Pork Bulgogi, A Family Dinner

Are you thinking . . . hmm . . . this sounds familiar?

Well if you know Lizzy, who writes "That Skinny Chick Can Bake", then, yes, you probably read about this recently. And when I saw it I knew my family would love it.

Pork Bulgogi
A recipe by Lizzy, that she adapted from her friend, Norm Matthews

1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced wafer thin (easier to achieve when pork is slightly frozen)
Peanut oil

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low sodium)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons dry sherry or saki
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (she reduced it to 1/2 teaspoon, and so did I)
1 large onion, cut into 12ths

Garnish:
Toasted sesame seeds, optional

Method: mix all the marinade ingredients together. Add sliced pork and set aside at least 10 minutes. (I let the pork marinate about 30-40 minutes while I got the rice going.) Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Working in batches, cook pork and onions until pork is no longer pink.

After I cooked all the pork, I added the remaining marinade to the skillet and cooked over high heat until reduced a little. Then I used it as a sauce over the pork. (It looks like a lot because I doubled the recipe.)

Pork Bulgogi, brown rice, and blanched asparagus, which were leftovers from the other night, made a great sit down family meal.

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Dessert was charred fresh pineapple slices topped with Tahitian vanilla ice cream and lemon sorbet for my daughter, her favorite.

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Bulgogi is a historical Korean dish dating back to around 37 BC-668 AD. The name means fire meat, the word fire coming from the way the dish is usually prepared over hot heat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgogi, http://www.mct.go.kr/html/symbolImg/eng/bulgogi/sec01.html.
Here's an interesting article I found with variations of the dish and different ways to serve it:
http://ezinearticles.com/?All-About-Bulgogi---Korean-Beef&id=5505977

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Indoor Pulled-Pork Sandwiches, Napa Cabbage Slaw, And An Evening With Mark Bittman

Before I get to the recipes, let me tell you about this really nice fundraiser event I attended a few weeks ago, "An Evening With Mark Bittman".

On May 5th, I got a chance to briefly meet Mark Bittman at a book-signing fundraiser event for the Rhode Island Food Bank held at The Culinary Arts Museum. I was pretty excited to visit the museum again, and more excited to hear Mark Bittman speak. But at a time when hunger is high in Rhode Island, with food assistance reaching over 55,000 families a month through its food network, I was extremely happy to donate and learn more about the Rhode Island Food Bank.

The food served that night was delicious and was made by a local restaurant using Mark Bittman's recipes. Various food stations were spread around the museum which were fun to search out while looking through the museum's extensive culinary collection. Drinks were served from an antique art deco bar and an antique diner bar.

Before he spoke, he mingled with guests and gave his undivided attention to many who wanted to meet and chat with him. Wanting to meet him myself, I approached him with my friend. We briefly chatted then I asked to take a photo. It was embarrassing. My friend had trouble with my camera and my being determined to get a decent photo with him, she had to take several photos. It took longer than it should have. He was very patient and pleasant about it all. I was very grateful.

After he gave his speech based on his Food Matters book, he sat for the book signing. While I waited for my friend to get hers signed I found just this tiny cupcake sitting next to this decorative cake modeled after his Food Matters book cover picture.

The night was fun, it was great to hear him speak in person, and it was a terrific night out with my friend. More importantly, it was a successful fundraiser for the Rhode Island Community Food bank.

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Spicy Cole Slaw

From the "Fish" cookbook by Mark Bittman

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp sherry or balsamic vinegar (I used sherry)

1/2 cup olive oil, peanut, or vegetable oil (I used peanut)

1 tbsp sugar

6 cups shredded Napa, Savoy, green, and/or red cabbage (I used Napa)

2 cups seeded and diced red bell pepper (I julienned mine)

1 cup diced scallion with green and white parts

Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

I added:
1 large carrot, julienned
1 small can water chestnuts, sliced

To make this, I prepared the dressing first by combining mustard, vinegar, sugar and oil together in a dressing vessel and shook until sugar was dissolved.

Then, in a large bowl, I added the vegetables and tossed with the dressing and refrigerated about one hour to let flavors build. Just before serving I tossed again with chopped fresh parsley.

Indoor Pulled-Pork Sandwiches
When I made this, I was in the mood for pulled pork but all the recipes I found were time consuming and required grilling or smoking. I was happy to find this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine. It's actually a recipe for the slow cooker, a great make-ahead version of pulled pork, but since I love to use my dutch oven and had the time I cooked it in the oven. I didn't make any changes and it adapted well to the oven.

1 4 - 41/2 lb bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced 

3/4 cup jarred tomato salsa*, medium heat
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
Kosher salt
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To finish sauce:
2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp tomato paste
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Rolls

For the make-ahead version in the slow-cooker, click on this link.

My method for the oven version: I roasted the pork shoulder in a large covered dutch oven with the first set of ingredients about 3 1/2 - 4 hours in a 300 degree oven until done, when meat pulled apart easily (but this is tested, my cast iron dutch oven gets really hot and my oven temp could be off).

*I was surprised to see salsa as an ingredient.  Since I think this ingredient plays a big roll in the dish's flavor, I decided to use Poblano Farm Chipotle Salsa, a local sustainable tomato farm in RI, because I love its thick texture, smokiness, and rich tomato flavor.

Then I removed meat from the pot, discarded bones and fat and shredded with a fork (I made the pork a day ahead. After refrigerating the pork and sauce overnight, it was easier to remove fat from the meat and sauce):

To make the finished sauce, I placed about 1 cup of the juices with onions into a large bowl. Whisked in the second set of ingredients: tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, and salt. Added the pulled pork and combined. (If it seems dry add more broth or water.)

A secret: I thought it still needed a little more smokiness so I added a few drops of liquid smoke.

When I make this again, I think I would add a little whole grain mustard. Somehow, it seemed to lack an ingredient and I think this might be it.

Makes about 8 cups of pulled pork, enough for about 12-16 sandwiches the recipe says. But that depends on how much you stuff between the rolls!

Two days later, leftovers!

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If you haven't seen my post about my first visit to The Culinary Arts Museum, you can take a look here.

Just for fun!

Tourtiere ~ My Memere Made This

An uncomplicated Christmas eve or New Year's eve/day dinner and quite comforting, this traditional French meat pie has become a favorite in our home.  It was my French-Canadian family's annual tradition, served at different times during the holidays depending on who I was visiting. Mostly, it was served on Christmas eve after midnight mass.

While the tourtiere is a traditional pie originating in Quebec (most think so) centuries ago, there are many variations.  Some don't use potatoes, some do.  Some use breadcrumbs instead of potatoes.  Some combine pork and ground beef, or some just use ground beef and so forth.  You too can make changes to suit you.

French Meat Pie Recipe (makes two pies):

3 lbs of ground pork
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 medium yukon gold potatoes, skins left on (2 potatoes for every pound of pork, if you want a meatier pie, use 1 potato per pound of meat but more meat will be needed to fill the pies)
1/2 ts of cinnamon
3/4 ts of poultry seasoning
1/4 ts of nutmeg (I use freshly grated)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbs butter, can vary depending on the size of the potatoes
Pastry for two two-crust pies (Your favorite recipe or store-bought. I used pie sheets from Immaculate Baking Co.)

Boil potatoes, whole or halved, with skins on until fork tender.  Meanwhile, saute chopped onion until translucent.  Add meat and saute until just browned.  Remove from stove, drain fat, and in a large bowl mix meat with cinnamon, poultry seasoning, and nutmeg.   When potatoes are tender, remove from water and place in a separate bowl (including the skins for more nutritional value)  and break up with a spoon adding butter, salt and pepper to taste (keeping them lumpy).   Add potatoes to meat and mix together (the potatoes should bind the mixture, but if not you can add an egg).  Lay a sheet of pastry in each pie dish.  Add equal amounts of filling to each.  Top each with another sheet of pastry.  Slit holes in top, crimp edges, and wrap with foil to protect from burning.  Heat in oven at 350 degrees until the crust is done, about 45 min.

Can be served with ketchup.  I can't explain it - it's just what my family did!

The pies can be frozen for a few months. Make extra and take one out when you're too busy too cook.

Enjoy it for breakfast as well.

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2011 update: for the version using fresh herbs and spices and homemade crust, click here.