Baked Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya

Click here to print the recipe

Sometimes, dinner can be as simple as putting things together in a dutch oven, put a cover on it, and bake in the oven until it's done.

This Jambalaya is a perfect example of such dinner. 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 links of smoked Andouille, sliced
• 24-30 medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (I use Tony Cachere's creole seasoning, or use your own homemade blend)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chopped pepper and bay leaves, cook until the vegetables are tender. Add rice, peas, and tomatoes, stir and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in sausage and shrimp, Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock into the pot, stir until well combined. 
• Turn off the heat, cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is all absorbed. Stir once halfway through baking time, if possible. Serve immediately while it's hot.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Bokkeumbap) with Pork

Click here to print the recipe

I'm always crazy about kimchi.

But then again, I'm always a sucker for food with pungent aroma (still working on Stilton and Roquefort, though). 

I might even be slightly addicted to kimchi, and I found out lately that kimchi fried rice has become one of my comfort food. Leftover rice from last night's dinner, one cup of ripe fermented kimchi, less than 15 minutes to cook, it can't get easier than than.

The addition of pork is not necessary if you choose to go all herbivore. This dish tastes wonderful even without the addition of meat. But on the flip side, add any kind of meat you wish to have, even seafood.

Serve with fried egg with runny yolk on top. 

Break the egg prior to eating so the yolk permeates the rice, thus enriching the flavor of the rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 scallions, white part only, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/3 pound ground pork
• 1 cup kimchi, squeeze out the moisture and slice thinly
• 3 cups rice (overnight cold rice is preferred)
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• Salt to taste
• Fried eggs with soft yolk 
• Shredded seaweed/nori 

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over high heat. Add garlic and chopped scallion, cook until tender. Add ground pork, stir-fry until cooked though. Add chili paste and kimchi into the skillet. Toss and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add rice into the skillet, fry over high heat, toss to combine. Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally so the rice has time to brown on the bottom. We want crispy brown bits in the rice. Season with salt, toss and continue cooking for another minute or two. Turn off the heat.
• Divide rice into 4 individual plates. Top each with fried egg, and sprinkle shredded seaweed over the rice. Serve immediately.

Serves 4