Korean Chicken Stir Fry

I bought a jar of gochujang, which is a delicious spicy, sweet, savory condiment of fermented soy and spicy peppers. It's used in a lot of Korean dishes and I go through phases of truly craving it. I have quite a few other recipes on the blog if you are wondering what else to do with the jar after making this recipe. It's great to stir into mayonnaise for flavor on a sandwich or burger, you can add a spoonful to soup, or make a delicious sauce for grilled chicken. For today's purposes, I mixed it into a delicious summer vegetable and chicken stir fry. It's really good.

What you need:

For the Sauce:

2.5 tbsp gochujang

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/4 tsp sesame oil

3 scallions, chopped white and green parts

2 cloves garlic, thin slices

splash of water

2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (squash, snap peas, carrots, broccoli...whatever you like)

1/2 lb of thinly sliced chicken breast

*rice for serving and kimchi or pickles for garnish

Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce together in a cup or bowl and set aside. Meanwhile heat up your wok or large skillet to medium high heat and add a few tbsp of high heat cooking oil (vegetable, avocado, or coconut). Add your vegetables stirring frequent for 5-10 minutes. When the vegetables have softened a little scoot them to the outer edges and add the chicken. Sear on all sides then incorporate with the vegetables and pour the sauce into the pan. Stir occasionally until the chicken is fully cooked. Sprinkle a spoonful of sesame seeds on top if you have them. Serve with rice and kimchi. Enjoy!

Peach Tabbouleh

There’s no denying my love for a juicy ripe summer peach. Waiting for the summer produce and using the ingredients when they really shine is always worth it and now I’m eating as much of it as I can. Peaches and tomatoes are interchangeable in a lot of recipes but I never would have thought of using peaches in a tabbouleh if I hadn’t picked up Nigel Slater’s book (Ripe) at the library last week. I made a few small adjustments based on what I had around but the recipe is pretty similar to his original. I added feta because I love the way its saltiness contrasts with the sweet peach. It’s freakin’ delicious. You could easily make this with some heirloom tomatoes or use both. Some peaches were ripening on the kitchen counter and I decided to use them to make this recipe for lunch. I will probably pair the rest of it with some grilled chicken for dinner tonight. It’s very easy and quick to throw together.

What you need:

1/2 cup bulgar

1 small shallot

3-4 ripe peaches

1 small serrano pepper or similar chile

handful of fresh mint

handful of fresh basil

juice of 1 lemon

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup fresh feta cheese

salt and pepper

Begin by boiling some water in a tea kettle and pouring over the bulgar in a bowl and just covering it with the water. Allow to sit and get fluffy while you prepare the other ingredients. Wash and chop your peaches, removing the pits. Cut the shallot into small thin pieces and finely chop the pepper as well. Remove most of the seeds depending on how hot you like it and be sure to wash your hands after handling the hot pepper. After a few minutes the bulgar should be fluffy and soft, drizzle over your olive oil, lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Crumble in the feta and all of the other ingredients. Eat immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

It’s hot and humid out, we are craving simple barely cook dinners. Blackened salmon filets with pineapple salsa are just the ticket. We served them as lettuce wraps because we are trying to be healthy and they are always fun to eat but I think this would be delicious with plain or coconut rice if you need a more complete meal. Use whatever blackening seasoning you like, there are plenty of good ones out there. I’m a huge fan of the Old Bay Blackened Seasoning. The salsa comes together very easily but tastes better when you prepare it at least an hour ahead.

What you need:

Pineapple Salsa:

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple

1 medium sized slicing tomato, finely chopped with juices

1 medium sized red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped

1 small jalapeño pepper w/o seeds depending on your spice desires, finely chopped

2 small or one large firm but ripe avocado, pitted and chopped

1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped

dash of champagne vinegar

juice of one lime

2 tsp dried cilantro or 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro

plenty of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and allow to rest in the fridge until serving time, makes about 1 quart of salsa.

For the salmon filets, I preheated the oven to 400 and rubbed them with a bit of olive oil and plenty of blackening seasoning. They take about 12 minutes for a 4 oz filet. Let rest for 3-4 minutes before serving with the yummy salsa. Enjoy!