Korean breaded cod filets ("daegujeon") and potato salad with soy sauce (“gamja jorim”)

This potato salad was so delicious and almost addictive with great depth of flavor and most importantly even better the next day (warm or cold, you decide)

The cod fish was the perfect accompaniment...that's right to me potatoes are always more than just a side, rather they are the star of the show, hm I mean meal :)

Gamja jorim:

Recipe adapted from Maangchi ( with a couple of exclusions / additions - excl. corn syrup and inc. chili flakes for an extra kick)

Ingredients:

2-3 medium sized potatoes, onion, 2 cloves garlic, soy sauce, 1 tbs sugar, half cup of water, chili flakes

1. Peel the potatoes, wash, and cut them into 1 inch dice and make 2 cups.
2. Rinse the potato using colander in running water to remove starch.
3. Cut half onion into bite sized pieces.
4. Heat the pan and add 1-2 tbs olive oil and pour the potato into the pan.
5. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté it until the potato look a little translucent, then add the onion and keep stirring it.
6. Add half cup of water into the pan, 2 tbs – 2½ tbs soy sauce (depends on your taste), 1 tbs of sugar, 1 tbs of corn syrup and mix it and simmer it over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is evaporated.Tip: Keep checking and stirring not to burn it and to cook evenly, if it needs more water, add some.
7. When the potato is cooked, turn off the stove and add 1 tbs of sesame oil and sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds.

Daegujeon

Recipe courtesy of Maangchi

Ingredients: 
Cod filets (400 grams), flour, olive oil, garlic, salt, ground black pepper, eggs, a red chili pepper, soy sauce, vinegar

1. You can use fresh or frozen cod. If it’s frozen, thaw it out in the refrigerator.
2. Rinse the filets in cold water and gently dry them using a paper towel or cotton cloth
3. Slice it thinly and put it in a bowl.
4. Sprinkle 1 ts of salt, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 pinch of black pepper into the bowl of cod slices and gently mix it up by hand.
5. Pour 1 cup of flour into the bowl with the cod, and mix it quickly  with your hand so that the cod is lightly breaded. [ I recommend following Maangchi's video and dipping each cod piece in flour individually or "piece by piece")
6. Beat 2 eggs in a small bowl and add a pinch of salt.
7. Add 1 chopped green onion and red chili pepper into the beaten eggs.
8. Heat a pan on the stove over medium high heat.
9. Add 1 tbs of olive oil or vegetable oil to the pan.
10. Piece by piece, dip your breaded cod into the beaten eggs, and then place the pieces onto the heated pan.
11. Lower the heat to medium and cook it.
12. Turn it over using a spatula or spoon.
13. Add more oil if needed.
14. * Dipping sauce: Mix 2 tbs of soy sauce and 1 or 2 tbs of vinegar

LEEK + POTATOES = SOUP

I had some leek leftovers and wanted a soup! Something lite and warm. The recipes I checked called for much more leeks that I had, so I decided to add more veggies and see what will come out of it. Soup was very good!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of chopped leeks, the dark green part included
2 carrots
1 stalk celery
1 red bell pepper
8 midsized potatoes
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt, black pepper, dill, Cayenne to taste

STEP 1

Put the olive oil and the butter in a pot. When heated, add the leeks, increase the heat and cook for about 8 min, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery and bell pepper, and cook another 8-10 min.

STEP2

Add evenly cut potatoes, cook for 3-4 min, add salt, black pepper, dill, Cayenne (optional). Cover with hot water - about 6 cups. Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are soft - about 20 min. I use Zepter and when the thermometer riches the red zone I turn off the heat and live the soup for 1 hour. You can do the same with dutch oven, but the regular pot is just fine.

Next time I will make a cream soup out of this recipe and serve it with croutons.

Friday night dinner - rack of lamb and potato focaccia

 It's Friday evening, the work week is over and the weekend has not started yet, the best time of the week.
All week, I was thinking of cooking something special for Friday evening, but I haven't made up my mind till Friday morning, when I heard MM was going to stop by in the evening. That was it, I had to cook something that he would like and appreciate. A quick glance in the freezer, revealed a lonely rack of lamb, two packs of chicken breasts, and an organic turkey, that did not make it to the Thanksgiving feast. The lamb was not enough for a party, but perfect for my Friday dinner. A "Shopska" salad on a side would be perfect with the lamb. What else ... aha, I needed some bread. At that point I did not have 16-24 hours to make a nice rustic bread, I wanted something that can be done faster. After some research, I found a good recipe for a potato focaccia, that required about three to four hours to be prepared.
And there you go, I had a menu, a rack of lamb with shopska salad and focaccia bread.

Potato Focaccia bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. A high quality olive oil is a must have for the focaccia.
• 1 medium russet potato( 8 ounces)
•  3 2/1 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast (instant or rapid-rise)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary. I did not have rosemary, I used a mixture of Herbes De Provence

STEP1: I boiled the potato till it was easily pierced, about 10-15 minutes. I saved the boiling water for the bread. When the potato  cooled enough to be handled, I grated the potato.

STEP2: In a standing mixer, I mixed the potato,  flour, 2 tbsp oil, yeast and table salt. With the mixer running on low speed I added 1 cup of the reserved potato water, cooled already to 110F. The mixer kneaded the dough for about 8 minutes.

STEP 3: I made a smooth ball from the dough and placed it in a lightly greased bowl to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

STEP 4:  Then I coated a baking sheet with 2 tbsp olive oil. I pressed the dough with wet hands into the baking sheet and brushed it  with olive oil. Left it to rise for 1 1/2 hour.

STEP 5: When the dough has risen I dimpled the dough, with wet fingers, then drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with the Provencal spices. Baked it in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, cooled it of on a wire rack.

Rack of Lamb

Ingredients:

• 1 rack of lamb
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp mint
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp oil

First, I washed the rack and dried it with paper towel. Then, I lightly oiled the lamb,  mixed all the spices, and rubbed them to the lamb. Left it to rest for about half an hour.

I preheated 1 tsp of oil in a heavy pan, and cooked over medium heat for approximately 8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reach 160F. Then I turned of the heat but I kept the lamb in the pan with closed lid. It continued to cook and came out medium rare. I personally like it when it is rare, but most people prefer medium rare to done.

The lamb was juicy and aromatic, the focaccia was crunchy and flavorful. MM and GP were  pleased :)