Korean soy bean sprout and beef soup (kong namul guk)

This is a soup from my childhood, and I have been craving it in recent weeks. We followed this recipe: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/beef-and-bean-sprout-soup/ Our modifications: first, we used 1/4 lb center cut ribeye beef (instead of 1 lb beef), but we kept the marinade ingredients and amounts the same (since they also season the broth). We thinly…… Continue reading Korean soy bean sprout and beef soup (kong namul guk)

Korean spicy braised sea bass with daikon and chrysanthemum greens (maeuntang)

We made this recipe from Maangchi: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/maeuntang. Like Maangchi, we used 2.5 lb seabass (bronzino), approx. 2 whole fish, each cut into 4-5 crosswise pieces. Our modifications: first, to manage the spice level, we reduced the Korean coarsely ground red pepper to 1/4 cup (down from 1/2 cup). The next time, we may increase to…… Continue reading Korean spicy braised sea bass with daikon and chrysanthemum greens (maeuntang)

Mushroom barley soup

During this cold weather, we craved a hearty, vegetable-heavy soup. We tried this recipe: https://www.sipandfeast.com/mushroom-barley-soup/. This was a tasty, healthy, and satisfying meal. Our modifications: first, we slightly increased the fresh mushrooms to 1 lb cremini, 4 oz shiitake, and 4 oz oyster mushrooms. We washed them, dried thoroughly with dish towels, removed the stems,…… Continue reading Mushroom barley soup

Italian tomato frittata (frittata de pomodoro)

We had cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and hard cheese on hand, so we tried this recipe: https://memoriediangelina.com/2024/08/08/frittata-al-pomodoro-tomato-frittata/. Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe (1 garlic clove, 4 eggs, 10 cherry tomatoes, and 2 Tbsp fresh basil). We discarded the garlic clove after browning it (we didn’t see a later use for it in the…… Continue reading Italian tomato frittata (frittata de pomodoro)

Italian-style chick pea and orzo soup with mustard greens

On this chilly day, we craved a healthy, warming soup. We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015767-chickpea-stew-with-orzo-and-mustard-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. It was very tasty and satisfying. Our modifications: first, for the aromatics, we used 1 small fennel bulb, 1 stalk celery, 1 large leek (white part only and in lieu of onion), and two medium carrots. Second, along with the…… Continue reading Italian-style chick pea and orzo soup with mustard greens

Simple (3-ingredient) mac and cheese

Mac and cheese is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. I always imagined it was too complicated to make at home, but we decided to try this recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt: https://www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe. It ingeniously calls for 6 oz each uncooked elbow macaroni, evaporated milk, and freshly shredded cheddar cheese. Our modifications: first, we doubled…… Continue reading Simple (3-ingredient) mac and cheese

Tuscan-style sautéed Swiss chard with bacon and chick peas

This is an easy recipe with surprisingly complex flavors: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-swiss-chard-with-garbanzo-beans-249801. The crunch of the Swiss chard steps reminded us of celery without the sharp flavor. Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used bacon instead of pancetta. Specifically, we cut frozen, center-cut bacon into matchsticks (3 cross sectional slabs). Second, towards the end of…… Continue reading Tuscan-style sautéed Swiss chard with bacon and chick peas

Italian-style sausage and barley soup with kale

This is an easy recipe that makes a nice, hearty soup: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026506-sausage-and-barley-soup-with-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Our modifications: first, we used two links of raw spicy Italian chicken sausage from Whole Foods. Second, for the greens, we found that half a bunch of curly kale was about 6 dry cups. Third, we added a parmesan rind along with the…… Continue reading Italian-style sausage and barley soup with kale

Quasi-sticky rice with Chinese sausage and mushroom

I love Chinese sticky rice, and I have had a craving for it ever since I stumbled upon this NYT recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014807-savory-sticky-rice-bowls-or-stir-fried-sticky-rice?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Unfortunately, we don’t have sweet rice in our pantry, so we tried this recipe using jasmine rice. In addition to not using sweet rice, we made a few other modifications: first, we halved…… Continue reading Quasi-sticky rice with Chinese sausage and mushroom

Korean curry with minced chicken and vegetables

We make Japanese or Korean curry rice quite often, but this time decided to try some new techniques, including cutting the vegetables into large chunks. The results turned out well, so I wanted to document this while fresh in my mind. Our ingredients: 1 to 1.5 tsp unsalted butter; 1 medium onion, cut into 1”…… Continue reading Korean curry with minced chicken and vegetables