A Korean Pancake That Has Everything

 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.

A Winter Classic Gone Vegan

 Winter means ones thing - a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches. Yet what happens when you forgo dairy? Sub in with good vegan ingredients. You'll still get the same taste without the real thing.

I love a good grilled cheese but it's impossible  to make in a vegan household. That's when Violife aged non dairy cheese comes in handy.

It's partially hidden by the bread. (I used artesenal instead of white or whole whear). Violife is an unusual  potato starch  and  corn based cheese , coming out of Thessalonika Greece.It's more sold overseas but  it's also in stores like Stop & Shop, Shop Rite and Whole Foods. here in the New York area. The company has everything from feta to different types of cheddar and Colby.

It's important to slather mayo on the bread before grilling or frying so I used Nayonnaise for this.

 You can also use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or an oat butter like Miyoko's. Mayo helps keep the bread moist during cooking (this is a tip from the New York Times Food section)
Wafer thin tomato slices were then added and the whole sandwich was fried in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

  They're very thick sandwiches which made flipping impossible. It was still delicious, especially with the aged cheddar taste of Violife. You can add Morningstar Farms bacon for a different , diner influenced vibe. This can also be the perfect accompaniment to tomato soup.

Vegans can have this classic sandwich. Just use a cheese like Violife and create a warm gooey bite , perfect for these chilly days. It's a great way to eat healthy while still having  flavorful cheesy goodness.

Cooking Tropical

 This is the time of year when many hit the islands, whether the Caribbean or the South Pacific. Unfortunately these are out of reach this year - however home chefs can recreate the islands' famed dishes easily in their kitchens. It's not quite a dinner on a balmy bay, but taste wise ti's close.

The Caribbean  has been one of the most desired winter getaways for over a century. There are around thirty four islands (not counting the tiny islets ) in the Caribbean Sea. It's  a cornucopia of different dishes from Europe, Africa , Asia and what's left of the indigenous culture.it is spicy but with spices easily found in everyone's spice rack. Most dishes include allspice, ginger, cinnamon,nutmeg, clove, garlic and paprika. An easy dish to recreate is rice and peas. This is really more rice and beans and is big in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Cook kidney beans in coconut milk with onion, garlic thyme and salt. The rice is added later and can be eaten on its' own or with jerk chicken. Jerk chicken is another tasty island dish.Jerk is a type of cooking found in Jamaica and can be applied to all sorts of meats. It starts with a marinade of  green onions, garlic, habeneros, and lime juice. To balance this brown sugar and thyme are also used. This is put into a food processor and pureed. The chicken is then placed in a plastic baggie with it for anywhere from three to twenty-four hours. The meat is then baked in a 375 degree oven for thirty minutes. You can also make the fiery Jamaican callaloo with kale or collard greens , tomatoes and Scotch Bonnet peppers. It's usually cooked with salted fish but you could also make it a side too.

On the other side of the world is the South Pacific. This is where islands have turquoise seas and warm balmy nights.It's also where luaus started. it;'s also where the first inhabitants came from the Asian mainland about 3,000 years ago. They brought such staples as bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes yams and breadfruit. The Europeans later brought, beef, chicken and sheep along with carrots and turnip. Pigs were indigenous and they're a main attraction at all sorts of celebrations and dinner. Try Kalua pork which is a mix of shredded pork butt with cabbage and liquid smoke. You can make this in a slow cooker if you don't have the time.A side dish would be Polynesian cabbage wraps. It's red cabbage stuffed with shredded chicken, brown sugar, and soy sauce along with a host of spices such as chili powder and cumin.Pineapple, lime juice and peanuts top it off. This is the area of dozens of islands so fish and seafood are mainstays. Try French Polynesian shrimp in coconut vanilla sauce. It's a French influenced dish that has rum, cream, coconut milk and vanilla beans, The Tahitians also make their version of ceviche which has raw tuna being cooked in lime juice and then sprinkled with coconut milk. 

You don't have to travel to have good island food. You can easily make these at home. Enjoy them with a cool, frothy drink and pretend you're on the white sand beach beside a turquoise sea.

The Perfect Stew

 January is a notoriously cold month. What better than to chase that chill than with a good, well made stew. There's something about the blend of veggies and meat with a good gravy. It's the perfect meal for these bone numbing days.

What makes a good stew? It starts with the meat if you're making a meaty one. Get cuts that are very tender and flavorful.If you can't, use a meat mallet to tenderize the beef. The end result is a tender forkful of melt in your mouth goodness. Chuck meat makes the best stew meat which comes from the cow's shoulder. You could use rump meat too even though it's not as tender. It is flavorful though which is a plus for any stew. Some home chefs prefer a good chicken stew during these frosty days. Use only thighs and breasts because they're the most meatiest. Fish stew is a bit different. Several different kinds of fish make for the most flavorful blend. Think a firm white fish like cod or halibut. if you can;t get these, then use tilapia or  red snapper. Steer clear of delicate fish such as sole and oily fish like tuna. You can also throw in some shrimp, clams and scallops for a brinier flavor.  All good stews need vegetables to round out the mix. Try different amounts of onion, chopped celery, carrots and waxy or boiling potatoes. Peas can be added for color and more nutrition. Herbs and spices can also bring out the flavors of veggies and meat. Oregano and bay leave are the most popular but you can also use parsley , basil and rosemary. It's up to you.

There are two ways to cook stew - with a reduction of  gravy  - sort of like au jus or thick like turkey or roast beef gravy, You can add red wine such as with the fancy beef bourguignon. A thin sauce starts with water and beef broth. A thicker one begins with a slurry made from a teaspoon of flour with a little cold water. How to cook the stew is another matter. The old fashioned way is on the stove top for about one and a half hours for beef and only half an hour for chicken. Fish stew is the quickest for only ten to twelve minutes and three to five for a really quick dish. Beef and chicken stews lend themselves to crockpots and Instapots and you can easily cook them in them as you can with another traditional stew  - lamb. What to serve with stew? A  simple green salad with a few grape tomatoes thrown is your best bet. It's a nice side and doesn't take away from the stew.A must is either a crusty bread like a baguette or sourdough. These are perfect for sopping up the gravies. Another idea is making dumplings to cook on top of the stew. These are a mix of flour baking, powder , sugar and butter or margarine. You can add herbs for a more flavorful one. They're cooked on top of the veggies, meat and gravy, producing a tender and fluffy bite.

This is the coldest time of the year. Warm it up with a good hearty stew. Enjoy the savory blend of meat , veggies and hebs.It will warm your heart as well as your stomach.

Ultimate Comfort Foods

 These are truly unsettling times. We need comfort- good food, a good book, a good wine. Mostly it's the first. There's something about indulging in a bite of something delicious and creamy or salty and crunchy. We don't need to eat it every day - just once a week can do it.

What is comfort food? It's basically any favorite dish that fills you with a sense of well being. It's usually high in sugar and/or carbs. Everyday or common comfort foods are tomato soup, meat loaf, chicken and waffles,. pizza and mac and cheese. It could also be a hot fudge sundae or a bowl of your favorite cereal for dinner. What is ultimate comfort food? It's taking it up a notch. Tomato soup can be homemade with fire roasted tomatoes added in.These are easy to make in the air fryer if it's too cold to use the grill. A dollop of pesto also elevates  the classic recipe.Grilled cheese is the usual accompaniment. It;'s good but it cam also be given some zing and oomph. Try sourdough instead of the usual white as the base and use good Vermont or Wisconsin cheddar. You could also sub in Camembert or brie for a creamier bite. A real ultimate grilled cheese is the French croque monsieur. This is a grilled cheese made with Gruyere and ham. You don't have to have the bechamel sauce that goes with it if you're eating it with soup,

What about Mom's meat loaf? You could easily elevate it with strips of bacon crisscrossed over the top or doing a mix of beef and veal. Another lush add in is grated cheese or sauteed mushrooms and onions.  A splash of Cabernet Sauvignon can also give it some oomph.. Chicken and waffles can get a  lift by whipping the egg whites first for a fluffier waffle. Get good Vermont maple syrup for both. You'll taste the difference right away.Pizza is one of the easiest foods to take up a notch. You can easily top it with filet mignon or lobster. It can be topped with shrimp too. These gourmet slices need good Asiago cheese and fire roasted tomatoes to really elevate them. Lobster can be added to mac and cheese too. It's a delicious way to turn this classic casserole into something special. You only need a cup of it. Going overboard with it may get in the way of the cheese. As for that , again, as with the grilled cheese sandwich , go for a good cheese like a Vermont or Wisconsin cheddar. You could also skip the seafood and create a four cheese one. Use  any combination of Asiago, Fontina, Gruyere and Gouda . End with a super special sundae with buttery homemade fudge sauce , layered with raspberries and strawberries over big scoops of Haagen Daz or Ben and Jerry's.

These are tough times. Tough times call for indulging in lush comfort foods that's been taken up a notch. They're a great way of escaping all the craziness that's going on.

Cooking One Step At A Times

 Does anyone actually follow cookbook directions these days? Don't we kind of adjust the recipes to our tastes, adding this, omitting that. Yet doing such makes home chefs miss out on the dishes history or the reason it was included in the book. Cooks will also miss the intended flavor of the recipes along with their nuances and subtleties.

Genevieve Ko, cooking editor of the Los Angeles Times and the author of the healthy baking cookbook,  Better Baking wrote this interesting article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She feels that home chefs can get to know the creators better, understand their backgrounds and figuratively  leave their kitchens and enter someone else's. She gives ideas about how to get the most out of executing a recipe. The first is look for recipes written to be followed precisely. To assess the deliberateness of a recipe creator, took to recipes and instructions guaranteed for success. Another must is choose recipes that will work as published. Ms. Ko suggests flipping to the cookbook's acknowledgements to see if testers are thanked. Most major media companies do professionally test and edit recipes before publication. One of the best pieces of advice is pick recipes that sound surprising in some way. Try something different that's out of your wheelhouse. Ms. Ko tried an East African dish  from In Bibi's Kitchen  written by Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen. She followed contributor Jeanne Razanamaria's recipe to the letter and came out with a tangy dish with earthy flavors.

Ms. Ko offers more advice.  Home chefs must track down ingredients, even ones that are hard to find. The search is part learning about other cuisines and cultures. You can get any ingredient on Amazon or at other sites. Also check the internet to find where ethnic groceries in your area. They too can offer advice and steer you to the right ingredients.As with any set of instructions read the recipe carefully and stick to it. Before you start anything, read the top note or even the whole cookbook to contextualize the dish. Another important must do read the recipe carefully to anticipate the steps because methods may differ from what you expect. Also resist the temptation to alter it especially if it's close to a recipe you know. Sticking exactly to the instructions will reveal the surprise of a vibrant flavors. One of the most important things to do is taste with an open mind. We tend to think we know what dishes should taste like but if there's a variation or new ingredient it may be a bit off putting. Our palates will evolve with the recipes we try. Ms. Ko also includes a coconut chicken curry and , that Madagascar white bean stew and a dulce de leche chocoflan.

Look though your cookbooks and reread the recipes you want to try. Stick to the recipes. It'll open up your mind to new methods, techniques and ingredients. Adhere to the instructions and create memorable dishes.

Saluting Our Essential Food Workers

 They pick our produce, they stock our shelves and deliver our foods. These are the ones who are our heroes, the ones who keep us fed and healthy. They need to be honored and saluted.

The New York Times Food section did just that today. Reporters Mahira Rivers, Rachel Wharton and Aidan Gardiner interviewed several different food industry workers. There's Sandra Sibert from Sioux Falls , South Dakota who works at the Smithfield meat processing factory. Like most of her coworkers she caught the Corona virus. After almost losing her life she pushed for the company to have more sanitizers on the break room table. They did. Yet she still had to take a shower and change her clothes every day. Jane Singer is an Instacart shopper in Harrisburg ,PA There are times when she has to buy 115 items for a family while becoming close with a family with a special needs son. She was rewarded with hand sanitizer and soap.Antonia Rios Hernanadez is a farm worker from Immokalee, FLorida. She left picking fruit for landscaping because there was no recognition for her hard work. LUckily where she worked had their tables wiped down with Clorox. Chet Gordon is a long haul trucker from Greenwood Lake, New York who drove 2,500 miles a week.Again he went through protocols to keep himself and his cargo safe.

Higher ups are also an important  David Turner handles the customer hotline at King Arthur Baking Company. He's had to deal with the influx of first time bakers during this pandemic. The worst part was when there was a flour and yeast shortage and callers phoning in asking where could they get these vital ingredients. Mr. Turner had to assure them that yeast and flour were on their way to stores. Then there's Reva Hoover, an assistant customer service manager at Bashas DIne Market in Tuba City Arizona in the Navajo Nation.SInce her grocery store was not one of the top or popular ones, they had to wait for toilet paper in the middle of losing customers and workers to the virus. Some essential workers like Allegra Brown of New York who works in the Avenel, New Jersey Amazon plant are treated badly. They were lauded and even given two dollar raises only to work non stop as a picker  and getting both her and fellow coworkers raises yanked from them. Randy Petersen who is co-owner of product development at Bridgewell Agribusiness in Clackimas Oregon, also works hard, namely for twenty-four hours dealing with factories and farmers. His team runs the raw materials that are then transformed into organic oils , flours and coconut products. It is demanding work, as they give us our olive oils and baking ingredients.

Celebrate and honor our essential workers. They toil for us , making sure we're well fed. We need to make sure they're well appreciated.