Korean Ox bone soup and a beef pot roast

 

I spent the last three days making Korean Ox Bone soup. It is a soup base used in many Korean soups.  I made enough to last quite a while.  It is what Charlie's mom used to make her bulgogi soup.  It's very different from the  ready made bulgogi soup at the Koran market.  I put a pot roast in the slow cooker and made a small pot of the soup with some green onions, noodles and bulgogi.  I forgot to take pictures until everything was almost gone.

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/ox-bone-soup

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Seolleongtang (Beef Bone Soup) 

Today, I'm going to demystify Seolleongtang (설렁탕) to convince you to make this restaurant favorite at home. Seolleongtang is a milky beef bone soup that's made by boiling down beef leg bones for several hours until the broth becomes rich and creamy white. This broth is a staple in Korean households, especially during cold winter months. Yes, it takes time, but most of it is stove time. You can do other things around the house while this is boiling away in the kitchen. The result is totally rewarding! A few dollars' worth of beef bones makes lots of rich and nourishing soup. Legend has it that this soup was created because King Seonjong of the JoseonDynasty wanted to feed a large number of people after an ancestral worship ritual involving a sacrificial cow. Let me tell you -- the King had the right idea! You can feed your whole family and still have some leftover to freeze for later use. The broth is also great as a soup base for many other Korean soups such as tteokguk, manduguk, doenjangguk, and miyeokguk.

In making a Western-style beef stock or Vietnamese pho broth, the cooks aim for a clear, brown broth by simmering beef bones for many hours. In contrast, the goal of makingseolleongtang is to achieve a milky white broth. What's done differently? It's the heat level! For a clear broth, the bones are gently simmered over low heat. Simmering, by definition, is cooking at the temperature below the boiling point with bubbles gently rising to the top. For a milky broth, you need to boil moderately, not simmer, throughout the cooking time.

There are no hard and fast rules about how much bones or water you need to use or how long you should boil. A few pounds of bones go a long way, and you can use as much water as your pot can hold. Don't throw the bones away after making the first batch of broth. Use them again to make another batch. The broth will be even milkier the second time around. I usually stop after the third batch. It's common to use aromatic vegetables, such as onion, garlic, and the white parts of large scallions. However, only using the bones will give you a cleaner flavor. It's a matter of personal taste. Try both ways, and decide which way you like better. Seasoning is usually done at the table by adding sea salt. You'll be surprised by how a little bit of salt brings out the complex flavor of the beef. The soup is also naturally nutty with a hint of sweetness. Delicious!

Ingredients:

3 - 4 pounds beef leg (marrow and knuckle) bones, cut up

1 - 2 pounds of meat (beef brisket or shank)

For serving:

cooked rice

cooked somyeon (or glass) noodles

thinly sliced meat (boiled in the broth)

lots of chopped scallions

salt and pepper

Preparation:  Soak the bones in cold water to draw out as much blood as possible, about 2 hours (or longer if you have time). Rinse well and drain.      

Soak the meat in another bowl to draw out as much blood as possible, about 2 hours. Drain. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.

Parboiling 

Add the bones to a large stockpot (preferably 8 quarts or larger) with enough cold water to cover. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil for 5 minutes.

 

Drain. Rinse the bones, and clean out the pot to remove any brown bits. Return the bones to the pot.

Boiling

Fill up the pot with cold water, leaving a little room for boiling. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat to medium.

 Cover, and boil until the broth becomes rich and milky, about 3 - 4 hours (or longer if you have time). Adjust the heat a little, if necessary, to maintain a moderate boil. (On my stove, this is somewhere between medium and medium low.) Add more water to cover the bones, once or twice while boiling. (This photo was taken at the 3-hour point.)

 

Add the soaked meat (and more water if needed to submerge the meat). Boil until the meat is tender, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the meat. Once cooled, thinly slice the meat to add to the soup when serving. Pour the broth through a colander into another pot or a large bowl to cool.

Optional step (highly recommended)

 Fill up the pot with fresh water again. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover, and boil until the broth becomes rich and milky, 3 - 5 hours. Reduce the heat a little, as necessary, to maintain a moderate boil. Add more water if the liquid reduces too quickly while boiling. Pour the milky broth through a colander into the pot or large bowl that contains the first batch. You can repeat this one more time, if desired. Just mix them all at the end to even it out.

Removing fat

 You can use a fat separator to remove the fat, or keep it in the fridge (or out on the deck or balcony in the winter) until the fat solidifies to spoon off the fat.

Serving

To serve, place some rice and, if desired, noodles in a serving bowl, add the meat pieces, and then ladle the hot broth on top. Typically, chopped scallions, salt and pepper are served separately so each person can season to taste. Serve piping hot with kimchi.

 

Freezing leftover

Korean beef bone soup  http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/ox-bone-soup

Bulgogi Stew

 Charlie reminisced about his mom making this stew when he visited her, and asked if I could make some. I had never had it or even recall hearing about it but I looked up a recipe and went to the Korean store. I wasn't looking forward to making bulgogi then turning it into a stew. I went to get some ready made bulgogi but actually found packets of Bulgogi
gogi stew.  All I needed to do was tear open the package and heat it up.  It's really good but Charlie said it was much more intensely flavored than his mom's.  Her broth is almost like Korean Bone soup he said.  He thinks he will water it down when he heats up left overs.

- Steak fajitas make a quick and easy meal perfect for weeknight suppers or weekend celebrations! Made with beef, peppers, onions and served with a stack of warm tortillas and condiments. They are always a favorite!

Prep Time 10 mins  Cook Time 15 mins  Total Time2  5 mins  Servings:6

  Ingredients

• 2 pounds skirt, flank, sirloin, or hanger steak sliced into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 red pepper deseeded and sliced into thin strips
• 1 green or yellow pepper deseeded and sliced into thin strips
• 1 medium onion peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 6-8 tortillas warmed

Optional garnish:

• sour cream
• Guacamole
• salsa

Instructions

• Place the steak into a sealable bag. Place the peppers and onion into a separate sealable bag. Add the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and garlic to a jar with a screw top or tight fitting lid. Shake until well combined. Pour 1/3 of the marinade over steak, 1/3 of marinade over vegetables and reserve the remaining marinade in the jar for using when cooking the steak fajitas. Seal the bags tightly and refrigerate for one hour to overnight.
• When ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the vegetables into the skillet and cook until just tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet to a plate and add steak strips to the same skillet. When the steak is cooked throughout (about 7-10 minutes), add vegetables back to the skillet along with the reserved marinade.
• Serve with warm tortillas and desired optional garnishes.

 

Shepard's Pie and Cabbage Fritters

 I have never had any interest in making Shepards pie until now.  I guess it was  curiosity that finally got me to try it.  The cabbage fritters were good though you may not think so. Charlie made a face when I told him they were like potato pancakes but with cabbage, but he like them when he tasted them.

Both were a hit with Charlie.

Shepherd's Pie

• Total: 1 hr 30 minPrep: 45 minCook: 45 minYield: 8 servings
• Ingredients

For the potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes  (I used golden potatoes.)

1/4 cup half-and-half

2 ounces unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 carrots, peeled and diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
• Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. 
• Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

I wrote down the recipe from a video and cannot find the paper I wrote it down on now but the recipe below is the same, just smaller portions.  The recipe had a topping with plain yogurt, cucumber and Fines herbs which the store didn't have nor did they have some of the ingredients to make it from scratch.  We enjoyed the fritters without any topping anyway.

Cabbage Fritter "Batter"  

• 16 oz shredded cabbage
• 2 med-small carrots - grated
• 1 medium onion
• 3 large eggs
• 4-5 tbsp flour - see notes for gluten free or grain free
• 2 cloves garlic - minced

Seasonings

• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper - ground
• 1/2 tsp paprike - or smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp coriander - ground, optional
• 3-4 tbsp fat for frying - ghee or oil of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the ingredients (wash and cut)

• Shred the cabbage  or chop fine (for fine uniform shreds). You will need 16 oz, about 7 packed cups. Or about 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage.
  
• Thinly slice  onion.
  
• Grate the carrots with a box grater.
  
• Mince the garlic .
  

Combine all the ingredients

• In a large bowl add all prepared ingredients and toss lightly to combine and coat everything with egg. You can use your hands.
  
  Don’t use force while mixing, you don’t want to draw too much water from the cabbage.
  
• Note: The cabbage mixture might look like a slaw at first, without much hope for sticking together, but don’t worry, the fritters will hold together once fried. 
  

Shape the cabbage fritters and fry

Note, make cakes small so you can turn them easily with a spatula.

Spicy Pork Bulgogi

No it's not deja vu.  Yesterday we had beef bulgogi which has a little sugar in it. Today we had spicy pork bulgogi.  It tastes different. I didn't do much cooking for it though. I went to the Korean grocery and got the spicy pork out of the freezer, picked up some cabbage bulgogi, some baby Napa bulgogi and some kimbap.  About all I did was thaw it, cook it and make some rice.

 

Beef Bulgogi

 Beef Bulgogi

Ingredients

Serves 2 to 4

• 1 pound beef tenderloin, top sirloin, or skirt steak), slice into ⅛-inch-thick slices
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 green onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, coarsely ground
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Make marinade by combining the garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sugar, water, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and ground black pepper in a large bowl. Mix it well with a spoon until the sugar is well dissolved.
2. Add the sliced beef and mix everything by hand until the beef is covered in the marinade. Keep in the fridge at least 30 minutes.
3. Cook on a pan or a grill, and transfer to a plate or a cast iron plate to serve with rice, lettuce,
4. If you’re using a Korean handheld grill over a flame like I do in the video, use a medium flame and keep moving the grill around so that it gets evenly cooked, before flipping it over.<
5. To eat, wrap a spoonful of rice, a piece of bulgogi, and a little bit of ssamjang in a lettuce leaf. Fold it over and eat. Repeat!

INGREDIENTS FOR SSAMJANG (SERVES 6 TO 8)

• 1/4 cup doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
• 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 10g / 0.35 ounces onion, thinly sliced
• (optional) 2 Tbsp walnuts (or your choice of nuts and seeds) – this will add nuttier flavor and creamier texture.
• (optional) 10g / 0.35 ounces apple, cored and cut into small pieces

Garnish

• (optional) green onion, thinly sliced 
• (optional) minced chilies, finely diced 
• (optional) toasted sesame seeds

* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250ml

*** When adding sesame oil and/or nuts, be sure to use the fresh ones. Old ones can be rancid and spoil the taste of ssamjang.

HOW TO MAKE SSAMJANG

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until the texture is smooth. It will takes about 1 min. Transfer the sauce into a serving bowl. Garnish with the green onion and sesame seeds.OR you can buy it at the Asian market.  

Cheeseburger Soup

Charlie and I were going through a list of recipes I've made over the last couple of years and decided to do Cheeseburger soup. Charlie suggested using French fries instead of regular potatoes and to add some  jalapenos. I didn't think the fries  and peppers was a good idea so I made them on the side.  I have to admit that the soup made a very tasty dip for the fries.  During the meal Charlie thought some kind of pasta would be a good substitute for the potatoes.  I might try that next time.

Cheeseburger Soup

Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup is a thick and hearty soup with lean, tender ground beef, shredded carrots, diced celery and potatoes in a warm and creamy cheese soup. This is an award winning soup and it is excellent! 

PREP TIME 15 mins  COOK TIME 30 mins  TOTAL TIME 45 mins

SERVINGS 6 people  

INGREDIENTS 

1 pound ground beef 

 3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

4 tablespoons butter divided

3 cups chicken broth..I ended up using 4 C. to cover the potatoes when they cooked.

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese, cubed 

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.

• In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
• Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.