Spicy Chicken wing with Orzo pasta

marinated chicken wing

baked chicken wing, orzo pasta

This dish is not only tasty also a low cost meal, and a balanced meal in every way.

 

Chicken wing is cheap , certain super market sells a good meaty and trimmed wing.

I usually make this serve with, rice, cool cucumber salad and kmchi but I've found orzo pasta at the supermarket , I made this, it was as good as with rice. dinner for 4 cost just under £7 !!

 

2 packs of chicken wing

Cut excess fat if you have whole chicken wing, cut in half through the joint.

 

Make spicy sauce, 1 tbsp. grated garlic, 1tsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste ( gochugaru), 1tsp Chinese black bean paste, 2tbsp mild olive oil or 1 tbsp. sesame oil, 1tsp ground pepper, 2tbsp soft brown sugar or runny honey, 1tbsp spring onion.

 

In a big bowl, mix all marinating ingredients, and our on to chicken wing and mix well. leave in the fridge over night or at least 4 hours to marinate.

If you like spicier, add 2tsp of chilli paste.

Spread silver foil in the roasting tin and put marinated chicken cover with silver foil, roast 40 minutes

in the oven, 170c and off the cover another 30 minutes until brown like grilled , but make sure not to burn.

 

Make orzo pasta.

Boil half bag of orzo pasta until al dante and drain, cut red pepper, chopped half  onion, 2 chopped  garlic. 1tbsp tomato paste.

In a pan heat olive oil and add onion and pepper, when they are cooked add garlic and stir for 1 minute, add pasta mix , add tomato paste cook for a short time, season with salt and pepper, add chopped parsley. Add extra virgin oil and grated Parmesan cheese

 

Serve with chicken wing, pasta and green salad.

FEBRUARY my Korean cookery dates;
8th. 15th. 22nd.

 

 

 

 

 



Hospital Food

Unfortunately I was admitted hospital and stayed for 3 days in NHS hospital in Buckinghamshire.
I was treated by all wonderful nurses and doctors and ward I am in was spotlessly clean.
even we shared four in a room it was spacious enough.

But when I have to choose meal it was a big problem for me. I had fish & chips and peas, it was soggy , but it was edible, specially for 36hours nil by mouth for the operation.
I was going to discharged next day but  had to stay another day due to high temperature and low blood pressure.
Main meal is lunch in hospital but that day I did not choose mine because I was going to be out  someone chose for next patient just in case, I had to have his chosen meal, cottage pie and ice cream for the dessert.
Oh my! my!! it was just awful ! so salty and unpleasant taste  mostly contains mashed potatoes very tiny portion was meat , which I did not mind if they made well. But the taste, why so salty? in hospital food?

I wonder any staff or doctors had ever tried? if they had not,  they must !
All these years all health experts are campaigning the healthy eat but why not in Hospital, it is so unbelievable what they are serving for the patients!
I understand the hospital where I stayed does not have catering facility all foods are delivered and heat up in the microwave even so they should control salt and sugar( dessert) in the food.
I like to shout please make sure the food is at least edible not salty and sugary.
It is funny, all experts shouting about unhealthy food in the media but why not start at hospital???

My idea for hospital food.
1. make few dishes and make well
2. five hot 3 cold, if do not have catering facility
3. make some Asian simple rice dish ( simple rice, vegetables( like frozen peas, corn carrots)and egg would be better than any.

Well, being a Korean naturally I like to have rice dish but it is more appetising than any grey meat and potato dish surely.

I have read an article ,saying prison food is much better than NHS hospital food, I have not seen prison food but I certainly believe this.

I dare say , Health minister Mr Hunt should ask advice from his wife on hospital food.

If I have to admit hospital again, I will take vacuum packed cooked Korean rice, small soy sauce and tiny tube of gochujang!

THANK YOU and HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dear readers.
 

I just to say thank you for your support on my blog.
 Wishing you all have a very happy new year !!

You readers gave me a lots of encouragement to write and make new food for my family and for my class. Thank you!!

Hope I will be making new and healthy recipes in 2014 , as I am not well at the moment I will be writing blog as soon as I am well. thanks and keep cooking!!

Our 2013 Christmas dinner menu ;

Starter:

Seafood medley with cucumber &dill salad (lobster tail bisque)


Main:

Roast  Goose
Home made chestnut , sage, cranberry, bacon stuffing
Home made cranberry sauce. roast potatoes.
 Broccoli sprout, green bean with chilli and garlic.

Dessert;

Flourless orange & almond cake with vanilla ice cream, raspberry coolie

Coffee with home made spicy  chocolate

Cheese board










seafood medley

roast goose

goose & potatoes

dinner plate

dessert

Napoli, Pompei, Sorrento, our Autumn break in Italy

Sorbillo Pizza in Napoli

Napoli's famous Pizza Margarita

Napoli's old town

 I always like to visit Napoli for not only for  the food ( pizza) also history of the city, bay of Napoli, Pompeii and Sorrento.
Arrived on Saturday morning , gloomy rainy Autumn cold day, not a good day for our much needed a short break. Taxi journey to our Hotel, Decumani, in the  middle of old town,
I felt we have arrived not only wrong city also wrong side of Globe, jut like one of unplanned city in Asia. wherever I look there were cars, people and street hawkers, selling fruits and kind of small bags.
Our taxi driver has to drive like a magician to negotiate curvy endless narrow street of old town.
I have not seen this tall apartment buildings with washing lines since I left Hong Kong

Arrived hotel, Decumani, in the middle of narrow street, took old small lift ,thinking we chose a terrible hotel.
When we arrived 2nd floor, this shabby small lift door was opened, beautiful and huge reception was greeting us, what a shocking sight and beautiful too!.
Great space with high ceiling ( at least 6m high) were in front of us.
It was most impressive hotel reception ever seen in my  travelling experience.

Hotel breakfast Room

I told to the manager and staff, whatever you do, do not change the old lift, every one would be shocked when they step out from the old lift .
It has a great shocking value!!

Hotel Reception

This hotel used to be the private residence of the Cardinal of church in olden days. Reminding a good olden days , specially in Breakfast room, a vast room and high ceiling and beautifully decorated walls with gold, all very tasteful, old fashioned charm is showing every corner. Wide corridor looks wider than street outside. Our room was equally impressive!

 

We armed with a few names of a good local restaurants in this area, arrived famous pizza place, Sorbillo, already a lot of people waiting to be called. One guy from Rome, informed us, Sorbillo is the best pizza place in Europe if not in the World, whenever he visit Napoli always have Pizza here, even he said I must have pizza Margarita, here.

We all patiently waited this rainy afternoon, after an hour, we were in. we had Margarita and four side meaty pizza, they are huge. plenty of cheese on the top with very, very thin base which was so light and all melt in my mouth . I think the best pizza I ever had and what a place to have. Love this kind of local eatery when I travel, not at all touristy.

 

Walking around old town was such a fun, mingling with locals, looking at little local pasta shop, butchers, they are all very friendly, I was warned by an Italian to be careful in Napoli specially at the Spanish quarter but it seemed all old wives tail.

 

Down to the bay, I had famous Napoli's sweet cake covered with sugar , too sweet for me.

Dinner at another local restaurant, had a good homely food. Pasta, grilled squid and prawns were excellent and not expensive at all. loved this restaurant , seemed very popular, again this  is an excellent , not pretentious very homely and efficient service. No wonder  every night we have to wait at least 20 minutes to be in, an old door man is friendly and good natured chain smoking talkative, all feel at home.

 

 

Pasta Shop

Grilled Squid & Prawns

Bay of Napoli


 We travelled to Pompei by train , a kind of regular commuting train, was so beautiful Autumn sunny day. only took 45minutes from Napoli.

Looking at the Ruin, just so orderly and clean, all the houses has number plates, everything preserved as it was. it was just so beautiful.

Knowing at still live mountain in a short distance , you can not help to thinking how long?  when will  it erupt  again?

 

Move on to Sorrento. arrived early afternoon. it looks just any kind of well to do city , very clean city but I fear no character , I felt I 've been here before, south France, or even La Jolla , in California.  

All rich tourist city seemed same. it was certainly not my kind of city or perhaps I am not rich enough to appreciate??

Our Short break in Italy was super. Certainly Napoli is  the very city of  human story and my favourite city with all failures and messiness but very friendly locals, loved it.

We bought pasta, herbs , a huge chunk of Parmesan cheese in our suitcase and fly home with a big smile!

Pompei

Pompei

Pompei



Sorrento's famous ice cream shop

Bay of Sorrento

 

 

 

 

 

  

How to make the best Crispy Seafood Pancake ( Pajeon)

Seafood pancake ( pajeon)

One of my favourite Korean dish is seafood pancake ( Pajeon). I was born South east Korea, sea town, we had plenty of seafood dishes and fish in our daily diet when I was growing up in 60th.
My mum used to make this for our afternoon snack , when we were back from school with hungry stomach. I loved crispy out side and plenty of seafood ( prawn , baby squid , baby clams) and thinly cut spring onion, dip in the dipping sauce.
I make this for my family often now, they just love this.

I had tried many Pajeon at Korean restaurants in London, still Bibigo in London is the one of  best so far for me. Crispy and soft inside, their spring onion is very thin, I think it is impossible to cut that thin in the domestic kitchen unless you have special gadget.
Originally we made with whole baby spring onion but it is impossible here in UK, because spring onion is too woody on the top to bite. Cutting thin is a best way to do it.

A good batter mix is the key! I use very fine strong bread flour mix ( if I do not have Korean Batter mix) add sweet rice flour( 7; 3 rate) and a good rapeseed oil . Still the very best one is using Korean ready made batter mix at Korean shops if you can. I always  buy 3-4 bags and store in freezer.

 The other day ,CJ's batter mix was sent to me by their PR company, it is very good, I am guessing Bibigo restaurant is using this Cj's mix, after all Bibigo is blong to Korean CJ company.
All my cookery members seem love seafood pancake. I usually advice them seafood pancake is a good starter, not only Korean dinner party and any kind of food ( western) with green salad.

Ingredients:
Spring onion ( cut 5 cm long and cut again make very thin); 2 bunch
Batter mix ( Korean Cj's pancake batter mix.부침가루) or Strong bread flour plus sticky rice flour ( 7:3 rate)
Seafood: prawn, squid, mussel , clam.
Red and Green chilli ( 1 each)
Good rapeseed oil
Dipping sauce : dark soy, rice vinegar ( 7:3 rate)

Cut spring onion 5ch long and cut again make thin as possible. chopped all seafood very small and set aside. Chop chillies very small as well.
 In a big mixing bowl put 2 cups of batter mix and add 3 cups of water  mix well, just a little thicker than English pancake mix. ( if you're using bread flour, season with salt and white ground pepper)
Add spring onion and chilli in the batter mix .
Heat oil on the non stick small pan , when oil is hot put a ladle of pancake mix and scattered chopped seafood ( about 1tbs) and leave until pancake bottom is cooked and crispy and turn over cook until light brown. ( try not turn over before bottom is well cooked and crispy )
Cut 3cm square and serve with dipping sauce.
if you like more spicier add chopped chilli in the dipping sauce or in the pancake mix.

Our family love this specially as a late afternoon weekend snack with drinks.
I usually make this for drinks party ,it is a good with any drinks, wine or beer.

if you do not have prawn just use squid and mussel makes a perfect pancake.

Seafood pancake ingredients

Batter mix

Batter mix with all ingredients

Pancake in the hot pan cooking

Cooked pancake

Pancake with dipping sauce

Authentic Cabbage ( Baechu) Kimchi class

 On 8th of February 2014, I am having Kimchi class.
Venue is at my house south Bucks  takes 30 minutes from central London by Chiltern line or Tube.
It is requested by a few people to give as a Christmas gift.
I will teach you how to make authentic Korean kimchi, bulgogi
( Korean beef BBQ), cool cucumber salad.

From salting cabbages, making kimchi stuffing, and finally put stuffing into the cabbage leaves and fold . store in a jar.
Bugogi , cucumber salad will be added , you all can have Winter feast with new Kimchi salad. All recipes will be given.
If any one likes to give this class as a gift ( unusual but nice!) , do let me know by email.

My email: kiejosarsfield@hotmail.co.uk
Korean Home food cookery dates in 2014:  25th January, 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd February

 



Rice, Kimchi and Soup, Simply the Best

Kimchi, rice and  Korean bean paste soup

We had 4 day break in Naples in Italy, it was the food heaven , not pretentious, homely food.
We had world best ( I was told by guy from Rome) pizza, waiting for an hour to be called and authentic home food restaurants in the middle of old town, back street, also can not book, just wait until to be called.
Had best pizza, pasta, Pama Ham with melon and with mozzarella cheese, Ragu, anchovy so on.
As soon as we were back home, I only wanted eat kimchi ( well fermented from my fridge), white steamy rice and simple bean paste soup. Just simple but well made 3 dishes, no meat or fish just rice, kimchi and soup.

Luckily I always make my kimchi ( 3 kind at least) keep in the fridge all the time, I love well fermented mature kimchi,has to be made by myself!! and has to be white rice ( Korean) not healthy conscious brown rice!!
Wrap steamy rice with kimchi ( leave side of cabbage) with chopstick, it is most delicious thing when you had not had Korean food for 4 days. this humble food is better than fillet steak or any most expensive food on earth. This is my soul food, truly!!
Well, well !! you can take a girl from  Korea but you can not take out Korea from a girl, Who said this wise comment, I wonder. But it is true. my husband was so happy to have Lancashire hot pot made by my son, John!   He is a Lacastarian after all.