Month: December 2022

ferments, Probiotic, Vegetarian

Korean Sauna Deviled Eggs

Aside | Posted on by Brian and Jim

I have loved Korean saunas since my friend introduced me to one in 2011. It happened to be WiSpa at the edge of KTown on LA. I was hooked. Sadly there are none here in the desert so we have been deprived since moving. In a random recipe search for something else I found Korean Sauna Eggs which apparently are common snack at the cafes in the saunas that I had missed out on.

I started a batch last night using data from all the recipes I found rolled into one. The trick with these guys is that they are pressure cooked for 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours depending on level of brown nutty good ness you want. I had these blue eggs on hand which I put in the instapot for 2 hours on pressure and let the pot naturally release when done and then just through them into the fridge. With the eggs in the instant pot you need two cups of water and 2 tsp salt

If you have never made eggs in your instapot, one of the joys is the ease in peeling.

Peeling batch one and you see the second batch coming out of the pot
My first batch after peeing.

Yep. These aren’t bad. This is how they turn out. they peel like a dream and have a brown color with nice nutty flavor.

I decided these would turn into deviled eggs that I would flavor based on their heritage.

Korean red pepper flakes (just a dash), some seasoned soy paste (1/2 tsp), and about 1TBl kimchi. Mix it all up.

Fill your eggs and chill. I garnished with a tiny piece of kimchi and a dab of sriracha.

This were so much better than I planned. The nuttiness of the egg and the soy paste marry perfectly.

I’m making these again

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Gluten free, Gluten-free, meatless, pescatarian, vegetables, Vegetarian

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls and Beet Salad

Aside | Posted on by Brian and Jim

I knew I had a head of cabbage and half of another on the fridge so I was pondering that and struck on this idea.

I’m gonna give a shout out to a couple of my favorite brands here—just because the products are always here.

Penzey’s Revolution. I used this in the cabbage

Eden Organica Kimchi Sauerkraut I used this in the cabbage.

Stonehouse Olive Oil OMG spice This was perfect on the beets

Butler Soy Curls

This is 1/2 bag of soy curls soaking in water for 10-20 minutes

The rest is brand neutral.

This is most of the mise en place..

Beets

  • Beets, I had five small baby beets that I roasted and peeled at 350 for like 30 minutes
  • Carrot, radish, daikon…I thought I had carrot for the cabbage but instead had three small daikon so the salad got half and the cabbage got the other half—about 1/2 cup
  • Onions, 1/2 small onion chopped
  • Garlic, 3-4 cloves chopped
  • Pickles, Dill, 2 Tablespoons chopped
  • Olive oil, about 1/2 tablespoon
  • Vinegar, just a splash
  • Pickle juice, about 2 Tablespoons
  • OMG spice liberally – so you can add a mix of similar types of seasonings
  • Dill, chopped to serve

Just mix it all up!!

Cabbage

  • Cabbage, 1/2 head
  • Protein—hamburger, soy curls, tvp. I used 1/2 bag of butlers soy curls.
  • Carrot, 1/2-3/4 cup. I subbed daikon
  • Celery, 1/2-3/4 cup.
  • Tomatoes, 1 can chopped
  • Sauerkraut, 1/2 cup. I used kimchi kraut
  • Penzey’s Revolution, liberal shaking
  • Garlic, about 5 chopped cloves
  • Worcestershire, splash on soy curls
  • Smoked paprika, to help add some Smokey meatiness. Just a few shakes
  • Chives, chopped to garnish for serving. Mine looked bad so I used micro greens
  • Sour cream for serving

Sauté the soy curls in two swirls of olive oil just to fry out a bit and then add feelers garlic onions and carrots

Once it’s softening up some add the can of tomatoes

Let that cook a bit and add the cabbage

That cooks until everything is not raw crisp and the juice has been released. Then I add the sauerkraut and turn off the heat so it gets incorporated and heated but you don’t kill the probiotics.

Serve it with a dollop sour cream.

Food related, Gluten free, Gluten-free, pescatarian

Pasta Puttanesca

Aside | Posted on by Brian and Jim

Most of my mise en place— oops, forgot the important item! Anchovies!

This is the first dish I cooked for my partner 25 years ago. It’s relatively inexpensive and usually I can pull it together with pantry staples. There are countless variations but this is the one that I can make from memory and has served me well for over 2 decades.

  • Olive Oil, 2 1/2 times around the pan
  • Garlic, 4-5 cloves or more or less to your taste
  • Anchovies, 1 can flat
  • Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp or a touch more if you like
  • Tomatoes, 2 cand, whole or sliced ideally but chopped work. Crushed would be last choice
  • Olives, about 1/4 cup sliced kalamata, oil cured, or similar
  • Capers, 1-2 tablespoons to taste
  • Parsley, flat leaf, 1/4-1/2 cup chopped
  • Pasta of your choice. Long thin is the best like spaghetti. Fettuccini works well too. In these pictures I have a gluten free fresh fettuccine.

Sauté the olive oil, garlic, anchovies and red pepper until the anchovies melt into the oil.

Add the tomatoes and stir periodically while cooking over medium heat

Cook and stir until most the liquid is gone and the oil clearly starts to separate

Add in the olives and reduce more of the liquid until mostly gone

Turn off the heat and add in capers

Stir in the pasta and plate. Topping with the parsley.

Simple salad dressed with olive oil, white pepper and lemon juice.

Gotta have a cocktail…this is my version of a Pomtini that includes grand marnier, home Meade citrus vodka, lime juice, pomegranate and grey goose.