Korean Cookery in May

 

twice cooked  and stuffed Tofu

Spicy Fish (skate)

 

May Korean Cookery dates are:  11th , 18th , 25th. ( from 2:00 to 5:00 PM)

Email at kiejosarsfield@hotmail.co.uk

 

 

 

Dossot bibimbab

Pajeon

Dossot Bibimbab

 

11th May ,12:30 class menu:  Seafood pancake ( Pajeon), Dossot bibmbab.  miyuk guk ( seaweed soup).

 

 

Wine Festival and Food in Verona

Arena

Arena in Verona

 

One of my best Korean cookery member , Cristina ( an Italian) and I travelled to Verona for the wine festival,  on a cold April . Arrived  a quite posh hotel. Golden Dove just a minute from ancient Arena, this small city is just same as I remembered years ( 5-6 years)ago as I visited for the Opera.


Found a decent restaurant near hotel, we had mushroom risotto and Italian ham and  tomato pizza  with  a bottle of water and a bottle of house red to share. It was a decent meal not a memorable, it may due to do we had so many good Italian restaurants in London, I may have spoiled by this, but all very reasonable price! 38 Euro !!

On Sunday morning we had a good Italian breakfast ( hotel, buffet) with strong coffee, head to wine festival. seemed most of them are Italian, it was well organised , tent were divided by wine producing area, like Tuscany so on
I am not an wine expert but I love Italian Red, Barolo with meat dish.

 Wine festival Entrance

tasting with Cristina

 

I was so surprised by so many good red wine are produced in Italy and mellow and melt on your mouth. I was worried how am I going to taste all these but I had only a sip and lingering in my mouth and swallow, did not spit like an expert does. I  found my way to not drink too much at once. Talking to wine producers were such a enjoyable moment. they were so enthusiastic and so passionate about their wine.

One thing was surprised me, so many kind of sparkling wine are produced in Italy , some are better than champagne, sweet dessert wine were my another surprise. I normally do not drink any  sweet wine ( red or white) if I make tiramisu I use Vinsanto  sweet wine that's all. but I found very tasty sweet wine for just drink with cheese, it was hugely enjoyable .

 

A few wine makers telling me, they tried open to Asia market specially in China but how difficult to sell Italian wine, still Asian thinks French wine is the best, well they will know soon .

I had a jolly good experience to tasting delicious wine but regrettably can't take with me.

My favourite red are still Barolo and Barbaresco from Piedimont region.

 

Finally we found Cristina's cousin, Cesconi  wine corner, a small and quality wine maker, 3 brothers, their white, Nosiola would be a perfect with light meal. I fell in love with their sweet wine, not overly sweet , the aroma , faint smell of rose, I Loved this Cesconi's Traminer.

It is worth to buy, after nice dinner with a glass of Traminer would be just right with bitter chocolate.

This trip I've learned something very new!! what a joy indeed 

 

We were invited by Cristina's other cousin, Bruno & Pina , their friends for dinner. It was a very Italian affair, talking , and laughing , I could not understand but hugely enjoyable to see that they are just like Korean family gathering.

Cristina with Lorenzo, Cesconi Wine

 

Food was very good, 12course meal but on 3 plates, what a good idea. On a big plate 5 different small food with instruction , like where to start to finish. I never seen this way in London , I might try at home.

Dinner 5 dishes on a plate

Dinner 5 dishes on a plate

 

Of course we did visit Juliet's house in the middle of Verona, packed with tourist, but found they put

Juliet's Balcony

 

kind of iron gate to put lover's lock, oh my my!! it looked just too awful!!

 

The city was not changed at all since I have been here for the opera, I could find same supermarket , no problem. cheese and Italian Ham are in our suit case and leaving Verona with a good memory.

This trip was just like visiting an old friend.

 Shame !! I could not afford to be here for the opera this Summer again.

  

    

April Korean Cookery

 

I am off to Verona, Italy on Saturday (6th, Apr) to International wine Festival. I do not have a great knowledge of wine but I do enjoy a glass of red with food also love dry white wine .

Well it will be a learning experience for me. I did have been Verona for the opera years ago. I loved this ancient city in the Summer.

 

Ancient open theatre is so attractive, sitting starry Summer night watching, listening opera was unforgettable  experience. Loved it !!

I have heard this wine festival will be held in the open theatre as well, I am so looking forward to visit this walled city.

 

 

My Korean Cookery in April will be, 13th, 20th and 27th.

 

 

Easter weekend paper, one TV Chef wrote Korean Lamb, with Gochjang sauce. I was so surprised that was so similar with My Anglo Korean Dish, Roast Chicken and Roast Shoulder of Lamb.

I did wrote this Blog site as well. if anyone interested do have a look. What a coincident!!

 

I think a lots of people read about P. Middleton's Waitrose Magazine recipe on Asian dinner party.
 I thought everybody knows how to make Nori Susi and Vietnam's wrap??

 

That was so yesterday's recipe, don't you think??

 



Baby mooli kimchi

Roast Chicken with Gochujang sauce

Dinner at Bibigo in London

 

As a Korean born food writer, a food blogger and running Korean home food cookery occasionally, I always looking for some new  Korean restaurants in London.

I had eaten a few new Korean restaurant recent years, I always left the restaurant with a slightly disappointment by nothing much different than the other. 

Korean food is quietly popular to the young 30 something generations in recent years and now its popularity is established, needs something different Korean restaurant here in UK.

Like Nobu made Japanese  and Hakkasan group made Chinese( Cantonese ) , Korean needs that 

 

Korean restaurants desperately needs a person or backers with vision and patience, I regard the restaurant is not only for eat also social gathering with experience through dinning. Mind you first of all food has to be a star

 



I have had heard of Bibigo a few weeks ago, and it is in heart of West End. I had to try, they took over from old eatery,  Ssam and changed name, Bibigo,  means mixing, like Bibimbab means mixed vegetables rice, meat and sauce. Well it is quite catchy and easy to pronounce for the name.

 

Bar

 

I decided have a go, took my daughter, Catherine who is a new foodie in our family and write for the magazine.  Bibigo is situated in  a few minutes from Liberty, Great Marlborough Street. We arrived at 7:00 PM since it was Wednesday, fairly quiet,  3 tables were occupied.
 It looked much different than Ssam, deco was changed to better, friendlier and casual but smart , At the back of the room I could see kitchen through glass, as soon as I stepped in , I noticed well stocked bar with bright yellowy light, it is unusual for the Korean restaurant.
 I liked it which means you can have drinks at the bar while you are waiting  or just wanted drinks and light snack on your own.

 

Mandu

Bossam

 

We ordered  Korean dumplings ( Mandu) and fried baby squid. Mandu came with crispy plain thin pancake on the top with micro salad , I thought it was baked Parmesan cheese on the top of dumplings.  Looked very interesting and gives crunchy texture with steamed dumpling, what a good idea, I might borrow this idea  at home. Fried squid were crispy but cut too small .

Pajeon was excellent, thin batter, thinly cut spring onion and seafood. It was best I've had in London.
 

Bossam was the must have dish for me. Meaty ,tender belly pork was so delicious, also beautifully presented as well. All Bibigo meats are from Ginger Pig farm,which means quality meat!!

If I only I could be able to have with oyster, it would have been authentic Bossam but even without them it was a well balanced delicious dish.
 

 Beef & Asparagus Sanjuk

 

Sanjuk ( skewered beef and asparagus) was like a mini beef steak, when chef  Kim told me they are actually sir loin steak meat, marinated in bulgogi sauce and grilled, a tasty dish for the main course.
But next time I would like to have as medium rare after all it is like a mini beef steak.
 

Bulgogi was perfect indeed, just melt in your mouth, balances of saltiness and sweetness were just right.  

 

Bibigo offer lunch set menu for £9, Dinner set menu is £12, how good is that! I certainly try when I am in shopping or  out in theatre or opera.
 I am glad that Bibigo offering something different than most of Korean restaurant and also tasty, stylish food. They even serve very English dessert like Eton Mess. Catherine had Korean green tea ice cream, she loved it.

The Russian bar tender makes excellent and very generous size of Bloody Mary according to Catherine but if  you like milder one, ask him easy on Tabasco, it was quiet hot for me.

I hope this kind of Korean restaurant will pop up in London time to time. Needs variety style of Korean eatery in London like in NY.    



Visiting Blue House ( Residence of the President of S. Korea)

Blue House in Seoul

 

I was very lucky to have had  a chance to tour BLUE HOUSE, last October when I was in Seoul. It was a beautiful Autumn day, with clear blue sky.  A rare chance to be allowed to in the Blue House as a family of the senior civil servant. All complicated checks of security we were on the ground of this mini palace.

 

Blue House is called because of blue roof tiles, personally  I do not like any coloured tile on the Korean traditional house but this huge House did not seem too odd and a good name for the Nation's President Residence. I bet one senior civil servant thought about this name after White House, as Blue House, Well, I am wildly guessing.

 

Blue House is sit on the foot hill of mountain, it is not a big park and not as big as Kyungbok Palace , old  and a few modern buildings and traditional houses are dotted around.  It was very well managed park, well designed garden and pond, old pine trees were magnificent.

 

 We could see the President's private living quarter by distance , I have heard that ex President, Lee likes to ride bicycle on this road to the office every morning. 

 

When we were inside, we could see real a cabinet minister's meeting room, it just looked like a mini UN conference room, every desk with  computer and microphone were set , nothing like I used to have seen Downing Street, our own Prime Minister's cabinet meeting room on TV, it was very spacious .

Sadly we were not allowed take any photos.  I can imagine how European Government would be envious of this power room.

 

All rooms were so elegantly decorated , Foreign Dignitaries Greeting and Banquet room ( Youngbinkwan) was very impressive, deep yellow colour room looks very grand for the occasion.

 

My favourite house was Outdoor Dinning House for the foreign guests, it is on the hill of  park.

 The Traditional house with garden and a few big persimmon trees , it just like the my father's village house, very charming and welcoming house.  

I cam imagine many historic lunches may have had served there. I just loved the simplicity of it.

Compare with the official Grand Greeting Room (Youngbinkwan), this house had more cosy and intimate , friendly feel to it.

 

Planting Persimmon trees is a clever idea,because persimmons are  symbol of ordinary people's a comfort fruit in Korea.

They were strikingly beautiful against blue Autumn sky.   





Outdoor Dining House

Full view of Blue House

with family

 

The very Best Burial spot in the Country.

 

I was told one spot on the hill, next to Outdoor Dinning House is The Very Best Burial Spot by the Chinese Pengsui theory. A huge urn like ceramic jar is there on that spot.

Certainly looks a Perfect place to be, looking down at the city of Seoul. protected by Mountain in the back, Sun drenched spot, it looks the part. However nobody, buried yet so far.

 

I was glad to be able to see this grand House and very proud of my Old Country , Korea! 

 

Now, new Lady President, Park is in this Residence, I wonder how the house character will be changed in the future.

I am sure New President  have no problem to settling in her old childhood house.   

Korean Home cooking in March

 

WE celebrated The year of Snake with friends and now Big full moon day is near, 24th of February.

In Korea we do have another mini feast for the biggest full moon day, glutenous rice with 5 grains , and a lots of vegetable dish ( namul, 나물) and steamed fish and clear soup.

I love 5 grained and sticky rice , slightly salty ( this dish needs a little salt) with winter vegetable, delicious!!  certainly I will cook this at home.

 

Well now the Spring is near hope we can cook something new. I love Korean spring herbs, wild sage, wild tiny onions, spring vegetables so on, but unfortunately I can not get here.

I love smell of wild sage , specially soup with small clam with soy paste, when I eat this, I know the Spring has arrived.

 

March Korean Cookery Dates are:  2nd, 9th. 16th. 23rd.

 

Do contact me at kiejosarsfield@ hotmail.co.uk

 

 

 



Winter comfort Food . Ox tail and cheek stew and Yukgaejang

When the weather is cold like this Winter, everybody like to eat heart warming comfort food, we are a Anglo Korean house hold , I make both of comfort food, English and Korean, soup or slow cooked stew, using cheap cut is the key because they are not only economic also have full flavour I am looking for.

Oxtail and cheek stew

Korean spicy oxtail and leek soup ( yukgaejang)

 

We all love ox- tail stew with dark beer or red wine, but I recently tried new my recipe for this, mix with ox cheek, it was truly revelation for us. Certain super market butcher section is selling ox cheek now,  I thought I will try with ox tail, both need slow cooking and more interesting to add different texture of meat , most of all very cheap and full of flavour.

I do not use carrot for the stew , found carrot makes stew a little sweet,
2-4  celery sticks( chopped).  2 medium size white onions( chopped0. 5-6 garlic clovers and crushed. ginger ( your thumb size, chopped). 100g chestnut mushrooms. 2 ox cheek meat, 3 big oxtail pieces.
2-3 cups of Red wine or a bottle of dark beer .  1Tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1tsp of tomato puree. 2 bay leaves, 1tsp dried thyme or fresh thyme. half of dry chilli

Thick bottomed caster iron stew pan, 1tsp of rapeseed oil and heat up, fried all the cut vegetables and set aside.  Cut fat off from the oxtail, in a big bowl 3Tsp plain flour, salt and pepper mix. add meat and shake to be coated .
Add oil (1Tsp) , heat up and add meat to brown, little by little. add vegetables, chilli, garlic, ginger bay leaves, thyme and pour water. When stew is boiling add wine or beer, boil for 4-5 minutes first, add tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce boil, season with salt & pepper.
Put in the low (120c) oven for 3 hours to slowly cook. take out and stir , if stew is dryish add 1cup of boiling water and put it back to oven at 150c and cook another 45 minutes and serve with boiled barley and savoy cabbage leaves.
I boiled cabbage leaves in the salted water for 2 minutes, make sure not boil too long.
Barley is cooked onion, 1 garlic cloves 1Tsp olive oil, for more than 1 hour, make sure soak before cook. Add chopped parsley on the stew and barley.
Meat is so tender, fall off the bone and texture and flavour are rich and delicious!!

For our Korean Winter comfort food is Spicy leek soup made with Ox-tail. adding sliced tube rice cake and eat with rice and kimchi of course.
My family love this heart warming Korean soup, Yukgaejang as I do !!