It's always a good thing to clean out the fridge.Yet don't throw out those odds and ends. There's a recipe that can make good use of them. A jeon or Korean pancake is a great way to use all those bits and pieces leftover.it's also a tasty snack or lunch too.
The great chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote about this Korean staple and fun food in today's new York Times Food section. Jeons are kind of like egg foo yung save there's a flour base instead of eggs. You can basically put any kind of add in into the batter.As Chef Lopez-Alt points out they're basically made from wheat flour and cornstarch. It's the extras that make it. They can be stuffed with squid, oysters and scallions or with mung beans and pork as in nokdu jeon. These savory pancakes can be made of wild green onions and a thin egg batter like Busan, Korea's Dongnae pajeon. It can also be flavored with kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage and gochugaru, Korean hot pepper flakes. One of the best that Chef Lopez-Alt has eaten was at Manhattan's Hanjan where chef Hooni Kim shallow fried scallions, ramps chives and squid in a thin batter of cornstarch, flour, egg yolk, baking powder and water. You can use this batter mixture with different ingredients like cherry tomatoes and spinach, leftover broccoli rabe and kale. You can also sub in starches for the flour. Egg whites will cause the jeon to rise like a puffy omelet while using only yolks will tenderize them, Baking soda and /or carbonated water will give them lacier edges and a puffier interior.
Chef Lopez Alt gives his recipe, born from having sauerkraut left over in fridge. It had fermented to the point where upon opening it hissed and bubbled at him. There's also a red onion for sweetness and scallions. Add cherry peppers or pepperoncini for color and bite. Use sauerkraut and also a quarter cup of its' juice. Chef Lopez-Alt says ice cold water is a must and keep mixing to a minimal. As for the oil used, use either peanut, rice bran or soybean oil for frying. A wok is preferred for frying but a skillet also works too. The sauerkraut and its' juice are mixed with the the rest of the ingredients until there is no more dry parts. The pancakes are then fried. He also gives two variations . One is a kimchi, cabbage and mushroom one , rife with stir fried or sauteed cremini or shiitake mushrooms and the gochugaru instead of the peppers. The second is garlicky zucchini and carrots. The veggies are mandolined into thin matchsticks and then placed in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl for fifteen minutes. The liquid is a sub in for the sauerkraut juice. In place of the peppers, used four minced garlic cloves. There is a dipping sauce for all three, made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, scallions, granulated sugar and toasted sesame oil.
If you want to clean out your fridge, make jeon, These pancakes are a delicious ways to use whatever odds and ends you have. You can be creative , with a can if sauerkraut or an array of fresh veggies. Have fun with this crispy flavorful treat.
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