Hugh Acheson: Kimchi Creamed Collard Greens

I've been ordering Korean food on a semi-regular basis, and I always get extra kimchi.  It got me thinking about what I could use that extra kimchi in, besides the usual kimchi pancakes.  I googled around a little bit, and before long, I found this fabulous recipe.  If you're not a huge fan of kimchi on its own, don't worry, the kimchi just adds spice and a background umami flavor.  This is still delicious served with warm cornbread, Southern style.

Kimchi Creamed Collard Greens
From Chef Hugh Acheson, as seen in Food and Wine magazine, December 2013

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
½ pound bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 pounds stemmed collard greens, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon sorghum syrup or pure maple syrup
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup kimchi, finely chopped

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown, 7 minutes. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until the fat has rendered, 10 minutes. Add the collards and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until it begins to wilt, 4 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil for 1 minute. Add the syrup, stock, water, crushed red pepper, and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring a few times, until the collards are very tender, 1½ hours.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the cream over moderate heat until reduced by one-third, 10 minutes. Add the kimchi and remove from the heat.

When the collards are done, stir in the kimchi cream. Season with salt and serve.

Makes 8 servings

NY Times Cooking: Fried Okra With Rémoulade

Earlier this year, in the spring, I got this grand idea to plant a few okra plants and see what happened.  These things were maybe six inches tall when I bought them.  Those tiny plants grew into six foot okra trees, with stalks several inches in diameter.  I've never seen anything like it.  But they also prolifically spit out new okra pods every couple of days.  You can't really argue that they aren't a good pick for the garden.  But what to do with all of that okra?  Why, fry it up into crunchy morsels and dig in.

Note: Try and use the smallest okra pods you can find, only a couple of inches long.  They are the youngest and will be the most tender.

Fried Okra With Rémoulade

Adapted from NY Times Cooking

2 quarts canola oil, plus more as needed
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 pound fresh okra, stem ends trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine or medium yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, preferably Slap Ya Mama
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
Kosher salt, to taste

Rémoulade (see below)

Pour oil into a large pot with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high to 350°F.

While the oil is heating, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Place the cut okra into the buttermilk mixture and stir to coat.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne.

Working in 4 separate batches, dredge the soaked okra in the cornmeal mixture using your hands. Shake off the excess flour and place the okra onto a wire baking rack. After one to two dredgings of okra, use your hands or a slotted spoon to sift the flour and cornmeal mixture, removing any clumps. Finish coating the remaining okra.

Working in about 4 batches, making sure to not crowd the pot, fry the okra, stirring frequently, until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. Take care not to burn it.

Remove okra using a spider and allow the okra to drain on two plates covered with paper towels. Immediately season okra with salt. Serve immediately with the rémoulade.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Rémoulade

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, preferably Slap Ya Mama
1 teaspoon white white vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, Cajun seasoning, vinegar and lemon juice. (Makes about 1½ cups rémoulade.) Cover the sauce and chill it in the fridge until you serve.

Omnivore's Cookbook: Mapo Eggplant

Back in the spring, I decided that it would be a good idea to plant a Japanese eggplant in my raised garden bed.  Between that plant, the okra, and the poblano pepper, they have choked everything else out.  Thank goodness they're also fruiting prolifically.  But that means I have a ton of eggplants that need to be eaten.  Thank goodness for delicious dishes like this one.  And honestly, not a ton of work.

Note: I opted to use ground bean paste (not spicy) instead of doubanjiang (spicy).  I still put the full amount of chili oil in the mixture, and it came out with a nice burn that doesn't peel the skin off your tongue.  If you love spicy, I would recommend using the spicy paste and as much chili oil as you can handle.  I also fried the eggplant pieces in some peanut oil before I started.  This was a recommendation from the blog author to keep the eggplant piece from falling apart, but is definitely not required.

Mapo Eggplant
Adapted from Omnivore's Cookbook blog

1 pound Chinese/Japanese eggplants, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 pound ground pork
1½ to 2 tablespoons ground bean paste or doubanjiang

4 green onions, sliced (reserve some of the green part for garnish)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon chili oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Add the oil and Sichuan peppercorns to a large skillet and cook over medium heat. Let the peppercorns cook until they are fragrant and turn brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the peppercorns using a spatula without removing the oil, and transfer them into a small bowl.

Add the ground pork and spread it across the pan. Top with the ground bean paste or doubanjiang. Let the pork cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the bottom turns golden. Stir with the paste and cook until the pork is almost cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the green onions, ginger, and garlic. Continue cooking for another 30 seconds to a minute to release the fragrance.  Pour in the Shaoxing wine. Immediately use your spatula to scrape off any browned bits from the pan.

Add the eggplant, stock, chili oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir gently to incorporate everything. Bring to a boil, then cover. Simmer over medium-low heat until the eggplant is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Carefully taste one piece of eggplant to make sure it reaches your desired texture. Let cook a bit longer if needed.

Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and stir until fully dissolved. Drizzle over the sauce and turn the heat back to medium. Stir constantly and cook until the sauce has thickened. Transfer everything to a serving plate. Garnish with the reserved green onion and fried Sichuan pepper.

Makes 4 servings

The Dizzy Cook: Creamy Boursin Pasta

I think that Boursin cheese may be the best and easiest way to be ready for guests with an appetizer that I've ever seen, but I figured there had to be more that could be done with the package.  I mean, this is herbed cheese.  Cheese is amazing in almost anything.  And sure enough, I found someone who had used their Boursin to make a kind of fettuccine alfredo that is super easy and fantastically good.

Note: Let's be honest, I didn't just dump in ⅘ of the package, as directed.  I dumped the whole 5 ounces in.  It's still delicious.  Go wild.

Creamy Boursin Pasta
From The Dizzy Cook blog

8 ounces fettuccine pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup heavy cream
4 ounces Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese
Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
Fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Keep about a cup of pasta water just in case you need to thin out the sauce later. Meanwhile melt butter in a large saucepan and cook the garlic for a minute or two until fragrant, but not brown. Add heavy cream and bring the sauce to a simmer, about 5 to 7 minutes, until nice and thick. The spoon should leave a line/trail as you run it through the sauce.

Turn the heat to low and add Boursin cheese, stirring until melted and fully incorporated. Taste the sauce and add any kosher salt or fresh black pepper as needed. Add drained pasta and toss everything to combine. Top with parsley for garnish.

Makes 4 servings

The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook: Blackberry Jam with Lemon Balm

I've found a local farm that allows you to come and pick fresh blackberries straight off the bushes, and I must, I couldn't resist.  Nothing is better than a fresh ripe berry.  But when you pick a giant basket of berries bursting with juice and ready to be eaten, there's no way that you can make it through the whole bunch before they go bad.  So the only thing to do is cook them up into a delicious jam that you can enjoy throughout the year.

Blackberry Jam with Lemon Balm
From The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook

2 to 3 (10-inch) sprigs lemon balm or lemon basil
3½ pounds midsummer blackberries
1¾ pounds granulated sugar
3 ounces strained freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later. Rinse the herb sprigs under cold running water and pat them dry between two clean kitchen towels.

Combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or a wide stainless steel kettle. Heat slowly, stirring with a large heatproof spatula, until the sugar is dissolving and the berries begin releasing a lot of juice. Turn the heat up to high and cook, stirring frequently. Test the jam for doneness 15 to 20 minutes from the time it reaches a rolling boil.

To test for doneness, carefully transfer a small representative half-spoonful of jam to one of your frozen spoons. Replace the spoon in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see whether the jam runs; if it just refuses to run, and if it has thickened to a near-jelly consistency, it is done. If it runs, cook it for another few minutes, stirring, and test again as needed.

Using a stainless steel spoon, skim any remaining foam from the surface of the jam. Place the herb springs into the jam, stir, and let steep for a couple of minutes off the heat. Carefully taste the jam and either remove the sprigs or leave them in for another minute or two, keeping in mind that their flavor will be milder once the jam has cooled. Using tongs, discard the sprigs. Pour the jam into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 5 8-ounce jars

Together as Family: Honey Butter Skillet Corn

When I start to see all the delicious corn hitting the grocery stores, I can never stop myself from buying some.  I've tried growing it (and that was a no-go), so I really appreciate anyone who is able to get these sweet ears to my kitchen in such perfect shape.  The best I can do with it at that point is make something delicious.  This dish is somewhat of a cross between creamed corn and fried corn, with a sweeter profile, but honestly, it all sounds delicious to me.

Note: The original recipe called for frozen corn, but why would you eat that when the fresh summer corn is hitting the stores??

Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Adapted from Together as Family blog

2 tablespoons salted butter
1 pound fresh corn kernels (from approximately 4 large ears)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons honey

2 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons half and half

In a skillet pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the corn kernels and all seasonings, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.  Add honey, cream cheese, and half and half. Stir together and let it cook, about 3 to 5 minutes more, while stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with salt.

Makes 6 servings

The Neelys: Lobster Salad Roll

Every time I walk by the seafood counter, I look longingly at the bowl of cooked lobster meat.  Longingly.  But, I knew it was not to be, at least for quite a while.  I finally gave in to my desires, though, and bought myself a half of a pound.  Even that amount nearly gave me heart palpitations, but I persevered, pointedly looking away from the price tag.  Then I came home and made this super awesome lobster salad roll with it, and the lobster sang beautiful songs on my tongue.  If you need a treat, this is it.

Note: The Neelys originally made this into a sort of seafood cocktail in a martini glass, and you can definitely do that, too, but I wanted a butter-toasted sammich.

Lobster Salad Roll
Adapted from The Neelys, as seen at Food Network

⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 stalk finely chopped celery
1 finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 pound lobster meat, very coarsely chopped

4 butter lettuce leaves

4 top-split hotdog buns

Salted butter, for toasting buns

Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper, celery, shallot, tarragon and chives in a bowl.  Add lobster meat to mayonnaise sauce and combine.

Toast hotdog buns on the exposed sides in butter until golden brown.  Let rest briefly until slightly cooled, then place one butter lettuce leaf in each bun.  Top each lettuce leaf with ¼ of the lobster mixture.

Makes 4 servings

Corinne Domingo: Spam Musubi

There's a neighborhood poki bowl place that also has spam musubi for sale, and I must admit to being the one who sometimes buys out their remaining selection for the day.  These make great snacks or breakfast or anytime treats.  Frying the spam and then coating them with the sauce gives a fantastic flavor, and the rice provides the perfect vehicle.

Spam Musubi
Adapted from Corinne Domingo, as seen on Food Network

5 cups cooked sushi rice, at room temperature
5 sheets nori, cut in half lengthwise
1 (12-ounce) can Spam
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons mirin
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon minced garlic
Furikake, to taste

Cut Spam into 10 slices. Fry until slightly crispy. Remove and drain on plate lined with paper towels. In another pan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Add Spam slices, coating them in the mixture. When mixture has thickened, remove Spam from pan.

Lay a sheet of nori lengthwise on a clean surface. Moisten lower half of musubi maker (see Note), and place on lower third of nori. Fill musubi maker with rice and press flat until the rice is 3/4-inch high. Sprinkle rice with furikake. Top with slice of Spam. Remove musubi maker and keep in a bowl of warm water to keep it clean and moist.

Starting at the end towards you, fold nori over Spam and rice stack, and keep rolling until completely wrapped in the nori. Slightly dampen the end of the nori to seal it. Repeat with the other nine Spam slices, making sure to rinse off musubi maker after each use to prevent it from getting too sticky.

Note: You can also use an empty Spam can that has been opened on both sides for the musubi mold, using your hands (or a piece of Spam) to press down on the rice.

Makes 10 musubi

Blue Chair Jam Cookbook: Grown-Up Strawberry Jam

Whenever we start getting into fresh produce season, I start getting itchy to make jams with all of the goodness.  I just can't bear to see all those luscious berries go to waste.  It's a way to capture them at their absolute peak and enjoy them the rest of the year.  This jam is a little thinner than I'm used to, but that just makes it perfect for dessert sauces.  The Drambuie gives it a little extra flavor kick.

Note: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered pectin to make the jam thicker.

Grown-Up Strawberry Jam
From Blue Chair Jam Cookbook

3 pounds 14 ounces hulled strawberries

2½ pounds granulated sugar

6 ounces strained freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided use

2½ ounces Drambuie

Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later.

In an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or a wide nonreactive kettle, combine the berries with the sugar and 4 ounces of the lemon juice.  Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula.  After a few minutes, as the juice starts to run and the mixture begins foaming a little around the edges, gradually raise the heat to high, stirring often.

Boil the mixture vigorously for 20 to 30 minutes, gently scraping the bottom of the pan every few minutes with your spatula to be sure the jam is not sticking.  If it begins to stick, decrease the heat slightly, being sure the jam continues to cook at a rapid boil.  Continue to cook, stirring and scraping the bottom frequently, until the foam subsides, the mixture acquires a darker, shinier look, and the berries appear softened and saturated with liquid, 20 to 25 minutes total.

Remove from the heat.  Do not stir.  Let the mixture rest for a moment, then use a metal soup spoon to carefully skim all the white foam from the top of the mixture.  When you have removed every last bit of white, stir in the remaining 2 ounces of lemon juice and the Drambuie.  Return the jam to medium or medium-low heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently.  If necessary, gradually lower the heat to prevent scorching.

After 3 to 5 more minutes, your jam should again look glossy and dark.  At this point, remove from the heat and test for doneness.  Do not stir.  To test for doneness, carefully transfer a small representative half-spoonful of jam to one of your frozen spoons.  Replace the spoon in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon.  It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment.  Tilt the spoon vertically to see how quickly the jam runs; if it runs slowly, and if it has thickened to a gloppy consistency, it is done.  If it runs very quickly or appears watery, cook it for another couple of minutes, stirring, and test again as needed.  This jam, while spreadable, has a relatively loose texture.

When the jam is ready, skim all the remaining foam from its surface, then stir well to be sure the berries and liquid are evenly distributed.  Pour the jam into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 5 to 6 8-ounce jars

Alton Brown: Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

I haven't had a good spinach salad in quite a while, so I thought it was time to make one my dinner.  This is a recipe I've had hanging around for quite a while, but when it's good, it's a keeper.  Never got around to photographing it until now.  It's really not hard to bring together, and it honestly can make a whole meal.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
From Alton Brown

8 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 large hard-boiled eggs, each sliced into 8 pieces
8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
3 ounces red onion, very thinly sliced

Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain, and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.

Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings