Korean Bo ssam (Spring 2013), T & J

This dinner was awesome!  Meals that encourage you to experiment with your food are fun in any case, and when what you are eating is a delicious as these dishes were - then you are in for a treat.  T & J, thanks for organizing a great meal!

First Course:

Tofu and Avocado Salad
Cucumber Salad

Main Course:

Bo ssam and accompaniments
Green Bean Stir Fry

Dessert*:

Birthday cake and chocolate martinis (not Korean, but we surprised K on her birthday)

*Just a note about dessert, one of the funniest things I have ever heard was J & K "discussing" the cake at dinner.  I just wanted to add a note to jog my memory in the future.  I'm laughing now remembering.

Cucumber Salad

About This Recipe (Source)
"This is a REFRESHING, tangy Salad--low in fat. If you want it creamy and not so low in fat, just add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. Be sure to slice the cucumbers and onions very very thin! Serve as salad or top open faced sandwiches with it!" 

Ingredients 

2 cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vinegar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream or 2 tablespoons yogurt
salt and pepper, to taste ( I like a lot of pepper)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Directions 

Mix cucumbers and onions together.
Mix rest of ingredients together in a closed bowl and give a shake.
Add to cucumbers, chill till very cold and serve.

Green Bean Stir-Fry

Green Bean Stir-Fry (Source)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed, cut into
1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, minced

Directions:

Whisk together honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, in a small bowl; set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet on high heat. Add the green beans and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes until dark green and caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for 2 minutes longer. Add the sauce, stir to incorporate and heat another minute. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Tofu Avocado Salad, Z & K

 This was refreshing and really easy.  The dish definitely tasted like more than the sum of its ingredients.

Tofu Avocado Salad

Source is here.

Ingredients

11 ounces silken tofu, cut into cubes
1 large avocado
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 scallion minced
handful of cilantro

Directions

Put the cubed tofu in a sieve or colander over a bowl to allow excess water to drain for at least 1 hour. This keeps the salad from getting watery.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, then peel and cube the avocado. Put the avocado in a non-reactive bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent it from changing color.

Add the drained tofu, salt, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and scallions. Gently toss to distribute all the ingredients evenly. Top with cilantro and serve.

Bo Ssam (Korean Lacquered Pork in Lettuce Leaves), T & J

The star of the meal was this dish.  The meat was rich and satisfying and with all the side dishes, you can create your own favorite combination (and have fun finding the best one).  The garlic-scallion sauce was refreshing and so good.  It would go great with all kinds of spring rolls and anything else that would be good with a piquant crunchy sauce.  

Bo Ssam with Ssam Sauce and Garlic-Scallion Sauce
adapted from Momofuku, recipe via The New York Times
Serves 6 to 10

INGREDIENTS
Pork Butt
1 whole bone-in pork butt or picnic ham (8 to 10 pounds)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt
7 tablespoons brown sugar
Ginger-Scallion Sauce
2½ cups thinly sliced scallions, both green and white parts
½ cup peeled, minced fresh ginger
¼ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)
1½ teaspoons light soy sauce
1 scant teaspoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Ssam Sauce
2 tablespoons fermented bean-and- chili paste (ssamjang, available in many Asian markets, and online)
1 tablespoon chili paste (kochujang, available in many Asian markets, and online)
½ cup sherry vinegar
½ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)
Accompaniments
2 cups plain white rice, cooked
3 heads bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
Kimchi (available in many Asian markets, and online)
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the pork in a large, shallow bowl. Mix the white sugar and 1 cup of the salt together in another bowl, then rub the mixture all over the meat. Cover it with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
2. When you’re ready to cook, heat oven to 300. Remove pork from refrigerator and discard any juices. Wipe away any excess salt and sugar that's on the pork (you can use your hands for this, leaving the excess behind in the bowl). Place the pork in a roasting pan and set in the oven and cook for approximately 6 hours, or until it collapses, yielding easily to the tines of a fork. (After the first hour, baste hourly with pan juices.) At this point, you may remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest for up to an hour.
3. Meanwhile, make the ginger-scallion sauce. In a large bowl, combine the scallions with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and taste, adding salt if needed.
4. Make the ssam sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the chili pastes with the vinegar and oil, and mix well.
5. Prepare rice and wash lettuce. Put kimchi and sauces into serving bowls.
6. When your accompaniments are prepared and you are ready to serve the food, turn oven to 500. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining tablespoon of salt with the brown sugar. Rub this mixture all over the cooked pork. Place in oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until a dark caramel crust has developed on the meat. Serve hot, with the accompaniments.