Hello everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts this past week or so but I have been off enjoying myself in the Philippines! I had planned to try and write everyday while I was away, but alas all those plans went out the window after a few bottles of rum and I decided to have some fun in the sun instead. Even during the frequent rain storms I found it more enjoyable to read, get massages, and watch reruns of Americas next Top Model rather than work hard. But since I was on holiday I figured it was okay as we all deserve a break. My laziness since returning from my tropical jaunt is all due to my new early starts and lack of desk warming time at work.

So to make up for my lack of work of late I present to you yet another fried food recipe. Not the healthiest but definitely the tastiest way to get more pickles into your life. If you have never tried them, deep fried pickles are absolutely amazing! I have been rather obsessed with these since trying them last winter at Pizza Pub (now Route 66). I have been wanting to give it a go myself for months now, but always seem to forget about them any time I have the fryer out. So finally I got around to it. Not only are they delicious, they are also a great way to use up all those pickles I seem to procure from my ubiquitous pizza Sunday. You can use any kind of pickles you like though, and you can also bake them in the oven instead of frying if you drizzle them with a little oil first!

Ingredients

3 tubs of pizza pickles

5 tablespoons of seasoned flour (just add a little salt and pepper)

2 eggs (beaten)

1 cup of panko crumbs (mix with the paprika)

1 teaspoon of paprika

Soy bean oil for frying

Directions

1. Add enough oil to your pan or frying pan so it covers at least an inch or two deep then heat to about 180 degrees this will be medium on a gas range, high on an electric.

2. Strain the pickles from the juice they are kept in and pat dry with kitchen roll. Then toss in the seasoned flour.

3. Dip the floured pickles into beaten egg making sure they are fully coated. Then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Next, lay them on a plate until the pickles are ready to be fried.

4. Fry the pickles in small batches for about a minute on each side or until golden brown. Then drain on kitchen roll and repeat until they are all cooked. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce or samjang mayo.

5. To make samjang mayo mix together 5 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of samjang, or to taste.

On Saturday I ventured into Longbread to get myself some sandwiches for me and The Fat Boyfriend for lunch. It’s owned by the people who run The Flying Pan so I was really excited to try it. The cafe is a huge airy and bright place, adjoining to the Lotte Department store. I often have trouble finding somewhere nice to eat for lunch after a spot of shopping in Myeongdong and this place really ticks all the boxes.

There are 8 or so different sandwiches on the menu. The names are all in English but sadly they don’t have the descriptions in English which is a bit annoying as they had a Japanese and Chinese menu. You can tell more or less what it is from the name, but if you are a bit fussy like me you want to know exactly what else is in it. I could have read the Korean explanation but frankly I couldn’t be bothered, after an hour in H&M I was ready to drop so I just ordered.

I ordered the Wow Beef Sandwich (8,800). Despite the stupid name, this sandwich was spectacular. I shared it with the Fat Boyfriend and we both gave a loud and resounding Mmm when we bit into it. The beef was tender and full of flavour with a slight spiciness to it. The cheese was melted to perfection and some lovely roasted vegetables rounded it out. It’s served on toasted panini bread and you would be hard pushed to find fault with it. A winner in every department and a pretty reasonable price tag for the size.

I also got the Oh! My Chicken Sandwich (8,300). Again it had lovely fresh bread and a nice tasty filling but it wasn’t a stand out sandwich for me like the beef one was. This was why I wanted to see what was in it, had it had some avocado and bacon it would have taken it up a notch. I would definitely like to try a few other sandwiches on the menu next time like the Long Bread Sandwich or the Cheese & Mushroom Panini.

I was feeling frivolous so I also ordered myself a De-stress Juice (7,800) Freshly squeezed, orange, grapefruit, lemon and celery.  Obviously it’s on the pricey side but good fresh juices are hard to find here and I needed to something healthy in my body to justify the 24 Krispie Kreme doughnuts I had just purchased (in my defence it was a buy 12 get 12 free day, and you would have to be made of stone to pass up a deal like that)!

On a side note the guy who served me was pretty rude. I was a little indecisive changing my mind about the juice I wanted  and asking for the menu in English. It wasn’t busy and I was the only person buying something so there was no need for his poor attitude towards me. But the sandwiches are lovely and the cafe is cute so I wouldn’t let it put me off.

Long bread is located at 123, 2ga, Namdaemun-ro, jung-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Euljiro 1-ga (line 2) and come out of exit 7. Walk straight for one block past the Lotte department Store and cross the road. Long Bread should be right in front of you on the side street just next to the Lotte Young department Store.  For more information you can call them on 02-2118-5173 or check out their website.

We are big focaccia fans in our house, and ever since the Fat Boyfriend started baking we have it even more often. I started thinking of ways to switch it up a bit and though it could be nice if it was made into a pizza of sorts. I roasted and blended the tomatoes, threw on some veg and cheese and bing bam boom dinner was served. It was so hearty we were eating it for 3 days. In a sealed glass lock container it actually stayed perfectly fresh which in itself was quite the triumph. No longer will I be forced to eat a whole focaccia in a day to combat staleness.

Ingredients

500g flour (I use the Baksul one with bread on the front)

2 x 8g packets of yeast

2 teaspoons of salt

400ml of warm water

2 tablespoons of olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)

Topping

200g of cherry tomatoes

4 mushrooms

1 onion

1 green pepper

1 aubergine

3 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

150g of cheese (I used some left over Gruyere, cheddar, and Parmesan)

A drizzle of balsamic vinegar

A glug or two of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

1. Mix the flour, salt, and yeast together in a bowl. Add the water in stages and mix thoroughly with the flour. The dough may seem as though it’s very wet but that’s how it should be. Once all the water is in, you can add the olive oil. Knead the dough for about five minutes until it has become stretchy and elastic. You can either do this on an oiled board or in your hands. Do not add any more flour to the mix. I prefer to knead it in my hands, pulling and stretching it until is is about right. Put the dough in an oiled container, drizzle with olive oil, cover with cling-film, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

2. After the dough has risen and doubled in size, knock the dough back down and move the dough to a second oiled container and leave to rise once again for about 30 minutes. Make the dimples in the bread by using your finger or knuckle. Drizzle with more olive oil, dust with salt, and bake in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the dough has baked through. You may wish to turn the dough around halfway through to produce a more even colour.

3. To make the the roast tomato sauce, put the cherry tomatoes on a tray with the garlic, sprinkle with salt, pepper, mixed herbs,  olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. When they have roasted blend them until you have a smooth tomato sauce.

4. While your cherry tomatoes are roasting, slice your onion, pepper, mushrooms and aubergine place on a tray and drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10 minutes. They don’t need to be cooked the whole way through, just partially.

5. When your focaccia is almost finished baking, take it out of the oven and spread the tomato sauce all over it, making sure it gets into those dimples. Top with the roasted veggies and grated cheese then bake for another 10 minutes until the top is golden brown and the vegetables have cooked. You could also top with some fresh basil leaves if your garden has yielded some yet.

Yesterday was a glorious sunny day and we paid a visit to Sinsa to have a gander at The Great British Festival that was happening. After a stroll, a coffee and a spot of shopping we fancied a bit of lunch and stopped at this place. A sandwich and a table in the sun was far too much for Fat Girl to resist.

After having a look at what everyone else was eating I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist one of their lovely looking sandwiches. They also had a number of salads for the carb conscious. The Fat Boyfriend opted for the Tender beef (9,800). Pan seared beef marinated in a special steak sauce with mozzarella. This was a really nice steak sandwich. The beef was very tender and not at all chewy like you find in far too many steak sandwiches. The sauce on the beef was also really tasty. The bread they used was fantastic, I’m not 100% sure but I believe they make it in house as they have various bread items for sale. The sandwich also came with a small side salad. A pretty damn good lunch for under 10,000.

I was torn between the Grilled Chicken and the Vegetarian. In the end I opted for the Grilled Chicken (9,300) as I was won over by the chicken marinated in olive oil and rosemary. The bread was once again fantastic, the salad fresh and just the right amount of dressing. However the sandwich just lacked in flavour. I was suffering from a cold so my taste buds were not at their finest, but even so, it just needed something to kick it up a little. Perhaps a bit more seasoning or a more flavourful dressing or sauce. Ratio wise it was great, so perhaps next time I will try the Chicken Taco Sandwich or Vegetarian.

Although it’s not the best sandwich I’ve ever had, it’s still a very cute spot to grab a fresh and tasty lunch and I would definitely come again. It’s no Deli Heinzburg which is just up the street but it’s also much cheaper and had outdoor seating if the Deli queues are too long.

Buccella is located at Sinsa-dong 534-22. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road. It is tucked away on one of the little side alleys on the left about halfway down Garosugil.

I whipped up this loaf last week as another dish to take along to The Seoul Vegan Potluck. And when I say I, I mean The Fat Boyfriend. Although I devised the recipe, he just did all the hard labour, just how I like it. We often make bread, but I wanted to change it up a bit. I had some chilies which needed using, as I often do, so figured this would be a great way to use them. Had it not been destined for the Vegan Potluck I probably would have thrown some cheese in too.

Ingredients

250g of whole wheat flour from bob red mill (FFM, i-Herb, Bangsan Bakers Mart)

250g of white bread flour

2 x 8g instant yeast

2 tablespoons of white sugar

2 teaspoons of salt

1 1/2-2 cups of warm water

4 tablespoons of olive oil

5 red chillies

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Roast the chilies in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil for about 20 minutes until browned and softened. Remove the ends and half the seeds. If you like it spicy keep them all in. Blend the chilies and the rest of the oil in your coffee grinder until there are no large lumps.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Start to add the warm water and mix together. After you have added a third of the water, stir in the chili oil. Continue to add the water bit by bit until a dough has formed. You may find that you do not need all of the water, so stop as soon as you have enough. Once the dough has formed knead for about 8 minutes. Oil your hands if kneading by hand as the dough will begin to get sticky. When the dough has been kneaded, place it in a bowl with a damp towel over it in a warm place. Since it’s still cold I just put it on one of the hot spots on the floor, I find this does the job well. Leave it to rise for one hour. The dough  should have risen nicely.

3. When the dough has doubled in volume, Punch the dough back down and shape into a two long baguette  loaf  shapes and place them on your baking tray. Put your baking tray inside of a plastic bag and leave to rise again for another 30 minutes to an hour.

4. Once they have risen again (just like the South)  pop them in the oven at about 190 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, turn the tray around halfway through cooking to produce a more even rise. Check your bread is done by tapping it, if it doesn’t give a good knock, put it back in for another 5-10 minutes.

So one of the joys of long haul flights is that the change in air pressure can cause a toothache to rear its ugly head. So after a trip to the dentist I have been confined to eating soft foods this past week. Nothing beats a good bowl of soup so I stopped by my local mart and grabbed a couple of the green squash and a bag of sweet potatoes. I knew the soup could be knocked up in an hour but I was craving bread. I didn’t have the time or inclination to go to the bakery to pick one up and neither did I want to wait over 2 hours myself to let one rise. I had bought the Paul Hollywood book for the Fat Boyfriend for Christmas as he has recently taken up baking. I was flipping through and found this soda bread recipe which is super quick and easy because it has no rise time. Hurrah dinner was saved and an hour and a half later I was enjoying a delicious bowl of soup with a slice or three of homemade bread smothered in butter.

Ingredients

Soup

2 kabocha squash

4 small sweet potatoes

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 teaspoon of cumin

500ml of milk or coconut milk (optional)

Soda bread

500g/9oz  of plain white flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

420ml/15fl oz buttermilk (make by putting 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into regular milk and waiting 5 minutes)

1/2 a red onion

100g of cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

Extra flour for dusting

Directions

Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the squash into pieces and discard the seeds. Although you can roast them with a little oil and salt if you like and have them as a crunchy snack.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and arrange on a tray with the squash. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle on a little salt. Bake in the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes until they are soft.

3. Meanwhile finely chop the onion and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil in a large saucepan. When the squash has cooked remove the flesh from the skin and add to the pan with your onions. If you like to eat the skin, sprinkle with a little spice or seasoning add a touch more oil and pop them back in the oven for another 10-20 minutes until they are crispy. I find them more addictive than crisps! Peel the sweet  potatoes or just pop them in the pan with their skins on. I left mine on because all the goodness is in the skin and because  I’m lazy.

4. Turn the heat on and add the curry powder and cumin and cook for a minute or two before adding the stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes to bring it together before blending. Once you have blended it, add the milk or coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency. Reheat and season to taste.

Bread

1. To make the bread Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

3. Grate in the onion, cheese and herbs if using, then mix again.

3.  Add the buttermilk and mix until a sticky dough forms.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it.

5. Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. Do not knead.

6. Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with flour.

7. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas 6. The loaf should be golden-brown.

8. Leave to cool on a wire rack. This is best eaten on the day of baking. Thanks Paul!

If you are anything like me then you are obsessed with the mozzarella sticks from Lotteria. What could be finer than a delicious soft and gooey piece of cheese, coated in golden bread crumbs and deep-fried to perfection. Yes I realise they do not belong to the gourmet culinary arts but by God are they yummy! You can pick these babies up in plenty of supermarkets, but it’s also fairly easy to have a go at making them yourself. The cheese texture isn’t quite the same but it is good and the results are delicious. Niall declared after finishing the batch that he wouldn’t mind having them again next weekend. High praise indeed.

Ingredients

6 string cheeses

100-150g of panko crumbs

1 egg (beaten)

4 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

1 teaspoon of paprika

Directions

1. Cut the cheese sticks in half then put them on a baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile mix the panko crumbs, mixed herbs, and paprika together.

2. Roll the frozen cheese sticks in seasoned flour.

3. Dip the floured sticks into the beaten egg.

4. Roll the sticks in the panko crumbs so they are completely coated. Then put them back onto the baking sheet and put them back in the freezer for 30 minutes-1 hour.

5. Pour enough oil into your frying pan so that the bottom is coated, then heat on a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the cheese sticks on one side for a minute or two, before turning them over to brown the other side. When they are golden brown, remove from the pan and enjoy. I served mine with my delicious homemade salsa.

A few nights ago I was watching The Great British Bake-off and I was inspired by Becca’s potato focaccia. I already cracked the regular focaccia bread which I make frequently, but I was very intrigued by the idea of having potato in the crust. I adapted my regular recipe and was rather pleased with the results. The bread was thinner than the usual fluffy focaccias I normally turn out, but with 3 potatoes in with the dough this was not surprising, it was also lovely and moist. a nice addition to my repertoire.

Ingredients

500g flour (I use the baksul one with bread on the front)

2 x 8g packets of yeast

2 teaspoons of salt

400ml of warm water

2 tablespoons of olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)

5 potatoes

2 tablespoons of rosemary

Directions

Boil the potatoes until soft, then peel and mash 3 of them. Slice the other two and reserve for the top. Mix the flour, mashed potato, salt, and yeast together in a bowl. Add the water in stages and mix thoroughly with the flour. The dough may seem as though it’s very wet but that’s how it should be. Once all the water is in, you can add the olive oil. Knead the dough for about five minutes until it has become stretchy and elastic. You can either do this with a mixer, on an oiled board or in your hands. Do not add any more flour to the mix. I prefer to knead it in my hands, pulling and stretching it until is is about right. Put the dough in an oiled container, drizzle with olive oil, cover with cling-film, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

After the dough has risen, knock the dough back down and move the dough to a second oiled container and leave to rise once again for about 30 minutes. Make the dimples in the bread by using your finger or knuckle.

Top the dough with the slices of potato, then drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and rosemary and bake in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the dough has baked through. You may wish to turn the dough around halfway through to produce a more even colour. When the bread is done, allow to cool, then enjoy. Voilà easy and amazing home-made focaccia bread!

Last Sunday morning I was lying in bed trying to decide what to have for my breakfast. I was craving french toast, but wanted to amp up the volume and change it up a bit so I hit upon that old British classic, bread and butter pudding. What could be better than lovely custardy french toast slathered in even more, lovely vanilla custard. Part breakfast part dessert; I am not ashamed to admit that I ate the whole thing over the course of the day whilst watching episodes of Columbo on Netflix. I’m not sure if I should be rather ashamed that I am turning into my Nan, but I am not. It was a lovely way to spend the end of the weekend on a cold rainy day. Next time I might add a few berries or some Nutella to mix it up.

Ingredients

French Toast

1 1/2 loaves of bread (Morning toast bread from Paris Baguette)

300ml of cream

300ml of full fat milk

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of sugar

Half a stick of butter (for frying)

Custard

6 egg yolks

1 egg

75g white sugar

25g of flour

4 teaspoons of corn flour / cornstarch (They sell it in all Korean supermarkets, it’s got a picture of corn on the front)

500ml of milk

1 tablespoon of Vanilla syrup

A few drops of vanilla extract (you can use the extract, the syrup or a vanilla pod)

Directions

Cut your loaf into 3/4 of an inch thick slices. I made mine using a fresh loaf but if you let it go stale for a day I am told it’s even better. In a large bowl beat together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla until mixed together. Heat your pan to a low/medium temperature and throw in a knob of butter. Dip a slice of bread into the custard mixture, let it soak up those juices, then turn it over to do the other side and throw it into the frying pan. Depending on the size of your frying pan you will be able to cook 2-3 slices at a time. After a few minutes it should be golden brown on the bottom side. Flip it over and do the other side for a few more minutes. Making sure that the custard has set in the middle, remove from the pan and cook the remaining slices. When all of your french toast is made, cut into triangles and arrange in your dish. Then make the lovely custard.

To make the custard whisk your egg yolks and egg with the sugar until it has become a very pale yellow. Whisk in the flour and corn flour until it has combined then set aside. Heat the milk and vanilla on a low heat until it has just started to boil then take it off the heat and whisk for 30 seconds. Slowly mix the hot milk into the yolk and flour mixture until it has combined then pour it into a saucepan. Put the custard on a very low heat and whisk it continuously until it begins to thicken. This will happen all at once so make sure you keep an eye on it or it will curdle. Once it’s thickened into custard you can remove from the heat and pour it all over the french toast.  Sprinkle the top with sugar and bake in the oven at 180ºC for about 20 minutes, until the sugar has browned and you have a lovely bread and buttery goodness on your hands. Serve with extra maple syrup if you have a seriously sweet tooth.

I whipped up this amazing dish last week for dinner. I’m a huge fan of caprese salad, but now the nights are growing chilly, a salad doesn’t exactly cut it for dinner. I’m very keen to use up my basil plants before the cold kills them off in the next few weeks. I also wanted to use the rigatoni I had bought in Bali and was saving for something special. It was the perfect comforting meal for a chilly autumn night.

Ingredients

250g of Pasta (I used rigatoni but you could use penne)

100g of fresh mozzarella

100g of grated cheddar & mozzarella mix

50g of grated parmesan

10 cherry tomatoes

10-12 basil leaves

Sauce

300g of tomatoes or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1/2 red onion

5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

100ml cream (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic bread 

1 french baguette

4 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of pesto

Grated fresh Parmesan

Directions 

To make the sauce blend the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until it’s a smooth paste. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, herbs, and salt & pepper, and boil for about 10 minutes. While the sauce is boiling, cook the pasta until it’s soft on the outside but still a little hard in the middle then drain. When the tomato sauce is done stir in the cream if using. Put the pasta in a dish and pour over the sauce. Top with the remaining cherry tomatoes, scatter over the cheese and torn basil leaves, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

To make the pesto garlic bread, crush the garlic and mix together with the butter and pesto until it is a nice soft paste. Spread generously on the french bread and top with grated parmesan. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the butter and cheese have melted and they are golden brown.

Serve the pasta caprese with the garlic pesto bread and a glass of wine. Warning: your home may be filled with a delicious smell for long after the pasta is gone which may cause you to repeat all previous cooking instructions!