And for the first time in several years I am officially being shoo’ed out of the kitchen and have no part in feeding my various friends and collaborating mischief makers. This is one of my biggest regrets around leaving SF this year and it hurts a little to be so far from my friends and make-shift family for whom I’ve grown to love and laugh with over the years.
So with little recourse than to send psychic hug vibes to all friends and family near and far, I am compiling my fave thanksgiving recipes in one place for my friends.
Enjoy.
MJ’s Awesome Pumpkin Curry Soup
- 1 Can Pumpkin
- Equal parts Vegetable Broth & Water (2 cups each)
- Golden Curry Mix (Spicy) (4 -5 “mini blocks”)
- Honey (1/4 -1/2 cup)
- Salt
- Nutmeg (1 tsp)
- Ground Clove (1 tsp)
- Cinnamon (1 tsp)
- Curry Powder (4 tsp)
- Cornstarch
- Sour Cream and Fresh Chopped Cilantro to Garnish
Again, I don’t really measure things and depending on how much you’re making and your personal tastes, you can always tweak this recipe to your liking.
These are my base ingredients.First off, I put the vegetable broth & water in a big pot and bring it up to medium/high.
I then chop up the curry mix to make it super quick/easy to dissolve and toss into the water.
Add in the honey, and spices (except the salt) and the cornstarch (dissolved in cold water first, of course).The baseline consistency should be of a thin curry … like of a nice creamy tomato soup.
Bring to quick boil and skim off the foam. Bring down to a medium/medium low heat.
Then you crack open and toss in the Pumpkin. Not pie filling, just 100% pure pumpkin.
You go from a funky green/brown color to a beautiful mellow orange.
At this point, taste & tweak the seasoning to add salt, and if necessary, continue to thicken just a little bit. Sweet tooth? A touch more honey. Ideally, you hit a nirvana point of it being more curry spicy and pumpkin rich. The point of the soup by itself is that it *should* be very strong in curry taste. That’s why you don’t serve it by itself.
Right before you serve, you pull out your fresh cilantro and sour cream. Whip up the sour cream just a little bit. Chop roughly your cilantro. Right before serving, sprinkle your fresh cilantro on the top and add a dollop of sour cream to the center. Serve while toasty warm.Go Yum.
Tomato Basil Happy
- Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes
- Sea Salt
- Fresh Basil sliced in a Chiffonade
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Rice Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Crackers or lightly toasted bruschetta
- Black Pepper
In small bowl mix 3 tablespools olive oil, 1 table spoon good balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, salt & pepper to taste.
Layer sliced cheese on crackers or bruschetta and then layer thing sliced tomatoes
Brush or drizzle dressing over tomatoes
Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve
Kimchi Jjigheh a la Min Jung
- 1 Jar of sour old Kimchi (the more sour, the better)
- Pork Shoulder cubed
- Extra Firm Tofu cubed
- Onion chopped
- Gochujjang (Korean spicy bean paste)
- Gochugaru (Krazy korean spicy red pepper)
- Summer squash cubed
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Bacon Chopped
- Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- Brown Sugar
Unfortunately I’m not supplying any measurements here because it always varies depends on how much kimchi I have left so you just have to juggle and balance it out yourself. When in doubt start off in an extra large pot and add/balance as you go along.
Medium Heat: Brown pork with salt and red pepper flakes with chopped onion until onions are transparent and pork is browned on all sides.
Drain oil well.
Add Kimchi to pot with pork and onions, squash, bacon and tofu with enough water to cover. Set to boil and once at boil, reduce to medium simmering heat to cook through. 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang to add heat.
Skim oil from pork fat off.
Add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to balance the sour of the kimchi and add 1 tablespoon of butter and splash of sesame oil to balance/mellow flavors.
If you want more sour add vinegar. Less sour, balance with small amounts of butter & brown sugar.
Simmer until cooked through and flavors have mellowed.
You may question to logic behind removing one form of fat and adding back another form of fat to this recipe. Just trust me. It is the yum.
Serve with rice.
Kalbi (My Mom’s way)
Marinade
- Soy sauce (1 cup)
- Rice wine vinegar (1/4 cup)
- Sesame Oil (2 tablespoons)
- Brown Sugar (1/4 cup)
- Crushed Fresh Kiwi (1)
- Fine chopped garlic (4 cloves)
- Fine chopped onion (1 medium)
- Toasted Sesame Seeds (1 tablespoon)
- Chopped fresh green onions (2-3 stems)
Korean shortribs (4-6 lbs)
Mix marinade in large bowl or huge ziplock bag
Toss and mix thoroughly
Toss in shortribs.
Let marinade for 2-3 hours.
Grill, broil or panfry and serve.
Jjapchae – korean noodles.
There are no measurements because, frankly, I don’t really use them and if you want measurements you can find them in other recipes online.
Ingredients:
- Cellophane Noodles
- Onions
- Garlic
- Spinach
- Eggs
- Carrots
- Shitake Mushrooms
- Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- Sesame Oil
- Mirin
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
- Sesame Seets
First Steps: Making the Eggs! – Whip them up. Fry in a non stick pan. Salt & Pepper to Taste and cut into thin strips.
Next up: Spinach. Sautte lightly in salt, pepper, & olive oil.
Next up: Carrots. Use a mandolin to cut into as thin slices as possible. Sautte lightly in salt, pepper, & olive oil.
Next up: Mushrooms and Onions: Slice into thin strips. Sauttee together and season with soysauce pepper and little olive oil. I use soysauce instead of salt here as Mushrooms tend to superabsorb flavors and seasonings and I have more control with soy sauce than salt for even distribution of yum.
Yes that’s a lot of olive oil from the sounds of it. But it’s not really. And it’s a healthy oil. So shut the fuck up.
Next up the Noodles. Boil per the directions on the package an then rinse in cold water and drain well. Put the noodles into an everyday pan. I have this one.
Toss and season on medium low heat with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, sugar, pepper, and Mirin.
And then!
OOhhhh
Put it all together.
And toss!
When presenting the final product, sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
