Parmesan Sauce for Steak

                                Parmesan Sauce for Steak

Again, this is just a recipe for the Sauce. Not the Steak itself. You can elevate every steak with this sauce. 

It was so darn good. I love me some Parmigiano 

This is what you need: 

- 2 TBSP salted Butter

- 5 Gloves of Garlic, finely minced

- 1 1/2 cups Heavy cream (I use the plant based cream so its lactose free)

- 1 TSP red Pepper flakes or less

- 2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (please don't settle for less)

- Green onions to garnish

This is how you do it:

Pan fry your steak in butter with garlic. Remove Steak from the pan and use the same pan now for your sauce. Add the butter and the Garlic and stir until frequent for 30 sec to 1 min max.. Add the heavy cream and stir until simmer. Reduce the heat. Now add the cheese and the pepper flakes and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and adjust Salt if necessary.

Enjoy it over your Steak like we did. 

Parmesan Sauce for chicken Drumsticks

       Parmesan Sauce for chicken Drumsticks

Who doesn't like Parmesan smothered chicken Drumsticks? Well, we do too. So, here is a really good recipe I found on the net. No need to search any longer. 

This is a recipe for the Parmesan sauce. Not the Drumsticks. You can also use chicken wings if you like. I had them just lightly dusted with flour and salt, sprayed with oil and then in the Air fryer until they were crunchy and done. You can also do them plain with just salt, works too. 

This is what you need:

- 2/3 cup of melted salted Butter

- 1 TSP Garlic Powder or 1/2 TSP fresh Garlic

- 1/2 cup of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

- 1/8 TSP red pepper flakes

- 1 TBSP chopped Parsley for garnish

This is how you do it:

Melt the Butter in a pan. Take it off the heat once its melted.  Add all ingredients and stir. Use immediately on your chicken. Enjoy

Guten Appetit 

Kimchi

                                Kimchi

So, a lot of people like/love Kimchi. It's really good when its done right. As you guys already know, we can't do much heat. So when I saw how easy it is to make it yourself, I did. I made my first batch. Ok, that was a bit too spicy. I offered it to people/friends with the warning of being spicy. We loved the flavor, just not the heat. So I had space for a second batch. It's really helpful when you have 2 good Korean grocery stores within a 45 min radius. So I got me more Nappa Cabbage and a Daikon. My second batch I used the fine Gochugaru. And I used just a half. Now this batch is barely spicy at all. So I will write down an in between spice level in the hope that this works for us. Feel free to experiment with your own spice level.

For the Gochugaru, I actually went on Amazon and I ordered it from there. But in order to get the fine one, I had to go in a Korean grocery Store. Also, the Korean Pear: do not substitute it with a normal Pear. Its not the same in consistency and flavor. And I have to give you a warning. The Gochugaru is staining everything. Literally. Everything turns red. So clean it up immediately. 

I also had to get a fermenting container. Luckily, I had one already. But if you don't, go to Hobby Lobby or Walmart and get a huge Glass container with Lid. 

Here is what you need:

- 1 Napa Cabbage

- 1 Cup Daikon Radish

- 1 medium Carrot

- 6 cups of Cold water

- 1/2 cup of not Iodized Sea Salt 

For the Paste:

- 150 gr. Onion (around 1/2 )

- 2 TBSP Garlic

- 1/2 TBSP Ginger

- 150 gr. Korean Pear (around 1/2 )

- 1/4 cup Fish sauce 

- 1/4 cup Shrimp paste (if you don't have that, use more Fish Sauce)

- 3/4 cup of course Gochugaru

- 3/4 cup Corn Syrup (or Rice Syrup, that's what I used)

- 2 Cups of water to 1/4 cup Rice Flour and 1/4 cup corn Starch

This is how you do it:

Cut the Napa Cabbage in half then half the halfs to get quarters. In an angle, cut out the stem. Now its up to you to leave them like this or you cut them into 1 inch slices like I did. If you cut them diagonally, they get a bit of a nicer shape. Layer the Cabbage in a very big Container and cover them with some of the 1/2 cup salt. Then add more cabbage and more salt until you have no more cabbage. Last layer is the salt. Now add  6 cups of Ice cold water, put a plate on it and put something heavy on the plate to push everything down. Leave it for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs, stirring it every 30 min..

 

In the meantime, you can Juliette (cutting in strips) the Daikon, green Onion and Carrot. Put aside. 

In a Blender add the onion, Pear, Garlic, Ginger and fish sauce / shrimp paste and blend until its liquidized. Let that sit in a container for around 1 hrs so it can start to ferment already.

Now you can get the Rice Flour, corn Starch and Water on the stove and cook and whisk it until its a very thick paste.  It helps to bind the sauce to the Cabbage.

The 1 1/2 - 2 hrs should be over by now. When you bend the cabbage and it doesn't snap immediately, its ready. Now drain the Cabbage and wash at least 3 times with cold water to wash of all the salt. Drain it for another 30 min. at least until as dry as possible.

Once the fermenting time is over, add the Gochugaru and the thick rice mass to the Onion mixture and mix it well. It should be a pretty dry paste. The Daikon, Radish and green Onion are also going into that paste now. 

You should have a big container still for the drained Cabbage. Add layer by layer the Kimchi mixture to the cabbage and mix everything thoroughly with you hands. Wear gloves so your hands won't get stained.  I usually have some paste left over so I try to fish out the remaining vegetables and add them to the cabbage with a bit more of the Paste. I toss the rest. It should be a nice amount of Kimchi mix with the Cabbage but not overly too much. 

Layer now the Cabbage Kimchi into the Glass Container. Make sure that the cabbage is stuffed in pretty tight. Stop at around 3/4 full so it has room to expend.  Close it with the lid so its Air tight. Store it in a warm, dark place. 

Now, every day you need to push down the gas. Yes, it raises Ladies and Gentlemen. Even if you put it in Mason Jars and leave them outside the fridge, it keeps fermenting. And fermentation is Gas. That's why you should have it just 3/4 full.  

before

after  

I try it every day when I push down the gas to see where we are at. The heat gets less I believe by the day. I find it perfect at the 3rd day. I made it Sunday, Wednesday I found it perfect. Its really up to you now how you like it. Transfer the Kimchi into Mason Jars, label it and store in the fridge. It will ferment a bit in the fridge as well but slower. 

And this is how you make Kimchi. It's really not difficult. Just a bit time consuming. 

Enjoy your Kimchi. Please be brave and consider playing with your Kimchi. There are several Korean dishes where you using up "old" Kimchi which is to tangy for normal consumption. You can use that for Kimchi Pancakes or Kimchi-Jjigae. 

Guten Appetit  

Korean Egg pickling liquid

                 Korean Egg pickling liquid

This pickling liquid for eggs is a game changer. Soooooo good. I cook the eggs around 6-8 min for a little bit of a gooey yolk. Feel free to cook it all the way through

This is what you need:

- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/4 cup Honey

- 2 TBSP Mirin

- 1 TSP Garlic

- 1 TBSP Sesame Oil

- 1 TBSP Sesame Seeds

- Green Onions, Jalapeno, a bit Rice Syrup 

- Boiled and peeled eggs

This is how you do it:

Throw everything together in a container which can hold eggs too. Stir well. Add the Eggs and marinate at least 30 min.. Enjoy 

Guten Appetit

Master Pickling liquid Jangaji

                        Master pickling liquid or Jangaji 

I have had Korean radish (Daikon) in this pickling liquid the first time in Canada. I was like: where have you been my whole life? This is an absolute game changer in pickling vegetables. You can literally pickle anything with this. You can add pepperoni for spice to it too. I pickle the radish (saengchae) and zucchini. Next will be bean sprouts. add on: the bean sprout came out amazing. I cooked them for a couple of min and then put everything together in a Mason Jar. It's divine.

This is what you need: 

- 1 cup water

- 1 cup white vinegar 

- 1 cup soy sauce 

- 1 cup sugar (brown sugar works great too)

- sliced pepperoni (optional) 

This is how you do it: 

Throw everything together and whisk well. Pickle away. 

Guten Appetit 

French fries from the air fryer

                  French fries from Air Fryer

Hey, so, there were some folks saying to me in disbelief, that I make homemade french fries. Btw, we call them Pommes in Germany from the original Pommes frites. 

Seriously, if you have never tried to make your own fries, you are missing out. I tried it in different ways with oil, air fryer or normal bake. Now that I have an air fryer, I prefer that but second is defiantly the oil version.

Whatever you use, its going to be so much better.

This is what you need:

- Potatoes good for baking and frying (because of the starch)

- spices like salt, pepper, Adobo

This is how you do it:

If you have one of those fancy cutters where you push the Potato through in a whole and get it cut into fries form, go for it. I have one too and use it. But you can also half the potato and put it with the cut side down and then slice it into finger thick fries. 

I like to water it for at least 30 min and then rinse it and pat dry. So the excessive starch is gone. 

Once its dry, lay it evenly on your air fryer sheet ( i have one with a rack so the air can circulate around it evenly) and spray it either with oil or, like me, add oil to the bowl first before you lay them out on the sheet. Bake on 400 degrees for around 25-30 min or until golden brown. Take them out and season immediately. You could use just salt or you could season it with Adobo. I am telling you, the bomb. Germans like to make a fries seasoning with some garlic powder and a tiny bit of Paprika.

If you want to try the oil version, use a big pan and add just enough oil that it would cover the Potatoes. Once it boils, it will cover them, trust me. You don't want hot oil splashing everywhere. Make sure that they are really dry. Check with a spoon if it bubbles, then the oil is hot enough. Add the Potatoes carefully. Once all in and at a constant heat/bubble, reduce the heat to around a medium. Fry until golden brown for around 25 min.. Stir just occasionally. They will get soft first before they get crunchy. 

Once golden brown, remove from the oil and drip as much oil as you can. Season immediately just like above. 

Enjoy your homemade french fries.

Guten Appetit 

Wurstsalat sausage salad

                   Wurstsalat sausage salad

This is another nice, hearty and cold dish we like to eat with a good beer. Not to mistake it with Fleischsalat (meat salad) which is already on my blog but something different.

This is what you need:

- Bologna 

- Pickles (preferable germans but use your favorite ones)

- red onion or shallot

- Parsley

- Cheese (I like swiss cheese)

- Tomatoes (optional)

- Salt, Pepper

- Pickle juice

- Maggi

- Oil (I like Corn or Canola) 

This is how you do it:

Cut the Bologna in small Julienne style pieces. Same amount on Pickles and cheese, cut the same way or size. Cut the onion in half and slice it very thinly into half rings. Wash the fresh Parsley and also chop it a bit smaller. No need to be exact here. Different sizes or shapes are totally ok. Do the same with the Tomato or you may use some diced Tomatoes from the can.  Now pour in a bowl a good amount of pickle juice so you have like the bottom covered by maybe 1 cm. Season it now with Maggi and some Oil (around 2 TBSP). Just so that the juice can stick to the Ingredients. Add everything to the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and Pepper. Try and see where there should be some adjustments. I usually like a lot of juice so I add more Pickle juice. No wrongs here. 

Let it sit for maybe 30 min so the flavors can develop. 

We like to eat that with a slice of Bread or a Brezel. Or, like my husband, just plain. 

Guten Appetit