Jina's Fresh Kimchi
I finally debuted my kimchi at the Brooklyn Flea last Saturday! I brought 8 jars to sample and sell. They sold out before 1pm – a testament to adventurous Brooklynites who didn’t seem fazed by the thought of eating kimchi at 11am. More importantly, the feedback was extremely positive. Lots of folks loved the intense heat and the freshness of the kimchi. It’s my version of my Mom’s traditional recipe. I added sliced jalapenos for a “greener” heat. By this I mean spicy yet refreshing. The other twist to the recipe is lacinato kale. It gives the kimchi an earthiness to balance the top notes of chili spice. Finally, I short-fermented the kimchi so the cabbage would remain nice and crunchy. I like all kinds of kimchi, but I find that in summer when it’s unbearably hot and humid, eating something cold and crunchy energizes me. So I left let the kimchi jars sit at room temp for 24 hours before refrigerating them.
I love eating kimchi on its own as a snack, and especially with just cooked, piping hot white rice. Deeee-lish!
Big 'ol batch of yummy kimchi!
This huge bowl from IKEA could hardly contain the kimchi!
Bottled and ready to ferment
Dark leafy lacinato kale worked well with the napa cabbage. The firm texture balances the watery crunch of the cabbage leaves. My mouth is watering as I type!
Outrageously yummy fresh tomato sauce
First up, apologies for not having posted in a very loooong time. I’m still here and cooking up a storm, but work life has been uncommonly busy these days. Hmpf. On a positive note, we’re just getting into tomato season which gets me hot and bothered. I love tomatoes. I luv wuv looove tomatoes!!! And with the weather heating up in the city, I can’t think of anything that I enjoy more than plump, ripe, juicy tomato everything.
So, to celebrate the start of this very special tomato season, I am happy to share my recipe for the ultimate hot weather meal: fresh tomato sauce with mozzarella and shrimp. It’s tasty, easy and – yes! – even you can make this wonderful dish. I just made a batch for me and my guy to share. It’s one of our favorite dishes!
Pasta with fresh tomato sauce
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and diced into 1/4″ cubes
4 cloves garlic, through a press
1/4 c. packed basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 T. white wine vinegar
3 T olive oil
1 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t. crushed red peppers
1 t. salt
pinch sugar, depending on how sweet the tomatoes are
Combine above ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl and let rest for 30 minutes. Toss and adjust seasonings.
If you want to add shrimp, saute 1/4 lb. shelled, deveined medium shrimp in a fry pan with hot olive oil. When shrimp are almost cooked through, about 2 minutes, add 1 clove finely minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 30 seconds and take off heat. Immediately add to tomato sauce.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain.
Mix pasta into the tomato and shrimp sauce. Add about 1 c. of mozzarella cut into 1/2″ cubes. Toss until the pasta and cheese are well coated with the sauce. Garnish with shaved parmesan. Enjoy!
