Korean food is my comfort food. I adore it. It’s what I choose for my birthday almost every year. I can’t stop. Won’t stop. Pop kimchi on it and I’m in heaven. I make a version of this with ground beef, but I realized a few days ago - mostly because I had some steak hanging around - that this would be delicious with thin sliced thin. So here we go!

It’s so fast. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner when you’re running from one practice/game/tryout to the next. It’s also on the healthier side of things - steak, vegetables, kimchi for probiotics….

The best dinners are also ones that can make a good late plate. This makes a great late plate. I make a giant plate for the late arrivals and let them heat up the rice and meat and leave everything else on the side.

Korean Steak Wraps

serves 4

1 cucumber

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 peppercorns, cracked

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pear, grated

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons gochuchang

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 pounds hanger steak, thinly sliced

butter lettuce

kimchi for serving

rice

STEP 1

In a small skillet bring to a low boil the white vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns and red pepper flakes. To ‘crack’ the peppercorns you can use a mortar and pestle or smash them with the back of a knife. No peppercorns? Use fresh ground pepper - about 1/2 teaspoon or less.

STEP 2

Slice the cucumbers into large chunks then smash them with the side of a knife to break them apart. Pop them into a bowl or a pint jar. Once the vinegar mixture has come to a low boil (just a few bubbles on the sides and the sugar is melted) pour it over the cucumbers. Let rest until it’s time to eat.

STEP 3

In a large bowl, combine the pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, gochuchang, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. Add the sliced steak and let it marinade for 20 minutes or as long as an hour.

STEP 4

In a large wok or giant skillet, cook the steak quickly. Use the highest heat you can to get a good crisp on the sides and cook it fast. As soon as it’s cooked through, remove from the heat and serve!

STEP 5

Serve with rice, kimchi, and ‘quickles’ over cups of butter lettuce. Eat it up like a taco.

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How about a cocktail to go along with it?

A little mandarin flavor turns this into something a little more special.

For Lunar New Year I’m pouring a drink that’s filled with history and delightfully pink! In public in Singapore in 1915, women could only drink fruit juice and tea. So a clever man names Ngiam Tong Boon created this drink that’s over the moon. Filled with cherry liquor and gin, it looks like fruit juice which made it a win. Ladies in Singapore could drink at the bar. Now it’s beloved near and far.

Singapore Sling

Makes 2 drinks

1 1/2 ounces gin

1 ounce benedictine

1/2 ounce cherry liquer

1 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce grenadine

dash of bitters

2 ounces pineapple juice

4 ounces soda water

Stir together gin, benedictine, cherry liquor, lime juice, pineapple juice, grenadine and bitters. Pour into glasses filled with ice and top with club soda. Garnish with a lime and a cherry.

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Lunar New Year is one of my favorite times to celebrate. For most of us, it’s a random occasion to celebrate something really fun. It’s an unexpected reason to invite people over too. For ours this year I’m making something super familiar - because there’s no better way to get kids to try food than to make it look like something super familiar - Noodles + Meatballs!

These Asian influenced meatballs are basically the filling of a potsticker. It’s so ridiculously delicious. I am addicted to these meatballs. Served on top of soba noodles or rice noodles, they are an easy weeknight dinner.

AND one that kids will eat!

ASIAN MEATBALLS + SAUCY NOODLES

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix completely.  I use my hands but you can use a wooden spoon if you’re squeamish. 

STEP 2

Form meatballs into rounds and pop them on a baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes until they are cooked through (no more pink on the inside)

STEP 3

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

In a small bowl combine remaining soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, honey, and lime juice.  

STEP 4

Cook the noodles to the package directions.  Drain and toss with the honey/ soy sauce mixture.

STEP 5

Serve noodles with hot meatballs on top.  Sprinkle with chopped green onions and extra sriracha. 

2 lb ground pork

2 eggs

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 scallions, chopped

1 carrot, grated

1/2 zucchini grated

1/2 jalapeno, grated

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

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Yesterday I shared a really really fast Chinese Chicken Wrap recipe that's super delicious.  You'll love it.  You'll love it even better with a quirky little cocktail inspired by Chinese New Year. 

Clearly, this is really un-authentic.  But that's not what I'm going for.  I like to celebrate.  I like to have a reason to celebrate and I think Chinese New Year is an awesome reason to celebrate.  Who doesn't love good Chinese food and a cocktail?  

Inspired by the sweet and spicy flavors in Chinese cuisine, I added a little Mandarin vodka to a regular Moscow Mule transforming it to a little something that everyone will love!  

MOSCOW MULE

Over a glass filled with ice, mix together vodka and ginger beer.  Garnish with wedges of mandarin oranges!  

2 ounces mandarin vodka

4 ounces ginger beer

slices of mandarin oranges

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Before I had children I hosted a Chinese New Year dinner every year!  I loved it.  It's a great excuse for a party and not one that most people in Seattle seem to think of.  Or we remember the day of because the kids come home from their assembly super excited about dragons and envelops with coins inside.  

I don't entirely know why I stopped.  Probably being overwhelmed by three kids did it.  But I'm determined to bring it back.  Even if it's just for the five of us - I will bring it back.  If you are more ambitious (or if I get more ambitious?) host a few friends and enjoy.

This dinner is one of the simplest dinners you can make - and it's so good.  Like addictive good.  If you need to scale the recipe, download Weeknight Society and you can adjust to as many as 12 servings within the app.  

CHINESE CHICKEN WRAPS

serves 4

STEP 1

Cook chicken with garlic and onion until chicken is browned. 

STEP 2

Mix hoisin, soy, vinegar, honey, ginger, chili oil, and stock in a bowl.

STEP 3

Add chestnuts, scallions, zucchini, and bell pepper to the pan then pour over the sauce.

STEP 4

Cook until veggies are softened. 

STEP 5

Serve on butter lettuce

2 lb ground chicken

2 cloves garlic

1 onion

¼ cup hoisin

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs grated ginger

2 tbs honey

1 tbs chili oil

¼ cup chicken stock

1 can water chestnuts, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 head butter lettuce

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