Spring Bibimbap Food

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN RICE WITH MIXED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Stir cucumber pieces with 1/4 cup gochujang paste in a bowl; set aside.
• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet and stir in spinach; cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; set spinach aside in a bowl and stir soy sauce into spinach.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet and cook and stir carrots until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in cucumber pieces with gochujang paste; sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and set the mixture aside in a bowl.
• Brown beef in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, and set aside. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 more teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat and fry the eggs just on one side until yolks are runny but whites are firm, 2 to 4 minutes each.
• To assemble the dish, divide cooked rice into 4 large serving bowls; top with spinach mixture, a few pieces of beef, and cucumber mixture. Place 1 egg atop each serving. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a small amount of gochujang paste if desired.

BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• *Cook's Note: This can be done in a regular bowl or a hot stone bowl. If it's in a hot stone bowl, the rice becomes crunchy because it's still cooking.
• Put cooked rice in large slightly shallow bowl. Place bulgogi (with juices from cooked meat) and veggies on top of rice but place separately so you can see each ingredient beautifully placed on rice. Put egg on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.
• When ready to eat, mix all ingredients together with some gochuchang paste, to taste. The bibimpap should be moist and not dry. Add more sesame oil and gochuchang paste, to taste.
• Place rib-eye in freezer for about 30 minutes so that it is easier to thinly slice. When partially frozen, remove from freezer and thinly slice. Set aside.
• Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a large baking dish. Add the thinly sliced beef and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight; it is best if marinated overnight.
• Heat grill to high. Remove beef from marinade and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to compile Bibimbap.
• Gochuchang Paste (seasoned red pepper paste):
• 4 tablespoons gochuchang (available at Korean grocers)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.

SPRING BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Trim the stems from the Swiss chard. Cut or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Reserve half of stems for another use or discard them. Slice the remaining stems into 2-inch lengths, and then into halves, quarters, or eighths to make uniform matchsticks and transfer them to a medium bowl.
• Slice the cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then stack them up and slice into matchsticks. Slice the carrot into thin (less than 1/4-inch) rounds. Slice the radishes into thinnest possible rounds. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the chard stems. Toss with the sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and let stand as you prepare the rest of the meal. Just before serving, rinse and drain the veggies, blot dry with a clean towel, and toss with the rice vinegar.
• Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil. Using tongs, add the Swiss chard leaves in increments, adding more as each batch cooks down. Add a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently with the tongs for 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted and the pan appears mostly dry. Remove from the heat and gather up the greens to one side of the pan with a spatula. Holding the chard in place and gently squeezing, tilt the pan over the sink and pour off any excess liquid. (You can do this in a colander if you're worried about accidently dumping the greens into the sink.) Place the chard in a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the sesame seeds. Wipe out the skillet.
• To make crispy-base bibimbap rice (optional): Just before serving, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Press the rice into the skillet, making a thick cake. Let cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom of the rice.
• Wave the nori squares over the flame of a gas burner a few times, until the corners curl and they turn crisp, or roast under a broiler, flipping periodically. Slice into thin strips with a chef's knife, or crumble with your fingers.
• To serve, use a spatula to scoop out the rice and divide it among four bowls, ensuring that everyone gets some of the crispy part. Top with the Swiss chard, kimchi, and avocado, then use a slotted spoon to add the pickled vegetables to the bowls. Garnish with the nori and serve immediately, passing the Gochujang sauce at the table.

VEGETABLE BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• In a medium pot, cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high. Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly until wilted, about 30 seconds; drain. When cool enough to handle, squeeze spinach dry with a paper towel.
• Wipe out skillet; heat 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-high. Add carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Add garlic and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook 4 minutes. Add cucumber and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add spinach and soy sauce and stir to combine. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and wipe out skillet.
• Heat 3/4 teaspoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high. Add eggs, reduce heat to medium, and cook until whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Divide rice among four bowls; top with vegetables and eggs. Drizzle each with sesame oil, sprinkle with scallion greens, and serve with Sriracha.

EASY BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Put the steak into a bowl and add the soy sauce.
• Boil the rice following packet instructions. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan or wok then add the steak, leaving the soy sauce behind in the bowl. Fry quickly at a high temperature until well browned on the outside, put it onto a board and cover with foil to rest. Now fry the carrots in the same pan, stir frying for 2-3 mins until starting to soften then transfer to a plate. Next add the spinach and fry until just wilted (about a minute). Finally fry the eggs, adding a little extra oil if the pan is dry.
• When the rice is cooked, drain and pile into 2 bowls. Slice the steak then put it on top of the rice. Next to that add a clump of the cooked carrots, then the spinach and finally the ginger. Scatter the sesame seeds over the top. Stir all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and serve alongside the rice. The best way to eat it is to dollop on a good serving of the sauce, break into the egg and stir everything together so the sauce and the runny egg yolk get deliciously mixed up with all the vegetables and steak.

SHEET-PAN BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• On a large sheet pan, arrange the mushrooms, sweet potato, red onion and kale into four separate quadrants. Drizzle the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat, keeping the types of vegetables separate. Try to not crowd the vegetables; you want them to brown, not steam. Roast on the top rack until the sweet potato is fork-tender, the onion and mushrooms are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy but not burnt, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place another large sheet pan on the bottom rack to heat. When the vegetables are almost done cooking, in the last 5 minutes or so, remove the heated pan from the oven and evenly drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil on it. Spread the rice over half of the pan. Crack the eggs onto the other half and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 minutes (this time may vary depending on your oven, so watch it carefully).
• To serve, divide the rice evenly among four bowls. Now divide the vegetables evenly as well, placing them in four neat piles over each portion of rice. Use a spatula to slide the eggs over the vegetables. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and dollop with 1 teaspoon of gochujang, adding more if desired. Mix everything together with a spoon or chopsticks before diving in, and serve kimchi alongside, if you prefer.