Fried Green Tomatoes

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm so delighted to finally share a recipe it took nearly 20 years in the making! Ever since I was a little girl and saw, 'Fried Green Tomatoes', the movie (the book is entirely something else!), I've been obsessed with the idea of trying to make them. I've tried several variations of this Southern comfort food dish, but never in a Korean-fusion way! So, of course, I had to create my own version!

The first secret to the perfect fried green tomato? Bacon drippings. You know all the grease you get after cooking bacon in the pan/oven? Save that for this recipe! I'm serious! You can even freeze it in the freezer should you want to use it in the distant future. I put mine in a Mason jar and it's seriously what gives the tomatoes it's ultimate flavor. Second? Cornmeal. And yellow. It gives a better color than white cornmeal, in my opinion.

Photos + recipe by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 medium green tomatoes (per person)

Batter:
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
3/4 c buttermilk
salt & pepper
enough bacon drippings to fill 2" deep in a skillet /pan

Sauce:
2 TB coconut oil
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c buttermilk
1 TB ranch dressing
salt & pepper

Directions:
Slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Combine batter then coat tomatoes on both sides. In a large skillet, heat enough bacon drippings to coat the bottom of the pan and fry tomatoes until lightly browned on both sides. (2-3 min per side) If oil sizzles or pops before you put the tomatoes in, it's too hot! Transfer to a colander or wire cooling rack to drain. To keep the tomatoes from getting soggy before they're served, the best way is to stand them up like wheels in a serving dish instead of stacking them. To make the sauce, add coconut oil in a saucepan until melted over medium heat. Whisk in flour, then milk & buttermilk until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Garnish with fresh dill, cucumber carrot kimchi & red pepper flakes. Serve immediately and enjoy! (You'll think you died and gone to heaven!)

They came out crisp and golden, a wonderful juxtaposition to the tart and juicy tomato. Added components to the dish were fresh dill, cucumber carrot kimchi, and red pepper flakes. I chose these ingredients because I felt it overall completed the entire dish. The combination of flavors was explosive to my palette! You got the acidity from the tomato (By the way, do you consider it to be a vegetable or a fruit?), the slight smoky bacon flavor, the refreshing balance from the dill, and the spiciness from the kimchi and flakes.

Lastly, the buttermilk sauce is creamy and tangy. The final finishing touch. I've been working on my style and plating, what do y'all think? How do you make fried green tomatoes? Perhaps next time, you'll give this recipe a try? It's great as an appetizer or for lunch. Or if you're just very, very, hungry. 😉 Until next time, feel free to comment down below and subscribe (to the right, in the side bar). Have a nice weekend!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Fish n Perilla Chips with Kimchi Tartar Sauce

This past winter I had the delightful pleasure of trying, for the very first time, fried bay leaves with a Crema Catalana from Casa Mono, a chic yet quaint little restaurant in Union Square. Ever since then, I've been looking to cook something similar but not as strong in taste. The bay leaves were the perfect balance to the rich and creamy burnt vanilla custard, but I wanted to create something more on the savory side.

Fish n Perilla Chips with Kimchi Tartar Sauce

Serves 2

Photos and recipe: © Suzanne Spiegoski

Ingredients:

4 pieces large white fish fillets (I used cod for this recipe)
12 pieces perilla leaves
1/2 tsp of salt and ground black pepper
1 cup flour + 1 beaten egg (for fish only)
1 cup flour (for dusting fish)
1/2 cup beer of choice
1/4 cup flour + 1/4 cornstarch + cold water (for perilla leaves)
canola oil for frying
2 tsp kimchi juice
tartar sauce
lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Make sure the fish fillets are pat dry before use. Either pre-rub the fillets with salt and ground pepper OR add the salt and pepper to the flour before dusting.
2. Whisk the flour, beer, and egg until a thick consistency is reached. Thicker batter = thicker crust. Adjust the batter according to preference. Dust each fish fillet in the flour first, then dip into the batter and allow any excess to drip off.
3. Heat oil in a cast-iron pot or frying pan on medium-high heat (or approx. 350ºF). Once heated, carefully lower the fish into the oil one by one to avoid any oil from splashing. If completely submerged, fry about 6 minutes total or until batter is golden and crisp. Remove fish to wiring rack or set on paper towels to soak up extra oil.
4. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and water in another shallow bowl. The batter will be very thin and slurry-like. Coat individual perilla leaves, front, and back, with a brush until fully coated. Fry in remaining oil for about 10~15 seconds or until batter crisps. Set aside to cool.
5. Serve hot with tartar sauce (don't forget to mix in the kimchi juice!) and lemon wedges.

When I discovered My Korean Eats, a terrific Korean fusion food blog, they created a fish n chips dish, where the chips are fried perilla leaves. Though my recipe is heavily influenced from theirs, I incorporated my own little twist on it! The finishing touch and one of the most important, in my opinion, when it comes to a dish. I mixed in some kimchi juice with the Tartar sauce! Shazam!

What I couldn't get enough of were those fried perilla leaves! They're crispy, fresh and slightly decadent. I grew up on these leaves, usually in a form of banchan; marinated in a spicy red pepper sauce similar to kimchi. And these are a wonderful substitute to the non-healthy carb-loading fries or potato chips! Perilla leaves are sharp in flavor, with a unique shape and vibrant green color. 

Of course, you can't have fish n chips without some lemon wedges! The last piece of garnish were some finely chopped up scallions. It's optional, you could go for some chives or parsley, depending on what you like and perhaps, what's in the fridge. But I think the garnish, brings out more of the combined flavors of the Tartar sauce and kimchi juice. I'm not going to lie, I may have or may not have dipped the leaves into the sauce to try and WOW! So freaking delicious.

Coming up on the blog, a full new look/editorial series and some new summery cocktails/drinks I've been researching like a mad scientist! Who would've guessed I'd enjoy mixology so much?! I've bartended here and there when I first moved to the city, but I was never officially a mixologist, ha ha! Want to recommend/suggest something for me to cook/make? Leave your comments at the end of this post and don't forget to subscribe to keep up with all of our newest food & recipes! Have a great rest of your Hump Day, friends! 💛💛💛

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

The KimKraut Dog

Happy Monday! Not a fan of today? I've created a new Korean-fusion inspired recipe to zap those Monday Blues away! Inspired by both my Asian and Eastern European heritage, I wanted to combine the two worlds in a dish, but also something that would be simple and easy to make for a manic Monday. 

Okay, so by now you're wondering, what is KimKraut? I've seen many and have tried a variety of Korean hot dogs. Some even have added bulgogi on top of the hot dog, some more kimchi-oriented. And some more Americanized. I wanted to make something a little different; something that resonates with who I am. So, I decided to mix kimchi and sauerkraut together and BAM! There you have it, folks! KimKraut! I used cabbage kimchi to keep the vegetables consistent together, though, I'd be down with trying other forms of kimchi, such as cucumber or radish.

The KimKraut Dog

Ingredients:

Recipe + photos by: © Suzanne Spiegoski

4 bratwurst sausages, grilled
4 hot dog buns, toasted
4 tsp mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp ketchup
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1/2 cup chopped kimchi (cabbage)
1/2 cup chopped sauerkraut
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 green onion, chopped
black sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions:

1. Mix mustard, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix ketchup and sriracha sauce in another small bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine kimchi, sauerkraut, rice vinegar, and honey in a small bowl to create KimKraut. Set aside.
4. Grill bratwursts. Toast buns at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
5. Prepare hot dog with sausage, KimKraut, mustard and ketchup sauces, chopped green onion and black sesame seeds.
6. Enjoy!

When I had first met my husband and sheepishly confessed that I could cook, he wittingly replied, "Sure, you can. What can you make, just kimchi & kielbasa?" Boy, was he mistaken! He's now my #1 guinea pig. And happily so! I adore cooking for the people I love and I also love sharing stories, especially anything involved with food and cooking! (And maybe my husband.. ha, ha!) This recipe was definitely inspired by my hubby's sense of humor. And yes, kimchi paired with any kind of sausage is absolutely delicious!

I didn't want to Americanize the dish by squeezing regular mustard and ketchup sauce on the hot dogs. Since the dogs are meant to be Korean-fusion based, I also kept the flavors in the sauce. I mixed regular French's mustard with a tiny bit of soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and a pinch of salt. The ketchup was combined with some sriracha sauce, to add an extra touch of heat in with the kimchi spices. These sauces really gave every single bite packed with tangy and meaty flavor! Lastly, I garnished with chopped green onion and black sesame seeds. Coming up next on the blog? A whole new lookbook series with another style video! Check out my Instagram for a teaser. Stay tuned...

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Korean-Style Pork Belly Nachos

Well, that title was a mouthful. And deservingly so! I came across this recipe while looking for a smacking good-ass recipe for the Super Bowl on Sunday. Initially I was going to cook kalbi (galbi) but I wanted to infuse a classic American football munchie snack into something partly Korean. That's where I ran into this article on Buzzfeed and DUDE. It. Is. Splendidly. Delish! The flavors are insane! I can assure you, anyone to scarf down on these bad boys will be your new best friends as you've made their life complete. An instant touchdown! Did I mention it's in a cast-iron skillet? The Lodge cast iron is one of my favorite pans to cook in.

Korean-Style Pork Belly Nachos

Serves 4-6

Korean-Style Pork Belly Nachos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of pork belly, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. red pepper powder
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• ⅓ cup + ¼ cup kimchi juice
• Tortilla chips
• Cheddar
• Monterey Jack
• Chopped kimchee
• Red onions
• Tomatoes
• Scallions
• ⅓ cup sour cream

Directions:

Combine pork belly slices with garlic, soy sauce, red pepper powder, honey, and ⅓ cup kimchi juice. Mix until the pork belly is coated in red. Pan-fry pork belly until fat has rendered and crispy.

Assemble your nachos. In a skillet, lay down a layer of tortilla chips, sprinkle on the cheeses, add chopped kimchi, toss on the cooked pork belly, top with some chopped red onions. Repeat.

Melt the cheeses under the broiler until crispy and bubbly. Mix together the sour cream and remaining ¼ cup kimchi juice and drizzle on top of the nachos.

K-Style pork belly nachos: Get. In. My. Belly. STAT!

These are the prettiest nachos I've ever made!

If you're a fan of pork belly like myself, make sure to get the meat nice and crispy. There's nothing sadder than soggy pork belly! The trick is not to cook the entire pound of meat all at once. Divide the meat into smaller portions when cooking it, that way giving the marinade and pork belly enough room to be cooked properly. I cooked mine just a knob above medium heat, because I like it really crispy. :)

And that sour cream kimchi sauce is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. I swear I could put this sauce on anything and it'd taste superb! That's like a fried foodie junkie saying, "I love anything fried. You could fry carpet and I'd eat it." Ha ha ha! But seriously, the combination of the dairy with the tangy juice from the kimchi is excellent and just the perfect complement to this dish. Are you ready for some football?!

What's everyone making this Sunday? Are you a football lover? I'm not really into the game itself, but I adore the ads/commercials and the live performances during halftime. I'm actually really excited to see Coldplay play as this will be their first appearance at a Super Bowl. Plus, Beyonce and Bruno Mars will also be performing, so I've got a pretty good feeling that this halftime show will be awesome! Who are you excited to see perform?

I'm such a girl that I didn't even know who was playing in the Super Bowl until just now when I looked it up! :X In which case, whichever team you are rooting for, whether it's the Panthers or Broncos, have fun, be safe and let the good times roll! Hope y'all have a very nice and cozy weekend. 🏈❤️🏈❤️🏈

Love & xx's,

Daktoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)

During the winter season, I love a warm, hearty bowl of comfort food. My girlfriend has been asking for my recipe of daktoritang, a Korean spicy chicken stew and ever since we chatted about it, I've been craving for it like mad! It's a quick and easy recipe, one of those 'throw it all in a pot' and 'sit back and relax' type of meals. Takes only about an hour total to make! Such a yummy dinner for any night of the week.

Perfect for any chicken lover, you can adjust the spiciness according to your taste.

Daktoritang 닭도리탕 (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

A hearty Korean chicken stew with rice.

Sushi rice

2 ½ pounds chicken thighs

2 large potatoes, cut into large chunks

2 carrots, chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into 8 chunks

4 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup water

½ cup soy sauce

 2 tbsp white sugar

3-4 generous tbsp gochujang/Korean hot pepper paste

(adjust based on how spicy you want it!)

Directions

1.       Mix chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in a large pot over medium heat

2.       Pour in water and soy sauce

3.       Mix in sugar and pepper paste and bring to a boil

4.       Reduce to low and simmer covered, for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.

5.       Serve with sushi rice.

Close-up of daktoritang, a Korean Spicy Chicken Stew I made for tonight. Delicious!

Cooked in gochujang (a Korean fermented red chili paste) along with vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions, it's a real hit for spicy lovers but what I love about this dish is the ability to be able to alter the hotness of the sauce. Growing up I remember seeing four different pots over the stove, straight up from Goldilocks, when my mother made this. One was extra spicy, one was regularly spiced, the third was mildly spiced, and the littlest pot was for, well, you know how the rest of this goes...

Anyone hungry? Winner-winner, chicken dinner! Don't forget to download the recipe above!

I love it spicy so I usually put in 4 heaping spoonfuls of gochujang in, however, if you would like it on the milder side, I'd recommend a generous 2 tablespoons for it. As for the chicken, you can use any part of the meat, just as long as it's close to 2.5 pounds. I really like chicken thighs, so I used boneless ones for this recipe.

Chicken stew, where are you? You're about to get in my belly, that's where! ;)

You can get gochujang at any Asian market. They're also available online at Amazon and other similar places. If you have more questions about this stew, please comment below. I am always happy to hear and answer questions from my readers. You guys rock! TGIF and hope everyone has a nice weekend! Have a good one. :)

Daktoritang 닭도리탕 (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew) Photos © Suzanne Spiegoski

Love & xx's