Korean Seafood-Scallion Pancake (Haemul-pajeon)

Fry It Up In A Pan
So, I have been continuing my Korean cuisine adventure. It’s been fun and certainly informative. The food has been great. But, I think I now know the reason it’s better to go out and get Korean food. Of course, home made is better, but if yours is not a daily Korean kitchen you will find that having the correct ingredients and the variety of ingredients can be overwhelming. My pantry is not set up to handle this. For example, I wanted to make my favorite tofu stew and it called for kimchi. The kimchi recipe made eight pounds! I like kimchi but with pounds is a bit much. And, my sister will only take so much off my hands. In a nutshell, this quest has made me tired.

As much as I wanted to make truly authentic Korean food (and I am still working on it) my interest has wandered to the dishes that are a little easier to make—and that don’t require a multitude of ingredients that I may only use once.

My main focus has been the pancakes. I love the pancakes. For me, no Korean dinner is complete without at least one pancake and one is usually not enough.

I love these anytime. They’re great for lunch and even better in the middle of your table as a side along with your Galbi or Bulgogi. My favorite are the seafood pancakes but I won’t say no to a kimchi pancake or even just a plain scallion pancake. I’ve also just discovered zucchini pancakes that are served with a pine nut sauce. YUM! I am the only person in my house that would even think about eating zucchini. So, those will be reserved for the nights when it’s just me…whenever that may be.

Korean Seafood-Scallion Pancake (Haemul-pajeon)
Adapted from Maangchi’s Real Korean Cookin
Yields 2 or 3 servings

This pancake recipe calls for shrimp and squid which is pretty mild in flavor. If you prefer, you can ditch the squid and use shucked oysters instead for a stronger flavor. Read more…

Gochujang Spare Ribs

Resolutions
I have never really been a New Year resolution kind of gal. Sure, there have been times where I have decided to make some changes in the year to come. But, I wouldn’t call that a resolution per se. That being said, I have a plan for the new year.

Obviously, I like to eat. There are plenty of dishes that I enjoy but have never thought to try to prepare myself. So, in the new year, I’ve decided to challenge myself to navigate uncharted waters.

During the month of December, I started collecting recipes and acquiring cookbooks related to cuisines and flavors that I liked but wasn’t totally familiar with. The first of these would be the flavors of Korea. Anyone who is interested in food and food trends would know that Korean food has exploded in popularity. Gochujang seems to be everywhere and in everything but is it more than just a spicy sauce? This is what I am looking forward to finding out.

My first foray into this world last week was a recipe that was not a traditional recipe but it was darn tasty none the less. The gochujang ribs recipe listed below is very approachable for those who aren’t ready for the deep dive into Korean cuisine. Full disclosure, I didn’t use baby back ribs as directed in the original recipe. I used regular pork spare ribs out of personal preference. I think they taste better and, because they have more fat content, they don’t dry out. Either choice works well.

My plan is to take all of you on this journey with me over the next few weeks. Hopefully, I can inspire you to take up a challenge of your own or at the very least, give something different to try for dinner.

Gochujang Spare Ribs recipe
Adapted from 177 Milk Street
Yields 4 to 6 servings Read more…

Gougères

New Year’s Noshing
The Christmas holiday was different. There was no house hopping. No loud boisterous parties.

What wasn’t different? We ate too much. I mean, we ate well, but with all of the focus basically on the food we definitely ate too much. For that reason, New Year’s Eve is going to be on a much smaller scale. Instead of something fabulous like lobster, or *sigh* crab, our plan is to do a bunch of small bites—a variety of appetizer-sized portions that we can set out on the kitchen island and grab as needed.

Appetizers have this way of making things feel festive even when they are not. This is especially true when you are in your sweats sipping champagne on the couch. There are multiple categories of appetizers. You have your dips, your cheese balls, crostini, hot appetizers, crudités and, of course, the Cheese Plate. My plan is to do at least one from each category.

Crostini are a no-brainer because you can pretty much do anything with them. Just slice up a baguette, toast the slices and finish with your favorite toppings. I like using fresh ricotta as a base because it works well with anything. One of my summertime favorites starts with fresh ricotta and some freshly cracked pepper, then I top it with a ripe peach slice and some lightly dressed arugula. It’s December though so I am going to try it using a sweet slice of Honeycrisp apple and see how it goes. A sprinkle of toasted, chopped hazelnuts would take it to another level.

For a dip, I am going to make a hot crab dip for a couple of reasons. The first is because I love crab and the second is because I am impatient and can no longer wait for the fisherman to bring in the crab. So, I will rebel and go with crab meat. I’m planning to try this artichoke version because adding a vegetable automatically makes it healthy, right? And, don’t forget the array of fabulous dips and spreads from our cheese department. They add great variety to the flavors you serve. As a bonus you can use the same sliced and toasted baguettes to eat the dip.

For the hot appetizers, I am torn—which means I may just end up making both recipes. The first possibility is this recipe for cranberry brie bites. I still have leftovers of both cranberry sauce and brie so it would be an easy way to use those up. All I would need would be some puff pastry from the freezer and we’re good to go. I’m not a fan of walnuts so those will be left out. (Another variation is our recipe for Baked Brie, its easy to make with your choice of savory jam and herbs.)

The second recipe requires a bit more effort, but the result is worth it. If you have never had French Gougères you are missing out. They are essentially cheese puffs that are made everywhere in France and are served with a local aperitif but also go extremely well with champagne—which makes then perfect for New Year’s Eve. I like Dorie Greenspan’s recipe the best. You can use any cheese you prefer like Gruyère, Emmentaler, Gouda or to make things super easy, extra sharp cheddar. The recipe makes approximately 36 Gougères but they go fast so plan accordingly.

I think it goes without saying that we are all looking forward to a new year. I wish you a very happy, very healthy, full of hope and laughter New Year! Bring on 2021!

Gougères Recipe
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan and Epicurious
Yields about 36 gougères

Although you must spoon out these little puffs onto the baking tray as soon as the dough is made, they can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer at a later time (see below). This makes a great do-ahead for a busy day. Read more…

Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas
This year, I thought I had it all under control. I did most of my holiday shopping ahead of time figuring that shipping would be an issue, and it was. That is not my normal method of tackling the holidays. I usually cut things a little bit closer to the deadline. But this year, of all the years, I was on it. Everything arrived and is now wrapped and waiting under the tree. Or so I thought…

You know that old saying “out of sight, out of mind”?…yeah. It’s a thing. Since the world is in lockdown, there are people that you used to see everyday that you just don’t get to see anymore. Sure you talk and text occasionally but it’s not the same. Normally, this person would be front and center right there on your gift list but alas…pandemic brain.

So what do you do when you find yourself in this position with very little time to get anything sent? Well, if you work in a grocery store, you get creative. Sure you could go for the easy bottle of wine, fancy bourbon or box of chocolates because they are nice gifts and, well, we could all use a little shot of somethin’ right now…am I right? That’s the easy way out. The other option is putting together something with a little more thought.

Here are two possibilities I came up with. One of them is the gift I actually used. You can decide which one that was.

Option number one would be to put together a Tea gift basket of sorts, though you don’t have to use an actual basket. (Gift boxes work equally well.) We have some beautiful ceramic tea mugs in our tea section as well as infusers and a wide variety of teas. Pair any of those items with some locally produced honey and maybe a box of shortbread and/or chocolates and you have a great gift that will give your recipient a little warmth and relaxation as well as letting them know you appreciate them. (You could also do something similar with hot cocoa or coffee.)

The second option is Soup in a Box. Here you have a number of options. You can grab some dried beans, some barley or some farro. There are also several dried soup mixes to give someone a head start. A concentrated broth base like Better Than Bouillon is great. I recommend the chicken or the vegetable for those who don’t eat meat. Some artisan small sized pasta. A few dried spices like thyme or even something spicy. Go for a nice selection. Some cornbread or biscuit mix to go with the soup would be yummy. Finish it all with some Fleur de Sel and a jar of peppercorns and you have not only shown your love but provided them with a hot meal as well.

I will caution you. These types of gifts can be great when you are on a budget but can also add up if you go too crazy. Like adding a rockin’ bottle of wine to go with the soup.

If there is one thing I have learned during this crazy holiday season, and frankly during this year, it is that the little gestures matter. Making cookies for my neighbors and having them make some for us was probably the highlight of my December. It was something so easy to do and it gave all of us so much joy. So, while something like grabbing a couple of items at the store to give to someone might seem like no big deal, it could really make the day of the person on the receiving end no matter what it may be.

To our customers who have stuck with us during this past year through mask wearing, entrance lines, disinfectant, and plexiglass, it has been our extreme honor to serve you. We thank you for your understanding, patience, your encouragement, and your cooperation during these incredible times. There is no way we could have gotten this far without working together with our community. For that reason we would like to wish you a very happy and above all healthy holiday from the Piedmont Grocery family to yours.