Grilled Chicken, Korean Style

Seasonings typical of Korean cooking—soy sauce, garlic, ginger, toasted sesame seeds and green onions—flavor this grilled chicken, called dak bulgogi. Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried spinach or other leafy greens.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts thighs or a combination
2. 2 Tbs. lemon juice
3. 2 Tbs. sesame seeds
4. 2 garlic cloves, minced
5. 2 green onions, including tender green portions minced, plus 3 green onions, white portions only, cut into fine slivers
6. 1/4 cup light soy sauce
7. 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
8. 2 Tbs. sugar
9. 1 1/2 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
10. 2 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger
11. 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place each chicken piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, gently pound to a uniform thickness of 1/4 inch. Place in a glass bowl and rub evenly with the lemon juice.
2. In a small, dry fry pan over low heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside 1 Tbs. of the toasted seeds. Transfer the remaining 1 Tbs. seeds to a mortar and grind with a pestle, or transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a powder.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the ground sesame seeds, garlic, minced green onions, soy sauces, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and pepper. Pour over the chicken, turn the pieces to coat evenly, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.
4. Prepare a fire in a grill.
5. When the coals are hot, place the chicken pieces directly on the grill rack. Grill until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn and cook until charred on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes more. Alternately, preheat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, spray the cooking surface lightly with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Grill the chicken until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter.
6. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds and the slivered green onions and serve. Serves 6.

Notes

Korean Barbecued Beef

Korean cooks slice beef for grilling very thinly to allow for quick marinating and only the briefest cooking. A sharp chef’s knife is key to slicing the meat sufficiently thin. For easier slicing, first place the beef in the freezer just until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Then, using a single deliberate motion, slice the meat across the grain 1⁄8 inch thick. Avoid sawing the meat, which results in slices with jagged edges. If the slices are too thick, place them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper and pound to an even 1⁄8-inch thickness with a meat pounder.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 lb. beef tenderloin, about 5 inches thick
2. 4 garlic cloves, chopped
3. 1 Tbs. plus 1/2 tsp. sugar
4. 6 Tbs. light soy sauce
5. 1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
6. 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
7. 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
8. 5 green onions, minced, plus shredded green onion for garnish
9. 1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
10. 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted and crushed
11. 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12. 2 Tbs. water
13. 1 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce
14. 1 Tbs. canola oil

Directions

1. Cut the beef across the grain into slices 1⁄8 inch thick. Working on a cutting board, use the side of the blade of a chef’s knife or cleaver to mash together three-fourths of the chopped garlic and the 1 Tbs. sugar, forming a paste. Place the paste in a bowl and stir in 3 Tbs. of the light soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, the 1 Tbs. sesame oil, 1 Tbs. of the vinegar, all but 1 Tbs. of the minced green onions, the ginger, 1 Tbs. of the sesame seeds, the black pepper and 1 Tbs. of the water. Place the beef in a shallow bowl and pour the marinade on top. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: On a cutting board, use the side of the blade of a chef’s knife or cleaver to mash together the remaining chopped garlic and the 1⁄2 tsp. sugar, forming a paste. Place the paste in a bowl and whisk in the remaining 3 Tbs. light soy sauce, the remaining 1 Tbs. vinegar, the chili sauce, the 1 tsp. sesame oil, the reserved 1 Tbs. minced green onions, the remaining 1 Tbs. sesame seeds and the remaining 1 Tbs. water. Set aside until ready to serve.
3. Prepare a hot fire in a grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat.
4. Brush the grill rack or pan with the canola oil. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Working in batches, arrange the beef in a single layer on the grill or in the grill pan. Sear, turning once, until crisp and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Wipe and oil the rack or pan between batches, if necessary.
5. Transfer to a warmed platter, garnish with the shredded green onion and serve immediately with the dipping sauce. Serves 4 to 6.

Notes

Serving Tip: The beef can be served on red-leaf lettuce leaves with rice, kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage) and a drizzling of the dipping sauce.

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Sandwiches

If daikon radish is not available, use an additional 1/4 cup julienned carrot. The pickled vegetables can be made in advance; transfer the cooled vegetables and their cooking liquid to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Drain the vegetables just before using.

Ingredients

1. For the pickled vegetables:
2. ===================
3. 1 garlic clove, crushed
4. 1/2 tsp. salt
5. 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
6. 1 Tbs. sugar
7. 1/3 cup julienned peeled carrot
8. 1/4 cup julienned peeled daikon radish
9. .
10. For the sandwiches:
11. =================
12. 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped (optional)
13. 2 shallots, chopped
14. 1 small jalapeño, chopped
15. 2 Tbs. sugar
16. 1 1/2 Tbs. fish sauce
17. 2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
18. 3 Tbs. sesame oil
19. 3 Tbs. canola oil
20. 12 oz. pork tenderloin, cut into strips 1/8 inch wide
21. 1 soft baguette
22. 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
23. 1 Tbs. thinly sliced jalapeño rings (optional)
24. 3 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh mint
25. 2/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
26. 3 Tbs. Vietnamese dipping sauce

Directions

1. To make the pickled vegetables, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the garlic, salt, vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the carrot and radish and simmer until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Just before using, drain the vegetables well in a colander.
2. To make the sandwiches, in a mini food processor or a blender, combine the lemongrass, shallots, chopped jalapeño, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and canola oil. Process until the ingredients are finely chopped and a paste forms. Alternatively, using a chef’s knife, finely chop the lemongrass, shallots and jalapeño and transfer to a bowl; add the sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and oils and stir to combine. Transfer the marinade to a sealable plastic bag and add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and rotate it to coat the pork evenly with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
3. Preheat a panini press or an indoor electric grill on high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, place the meat on the press or grill and cook until the pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes on a panini press, or 1 to 2 minutes per side on a grill. Transfer to a plate.
4. Slice the baguette lengthwise, cutting about two-thirds of the way through the bread. Spread the mayonnaise on the cut side of the top of the bread. Arrange the pork on the bottom half. Top with the pickled vegetables, jalapeño rings, mint and cilantro. Drizzle with the Vietnamese dipping sauce. Cut the sandwich into 4 pieces and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Notes

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Tomato-Basil Pizza

One of the worlds best-loved herbs, basil is often paired with tomatoes in Italian preparations, such as this pizza. The flavor of fresh basil dissipates rapidly with cooking, so sprinkle the torn leaves on the pizza after removing it from the oven.

Ingredients

1. Dough for one 12-inch pizza
2. Cornmeal for dusting
3. Cornmeal for dusting
4. Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
5. 6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced or 1/4 cup tomato sauce
6. 1/3 lb. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place a cast-iron pizza pan in an oven and preheat to 450ºF.
2. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round. Lightly dust a baking peel with cornmeal and lay the dough on top. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil and spread the tomatoes evenly on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lay the cheese slices evenly over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza pan. Bake until the bottom of the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the pizza with the basil. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 2.

Notes