchi meatball

I’ve been making great meals with my kimchi I’ve made. Aside from traditional BBQ Beef and dumplings I’ve made stuffed meatballs (Lion’s Head), pork sliders, grilled kim-cheese sandwiches, seafood stews, patty melts, pork fajitas... you get the idea. Kimchi it already on the American table and grill.

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef) cheese steaks

Mushroom omelet with kichi and tortillas

Grilled kim-cheese sanwich

Bok choi and Napa after brining

Kimchi and other fermented foods have been touted as some of the most healthy foods one can have in their diet. These foods restores probiotics into our digestive system, and through the process of fermentation makes other nutrients and vitamins more available. But I just like the way it tastes.

My goal is create an app and a series of iBooks that you can call up in the kitchen on an iPad. I’ll be hosting some tasting to promote Kimcheelicious before I launch my Kickstarter campaign to raise angel capital. For now you can follow me at http://www.facebook.com/Kimcheelicious, and http://kimcheelicious.tumblr.com. The website will be up soon... meanwhile back to the knitting.

Chili paste, carrots, radish, scallions and Napa cabbage

Truck Stop Meatloaf Made with Potato Chips

A moist delicious meatloaf and a salty waitress — these are some fond memories of a college road trip and a truck stop diner. I love meatloaf, especially when it’s made with potato chips. The best part is having enough left over to make sandwiches the next day. I’ve heard the life span of a good meatloaf is four days, but there's rarely enough left over to find out.

The tangy ketchup sauce is very important, it keeps everything moist as it bakes‚ I call it the protective ketchup barrier. Although people balk about using Liquid Smoke, I think it gives this meal an extra BBQ flavor that kicks the cold out of a chilly evening.

For this Truck Stop Meatloaf recipe and more, visit GardenFork.tv.

Flatbread Made with Chickpea Flour

I finally used up the last of the chickpea flour. I made Socca, a type of flatbread or crêpe from Southern France. The ingredients are simple — everything came from my local grocery store. You’ll need a cast iron griddle or a large cast iron pan.

Bean flours are super nutritious foods that are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. They are essential to vegan cooking. Bean flours are also a great alternatives for people who can’t eat wheat products, such as pasta and breads. But when combined with grain, they create a complete protein.

I’ve used the Bob's Red Mill brand, but if you can find it, use Indian Besan. It has a finer mill and makes a smooth thin batter. Socca is typically eaten as street food in the open markets, stuffed with savory things like potatoes and goat cheese. I just ate them fresh out of the oven — socca has a subtle sweet flavor when it’s made fresh.

For this socca recipe and more, visit GardenFork.tv.

Time Falls Back in Cold Spring

Janice and Adam went without power for a few days after another storm pelted the north east last week, but all is getting back to normal. Yet some of our friends are still in the dark. Unusual weather has become the usual in 2011. It’s autumn in Cold Spring and the clock is set back to give us one more hour of daylight. That extra hour is exactly what we needed this weekend — the porch is finally finished.

Janice told me that the boys asked why they didn’t get their Tony hats last year. I just thought they outgrew the home-spun gifts. So this weekend I made Jesse a ski cap, and Ellis, a ribbed watchman’s cap. After unraveling and joining all the swatches and scraps from Troy’s cowl there was even enough SWTC Saphira to make a small pompom for Jesse’s cap. To my surprise the boys were very excited. Don’t these little gentlemen look so handsome in their warm winter gear?

Janice and Adam are ready for winter too. The porch looks almost brand new after sanding, two coats of outdoor enamel, and replacing a few planks. I can’t say enough about the wonders of Bondo and a good quality paint — so shiny and clean. I’ll be back in the Spring to work on the front steps.

Every post has been capped and every rail primed and painted. Jesse made a winter-inspired Lego snowman that looks at home on this post.

We had excellent weather and some hearty family meals over the weekend. Janice made a Peruvian pulled pork served with mango salsa and stuffed acorn squash. I made a hand-rolled gnocchi dinner with garden fresh sage butter and lemon zest for Sunday dinner. For dessert we ate most of the Halloween candy — oops, sorry kids.

The mums are out but so are the hungry deer — may the twain never meet. The autumn leaves are now turning red and gold as the sun sets lower on this Hudson River town’s horizon. It casts a peach-colored glow that pushes long shadows down cold streets. I swept away the spider webs which hung with pearls of dew strung between the ivory rails and admired our handiwork. I said goodbye to the porch, packed up my tools, and headed back to Brooklyn.

Pear-Apple Sauce

My friend Eric gave us a bag of pears and apples from his yard, I made sauce from the ones that were bruised. Apple sauce is super easy to make and pears give it a nice texture.

Pear Apple Sauce
Peel and core the apples and pears, and get rid of the bruised portions. Cut them into 1" pieces then soak them in a large pot of cold water of with juice from half a lemon. Soak for 20 minutes and drain.

You’ll need: 
- 8 cups of apple and pear, cut and cleaned
- half cup water
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
- 1/2 a lemon for soaking and for zest
- a large sauce pan with a lid
- wooden spoon

In a sauce pan bring water to a boil and dissolve sugar, then add apple and pear pieces. Lower temperature to medium and cover for 10 minutes. Now add lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Mash the apples and pears with a wooden spoon, stir and return cover. Mash and stir about every 10 minutes so that it doesn’t caramelize. In about 45 minutes or so you’ll have a sweet, tangy rustic sauce.

I like the lumps, they go well with oatmeal. But if you want a very smooth texture run the sauce through a ricer, a food mill, or blender. Store it jarred in the fridge to prevent you from eating the whole batch. For Eric’s video on making apple sauce go to GardenFork.tv.

Zucchini and Corn Fritters

The weather is quickly changing, it's much cooler and the sun is setting earlier. Time to make some dinner. This end-of-summer meal, Zucchini and Corn Fritters, is fresh from my Eric’s garden. I got the last harvest. I think of this type of recipe as typhoon food. We made a lot of fritters during that summer-long blackout of Typhoon Pamela (1976). This recipe combines dried and fresh ingredients.

This dish is typically made with young green squash, but just use a zucchini. You can also use a young pumpkin, the color is pretty. Use fresh or frozen corn, either works fine.

The spices lend an island flavor: cumin, oregano, chili and garlic. The version of this recipe is vegetarian (not vegan) but if you wanted a more authentic flavor, add minced dried shrimp to the batter and fry a piece of dried chili in the cooking oil. For this Zucchini and Corn Fritter recipe and tips on frying crisp, golden fritters, visit Gardenfork.tv.

Last BBQ of the Season at Freddy’s Bar — September 5, 2011

A mountain of food magically reappears— this is round three.

The Memorial Day BBQ is the last one of the season — a toast to the official end of summer. Pat O'Shea and I grilled afternoon into evening at Freddy’s Bar. As the days grow short and the leaves fall, may we all recall the good times and the wonderful flavors of summer: Ellen’s wasabi potato salad, Josh’s potato and bacon salad, Diane’s famous fudge, Clara’s deviled eggs, Anna’s BBQ chili chicken, Rick James’ jerk chicken patties... corn on the cob, grilled pineapple, fresh anchovies, veggie dogs and patties, German bratwurst, Polish Kielbasa, kimchi relish... great weather, grilled food, old and new friends, good times.

The grill calls and a crowd assembles.

It’s not a dive bar unless you have a decent-size backyard shark.

I can caramelize a pineapple with EVO but what can one make from "UVU?"

People wait patiently for a burger as Clara shares her delicious deviled eggs.

Jer, Freddy’s partner Matty Kuhn, and Tom are at the front of the line.. again.

Dogs, bratts, burgers, kielbasa, BBQ chicken....

Of course we had a few vegetarians...

Will spiced things up with freshly brined anchovies and Polish mustard.

This little sneaky fella is waiting for something to stray from a plate.

Handle with Care

Sometime today (or tomorrow) a mysterious package will arrive in Baltimore via USPS ground — a care package for my friends and Josh and Megan... and Weens and Pizazz. Inside this rather large box of crushed paper and bubble wrap are a few small but well packaged treats: assorted crochet key chain fobs and cat toys, and my home-made Gochuchang (Korean chili paste) and Baechu (Napa cabbage kimchi). I’m not so good with baked goods.

Fobs and cat toys: two dumplings and three bees

In theory Weens and Pizazz do not perceive the color red, so I made these toys in shades of yellow, green, and blue. So... in theory cats may not see kimchi but Megan can spot this jar from another state. I reminded her not to eat the whole jar in one sitting — or suffer the gastrointestinal consequences. For this kimchi recipe visit GardenFork.tv.

Korean delights — home-made Gochughang and Kimchi

Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

The entire East Coast is stung by a massive heatwave. In Brooklyn it’s already over 100° in full humidity, and most of us have already experienced borough wide brown-outs. Angry cyclists collide with angry double-wide strollers. Pedestrians wade through a dusty sea of traffic. People are hot and testy — I just think they didn't have a proper meal. Today I kept my cool with some sliced tomatoes and fresh Mozzarella for lunch.

You'll need:
• 1 vine-ripe tomato
• fresh mozzarella
• fresh basil
• first-press olive oil
• 1 medium size garlic clove, minced
• pinch of salt

Make some garlic paste — mince the garlic and salt in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Slice mozzarella and coat it lightly in the garlic paste. Mince fresh basil. On a plate, alternate slices of cheese and tomato with some basil in between. Drizzle with more oil and serve with a good crusty bread

Summer Salad Topped with Maple Blue Cheese Dressing

It's late in the evening and the temperature app still reads 87°. Our country is witnessing a hot dry spell this July and Brooklyn is in for another scorching week with temps in the 90s. Good thing I made a lot of Blue Cheese dressing — it's cool, tangy, creamy, and waiting in the fridge. On brutal days like these I'd rather have a cool hearty salad for dinner with a big iced tea. This dressing would be ideal on a cold wedge of crunchy Iceberg Lettuce, but Romaine with a little sliced onion and red grapes is just as nice.

My Blue Cheese dressing is made with Danish Saga and a little maple syrup. Of course some crumbled bacon and wedge of bread completes this meal. My freind Lindsey says that her mom makes some kick-ass blue cheese dip as well — and Mrs. McCosh was nice enough to give us her recipe. For my tasty Maple Blue Cheese Dressing and Mrs. McCosh's Blue Cheese Dip recipes visit GardenFork.tv.

Kimchi — the Spice of Life

This year’s first batch of kimchi — It’s not fully fermented yet, but good enough to make a relish for today’s Memorial Day BBQ at Freddy’s Bar. Kimchi isn't difficult to make, but it is a task. If you have refrigerator space and air-tight containers you’re halfway there. For my kimchi recupe and detailed instructions go to Gardenfork.tv: Kimchi-licious! Here's a pictorial overview below.

You’ll need these spices: (clockwise) fresh garlic, ginger root, sweet Korean chili (finely ground), sea salt; brown sugar, fresh onion, scallions (not pictured).

Kimchi is made from Napa Cabbage. Make sure the leaves are firm and tight when you buy a head. Asian white radish (Daikon) lends a nice deep flavor as it ferments. The cabbage and the radish are cut into bite-size pieces, then are salted and brined overnight. Ginger and garlic are the key ingredients for making chili paste. Make sure you use fresh ginger root only — they should be plump and firm. Peel the ginger before you run it through the food processor with the garlic. Scallions are optional, but i do like them.

Make some chili paste (Gochuchang). Put all dry ingredients and spices into a bowl. Mix well and add enough water to make a thick paste. Adjust spices to taste. Now mix everything together in a large bowl until the cabbage is evenly coated. Here’s the tricky part. To start fermentation you must leave everything out at room temperature for a day. After that pack everything into air-tight containers and add brine until it covers the contents completely and place in the fridge. It should be ready in about a month.