Food

Baechu Kimchi This is the authentic method of making kimchi by esteemed chef Sook-ja Yoon from The Institute of Traditional Korean Food in Seoul. We had the privilege to make kimchi with her tutors and learn the importance and cultural history of this banchan. This recipe calls for the cabbage to be left in half as it ferments. You can chop it up so it's ready to be served straight from the jar. I use it for absolutely everything. My favourite side dish. When it starts to become sour I use the remains for kimchi pancakes. Great for your gut. Great eaten alone, with meats or alongside some Soju! Chinese napa cabbage 2.6kg Coarse salt 250g Daikon radish 1.5kg Watercress 40g Scallion 120g Leek 140g Garlic 50g Ginger 15g Salt preserved shrimp 50g Korean chilli flakes 65g Anchovy sauce or fish sauce 90g Trim the root and the outer leaves of the cabbage. With a knife, slit the napa in two lengthwise. Marinate in salt brine for 3 hours. Turn them over for another 3 hours. Trim the radish.

명이나물 장아찌. Myeonginamul Jangajji. Pickled Wild Garlic This is a perfect accompaniment to any dish really. The wild garlic mellows out and tastes great. I use this as a side for rice dishes. Goes great with BBQ meat. I add toasted sesame seeds to finish it off. One of my favourite Korean banchans or side dishes.  1kg wild garlic  200ml soy sauce 200ml sugar 400ml rice wine vinegar 400ml water Wash leaves.  Dry leaves well and put them neatly into a tight box or glass. The wild garlic will be stored in that container later. Boil the water, sugar and the soy sauce. When it comes to the boil take off the heat and add your vinegar.  Pour the liquid into the container with the wild garlic leaves without stirring it. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours.  After a day, strain the liquid and bring back to the boil. Allow to cool and add your garlic back in after. This process supports the preservation. The wild garlic should be stored in the fridge for about 1 week in order to develop its full

Lamb Heart Anticuchos. Taco with Mint Pico de Gallo and Peruvian Aji Sauce Disclaimer... I am doing my interpretation of a classic Peruvian dish and adding Mexican elements. It works great together, but no doubt I'll have a few hardcore traditionalists plotting my death. It was worth it. I have no regrets.  Let’s get this straight, not everyone will want to eat heart. You should!! It's cheap, sustainable. No fat. Lean. Full of iron. And it cooks like a dream. My main thing here is to showcase that food can be just as tasty and presentable from any part of the animal. But this works just as well with other cuts too. Just about any steak or fillet from any animal.  Lamb Hearts. Ask your butcher to remove the white muscle and dice the meat. This recipe calls for thinly sliced. So, 2 hearts will happily feed 2 people. 1 cup Red Wine Vinegar 25g sugar 2 Ancho Chillies diced. Any chilli is fine really for this recipe. If you have chilli paste even better. Homemade can't be best. 

Hibiscus Pisco Sour 50ml homemade hibiscus syrup 50ml lemon juice 50ml Pisco. Use the good Peruvian stuff. I'm using 4G's (Cuatro Gallos)  1 egg white Ice cubes Shake it all up for 25 seconds.  Pour into an iced glass.  Serve with a lemon garnish.  Repeat.

Bibimbap with Charred BBQ Lamb & Kimchi Ingredients 250g Diced Lamb steak. Ask your butcher. Alternatively marinate a whole leg of lamb and BBQ for a more authentic taste. 2.5kg leg would take about 2 to 3 hours in the centre of a hot BBQ. Basting every 20 minutes with extra marinade. The leg is a lot leaner so if you prefer a juicier cut I'd suggest the shoulder. Plenty of fats and juices. This can be slow cooked for 5 hours at around 100 degrees. Once the meat falls off the bone I crisp it back up on a hot pan. Always works a treat.  50ml Soy Sauce 25ml Sesame Oil 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 3 Tbsp Gochujang Paste 4 Cloves Garlic Diced 1 cup Brown Rice 1 cucumber sliced Finely Shaved Carrot 2 Free Range Eggs  Toasted Sesame Seeds Finely Sliced Scallion Kimchi (I have a recipe up. It's time consuming. But once you make it, it will stay good for weeks. If you don't have the time, any good Korean restaurant will sell it)  Salt/ Pepper to taste Add your diced lamb to the soy, sesa

Spiced Lamb Focaccia with Pickles, Sumac & Yogurt For the spiced lamb I used 300g mince lamb. Pinch of salt, tbsp cumin powder, tbsp cumin seeds, cracked black pepper, and 3 tbsp curry powder. Fry off in a hot pan with all the spices for about 8 minutes. Set aside. For the focaccia I have a fool proof simple recipe. 1.6kg plain flour 1 litre room temp water 40g salt 12g instant yeast In a bowl add all your ingredients except your salt. Mix on a slow setting for about 10 minutes. Then add your salt and mix on high for a further 5 minutes. Remove and cut into 3 balls.  Oil up a dish (a lasagne dish works great) and pop in one of the balls of dough. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fit the dish at first. It will expand and prove. Leave somewhere warm, covered with a cloth. Or even a small bit of clingfilm. After 30 to 40 minutes your quick dough will have risen. With your fingers, push in some holes and dimple the bread. Brush with good olive oil and Irish sea salt. Bake for 13 minutes at 22

Lamb, Anchovy Mayo, Avocado and Turmeric Pickled Onion Smash Burger.  250g Mince Lamb (ask your butcher to mince the fatty shoulder of lamb for you).  Smash burgers are the best and only proper way to flame grill or char a good patty. Place a 125g rough ball of mince between 2 sheets of parchment paper. And press down to flatten out. I like my patty to be quite thin and large as it will shrink slightly on the heat.  That’s it. In a ripping hot pan or grill, place your smash burger. Cook 4 minutes each side with a pinch of salt. For the pickled onion I use 1 large white onion. In a bowl I add the thinly sliced onion, 1 tsp of turmeric, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp black sesame seeds, pinch of cumin seeds and 75ml vinegar. Allow to infuse for at least an hour to get a vivid yellow colour. Anchovy mayo. Couple large spoons of mayo. Some diced anchovy fillets and a dash of its juice. Squeeze of lemon and mix it up. A tiny glass jar of anchovies is a always good to keep in a cupboard. And lamb an