Bibimbap - mixed rice

I think this is one of my favorite things to make. I haven`t made it exactly like I have seen recipes online, mainly because the first time I made it, I didn`t have time to look for the special ingredients, and since I really enjoyed it, I haven`t bothered to look. I will get around to it though eventually, don`t worry.

Traditionally, this is served with beef. The first time, we did have beef. I made it again with pork, then chicken, and then again with beef.  Beef is definitely my favorite, but the others were good as well. I also started with some of the vegetables mentioned in my original recipe. I have now moved on to making it with whatever I happen to have on hand.
You can use:
bean sprouts (mungsprossen)
zucchini
yellow squash
mushrooms
carrots
onion
bell pepper
spinach
cucumber

What you need:

This will vary with what vegetables you like, choose 3 or 4 from the list above.

Beef, chicken or pork. Shrimp if you like (I used 300 g of beef, and it is enough for 3 small or 2 good sized servings)
Rice - I used basmati as that is what I had, but use your favorite. I use 1/3 to 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving
eggs - 1 for each person

Marinade ingredients
1 Tbls soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine - I have used dry sherry and sake for this, both taste good
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbls chopped green onion (scallion)

Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl large enough for your meat. Add the meat and refrigerate at least 20 minutes. I do this part whenever I have time during the day so that it is ready when I am.

Cook your rice so that it is ready.

Begin cooking your vegetables. Slice them into thin strips and cook one group at a time with a little olive or sesame oil.

Cook your meat in a separate pan. No need for oil in this one.

As I cooked my vegetables, I lined them up on a plate to keep them separate.

When you have everything cooked, cook your eggs. You want them sunny side up, so a little bit runny. Each person will get an egg on top of their bowl.

First, add your rice

Then your vegetables and meat

Finally your egg, and some finely chopped green onions.

My husband likes to add Sriracha

 

If you have a stone bowl, perhaps a dutch oven, and want to serve family style, you can heat the bowl and then add the rice so that it gets a bit of a crunch. Add your vegetables and meats. Right before serving you can mix it up.

Or, you can do like I did and use regular bowls and let everyone mix their own. The last time I made this, as I was using different vegetables for different people, I put one set in one pan and the other in another and just mixed everything as I cooked. I did cook the meat separately though.

It was faster, but doesn`t look quite as nice. Still tastes great though!

Enjoy, however you decide to make it :-)

Chicken skewers

These are super simple skewers with a great flavor. The picture above is unfortunately the only one I remembered to take at the end, and I`m not sure where some of the others are hiding, so I`ll have to make this again soon. Darn. :-)

You can make this the day before and then just let it marinate until you are ready to grill. Great for parties. Also, I had been planning to see how it handled freezing, but they were so good there were none left. I will try it next time though.

If you do have any leftovers, they are great with either hummus or greek yogurt in a pita pocket or tortilla for lunch. Throw in some greens and you have something yummy and filling.

I found the original recipe online while looking for something new to do to my chicken. They had a chutney with it, which I left out, but if it sounds interesting, check it out.


What you need:

400-500 g of chicken. Either I used the precut pieces to save time, but normally would use tenders
150 g greek yogurt (or regular, plain if you can`t find any)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion
1 tsp grated fresh ginger. If you don`t have any, you can use 1/8 tsp of ground
1 tsp ground cumin (Kreuzkümmel)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric (Kurkuma)
2 Tbls lemon juice

Either cut your chicken into bite size pieces, or use the pre-cut.

Get a large zipping bag and put it inside a bowl (to help hold the shape while you add things)

Add the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and onion. Squeeze the bag to mix well (or if you prefer, pre-mix everything in a bowl. I try to do everything as compactly as possible in my small kitchen)

Add the chicken to the bag

Mix the spices in a small bowl and then add to the bag

Seal and mix around to coat. Place in the fridge at least 4 hours, or overnight.

For the skewers, make sure you soak them in water at least 20 minutes before adding the chicken.

Grill.

That`s it, easy, right? :-) Serve with a salad, pita and hummus (I also did vegetable skewers)

Pastry Wrapped Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This is one of my favorite things I have made recently. I love mushrooms, so it`s not really a big surprise. Unfortunately, I am having trouble finding the portobello mushrooms right now, but the beauty of this recipe is that you can actually make it without them. My husband and I both agree that it is better with though. This also freezes beautifully. This is something I have been working with as well recently.

What you need: This is for 4, but you can half it, or freeze half as needed (or double of course)

 4 portobello mushrooms, insides removed

1 package (about 500 g) of fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbls butter
2 large cups of spinach - I haven`t measured yet, I just add about 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach or 1/2 a bag of regular. Depends on what I can find at the store.
2 Tbls olive oil
2 shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp balsamic vinegar. I use the Aceto Basalmico because I think it tastes great
1/4 cup of pine nuts. I buy the small bag at Coop or Migros and use about 1/2 of it
1 Tbls bread crumbs. I use panko as I like the texture. I wouldn`t use the tiny grain sized bread crumbs if you can help it.
1 cup Gruyere, though I don`t use quite that much. You can also use the Gruyere/Emmentaler mix for a good flavor.
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sheet of Blätterteig. (puff pastry). Be sure to get the rectangular one as it is easier to cover the mushrooms.
1 egg

Pre-heat the oven to 190 C.

Rinse the mushrooms and take out the stems and the gills

Brush each side with a little bit of olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, with the cap side up, and for 5-7 minutes down. Take out of the oven and set them on some paper towels to catch any extra liquid. 

While the mushrooms are cooking, in a large pan, add a little olive oil. Add half of the shallots and garlic. Cook about 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned. 

Add the spinach and mix well. 

Right when the spinach begins to melt, add the balsamic

Remove from the pan and place in a bowl. 

Put the butter in the same pan and add the rest of the shallot and garlic. Let cook about 2 minutes and then add the mushrooms

Add a little salt and pepper and cook the mushrooms until most of the moisture is gone

Remove the mushrooms and add to the spinach mixture. Mix and let cool (10-15 minutes).

While cooling, in a dry pan, toast your pine nuts. Remove when slightly browned and add to the mixture. 

Add the bread crumbs (or panko) and the cheese. 

Lay your puff pastry out and cut it into 4 even rectangles. Place one of the portobello mushrooms in each section, cap side down. Divide up the mixture and stuff the mushrooms. They will be over flowing. As long as you have a large puff pastry, this is fine. (And tasty!)

Very carefully, flip the filled mushrooms over

Bring up each side of the pastry to make a little package. One corner, side, corner, side, and so on. 

In a small bowl, mix up your egg and then brush some over the top of the dough to give it a nice brown color when cooked. I cut out extra pieces of dough for fun the first time I made this. 

Bake in the oven for the time and temperature directed on your blätterteig package. Usually at 200 C for about 15-20 minutes. The top should be a nice brown when it is done. 

If you would like to freeze this, simply place in a freezer bag, without the egg. To cook, let thaw, add the egg glaze and cook for the time indicated. Turns out great. 

You can also make this without the portobello mushroom, but I don`t think it is quite as good. I would double the filling recipe in this case though. 

The original recipe can be found here. I think this was the original link, there seem to be a few very similar ones now. 

Carrot soup with cream and roasted pistachios or Karroten creme mit gerösteten Pistazienkernen

Carrots. Rabbits.  That`s what I think of when I see carrots.  I`m not a huge fan.  My mom used to have a bag of carrots for us to snack on after school.  For some reason, they always made me hungrier.  I don`t mind them, really, but I do not like cooked carrots at all.  Anytime they are mixed in with a meal, I will pick them out.  I don`t know what it is about them....

Maybe I am getting older (well, I know I am), or being in a different country is encouraging more of a `just try it`attitude, but when I tried the carrot soup for the first time a few weeks ago*, I did not think I would like it at all.  Boy was I wrong.

What you need:

1 kg of carrots, peeled, ends chopped off and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 liter of vegetable bouillon
enough sugar to glaze the carrot and onion tops
vollrahm to whip or Schlagrahm
50-75g butter
pistachio kernels
salt and pepper to taste.



In a pan, melt about 25g of the butter. Chop the carrots and onions, but don`t worry about making them small as you will blend them at the end.  Briefly saute, then glaze with sugar and mix.

Put the bouillon in a large pot and add the carrots and onions.  Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and another 25g of butter.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and allow a fork to easily pass through them.

If you are using vollrahm, use a whisk to beat it up until thickened.  About 2 minutes (with an electric one).

Briefly saute the pistachios in some more butter. Set aside.

Remove the pan from the heat and using an immersion blender, blend up the chunks until everything is smooth.

Pour into a bowl and top with the cream and pistachios.  Serve immediately as the cream will start melting quickly.

I think it tastes best when the cream is then mixed into the soup.

Enjoy!

*Also a cooking class find, though as we are not given measurements most of the time, I may have been a little off.