Come for Breakfast: Kimchi Fried Rice with Broccolini, Egg, Bacon

Kimchi Fried Rice with Broccolini, Egg, Bacon

Kimchi Stir-Fried Rice
Kimchi Bokkeumbap 김치볶음밥

with Broccolini, Egg, and Bacon
Fried Ginger, Toasted Seaweed

My friends over at the Creative Cooking Crew are asking, “What’s for Breakfast? Show us what would you make for breakfast if you had weekend guests…”

My house guests are hardly surprised when served a dish influenced by Korean recipes or ingredients. It continues to be an honor to have many of those dishes featured in the Korea Herald Business and K POP Buddy.

Breakfast at Chez Lori Lynn is almost always savory rather than sweet (unless my nephews are visiting). How breakfast is served is important too – fresh flowers from my garden, stylish service-ware, pretty linens (thanks to Peg for the charming tea towels), and bold Italian roast coffee.

Even those who aren’t ardent fans of cabbage kimchi, seem to like kimchi fried rice – because sautéing the kimchi mellows that fermented edginess while retaining all the flavor. I was enjoying the kimchi bokkeumbap at a neighborhood Korean restaurant with its vibrant orange hue and runny yellow egg yolk – but I found myself craving green. So when I remade the dish at home for guests, the addition of steamed broccolini lightly seasoned with sesame oil, sea salt, and gochugaru created the perfect balance of color, texture, flavor, and nutrition. The broccolini hybrid originated in Japan as a cross between broccoli and gai-lan (Chinese broccoli) so with its Asian roots, it pairs very well with kimchi fried rice.

Kimchi Stir-Fried Rice Recipe

Continue reading “Come for Breakfast: Kimchi Fried Rice with Broccolini, Egg, Bacon”

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Welcome to Morocco!

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Welcome to Morocco!

Welcome to Morocco!

Welcome to Morocco? We all have our favorite day in the school year – mine is by far the Annual Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day. One look at the 2013 Baseball Theme Luncheon here and 2012 Eco-Friendly Luncheon here and you’ll know why I absolutely adore this event! Beyond the fabulous lunch and enjoyable camaraderie for faculty and staff – I’m amazed and inspired by the artistry, the ingenuity, and the talent of these parents!

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Welcome to Morocco!
Each year the generous, creative parents of children at Rolling Hills Country Day School transform our auditorium into a delightful oasis in the middle of the workday.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Welcome to Morocco!
A couple weeks before the event we receive an invitation to “Fly Away on a Magic Carpet for a Colorful Afternoon of Moroccan Food, Tarot Card Reading, and Henna Tatoos.” And while we know the general theme of the event, the decor remains a surprise until we walk through the auditorium doors. We’re always dazzled and downright blown away when we enter the room! This year, the transformation was simply incredible!

Continue reading “Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Welcome to Morocco!”

Modern Cuisine – Cooking on the Cutting Edge

catering @ experium science academy
catering @ experium science academy

Modern Cuisine – Cooking on the Cutting Edge

“I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés.” —Nicholas Kurti

It’s the ultra-modern style of cooking. Although, all the way back in the 1800’s cooks and scientists were interested in understanding food chemistry. But it was not until 1988 that the term “Molecular Gastronomy” was coined by French chemist Hervé This and Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti. They began holding workshops to investigate the transformation that occurs when food is cooked.

making ice cream with liquid nitrogen
making ice cream with liquid nitrogen

The molecular or modernist cuisine movement really began when chefs took those scientific discoveries and applied creativity to that body of knowledge. They take the basics of classic cooking and craftsmanship then apply chemical compounds and elements such as liquid nitrogen for instantaneous freezing and techniques such as spherification (forming a liquid into a solid orb which remains liquid on the inside) and gelification (turning a liquid into a gelatinous form by using a gelling agent) to push the culinary envelope.

Continue reading “Modern Cuisine – Cooking on the Cutting Edge”

A Korean Sweet Treat ~ Hwa Jeon with Honey and Flower Petals

The Prettiest Little Tea Cakes ~ Hwa Jeon

The Prettiest Rice Tea Cakes ~ Hwa Jeon 화전

They’re simultaneously simple and sublime. Not exactly a cake nor a cookie, a doughnut nor a pancake. But a little disk of fried rice flour with a hint of sea salt, that’s all. Sprinkled with edible flower petals and drizzled with orange blossom honey. Served with rose petal tea.

With Spring right around the corner, this delightful Korean sweet treat called hwa jeon is certain to charm your guests.

This dessert is naturally gluten-free. It is made from glutinous rice flour also known as sweet or sticky rice flour. “Glutinous” refers to the type of rice, not gluten.

Hwa Jeon Recipe

Continue reading “A Korean Sweet Treat ~ Hwa Jeon with Honey and Flower Petals”

Puff au Chocolat avec Fraises, Basilic, Fleur de Sel

puff au chocolat avec fraises, basilic, fleur de sel

Puff au Chocolat avec Fraises, Basilic, Fleur de Sel

Celebrate Cupid’s holiday with Puff au Chocolat!  Heart-shaped, check. Chocolate, check. Strawberries, check. Plus somethings a bit unexpected on Valentine’s Day – basil and salt. But the combination really is stellar. And you’ll have plenty of time to spend with your sweetheart, as this recipe uses store-bought puff pastry and takes only about 20 minutes (active time) to compose.

You might serve some creme fraiche on the side or pair with a glass of sherry. We like Bodega Dios Baco NV Oloroso Sherry from Jerez, Spain which has wonderful aromas of nuts, vanilla and caramel with rich semi-sweet creamy flavors. Oloroso sherries offer a terrific balance between sweet and dry.

xoxo

Puff au Chocolat Recipe

Continue reading “Puff au Chocolat avec Fraises, Basilic, Fleur de Sel”