I’ve been obsessed with making my own pizza all summer long. If you follow my instagram account you will have seen me devouring them. Homemade pizza is such a joy and puts a smile on the face of anyone that eats it. A thin crispy crust, covered with fresh vegetables and and cheese, and eaten outside. I decided to  switch it up a bit this time and go for a Thai style pizza. The sauce was made with coconut milk and peanut butter, then I layered it up with chicken and lovely Thai vegetables. Served with my tomato salad and a homemade Pimm’s it was perfection. An awesome, easy, and fresh dinner to share with your loved one or friends.

Ingredients (makes 3 large pizzas)

Dough 

500g flour (I used the one for dumplings and noodles.)

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of yeast (I used bobai brand that comes in 8g packages)

4 table spoons of olive oil

14 oz ice cold water

Sauce

1/2 a can of coconut milk

3 tablespoons of peanut butter

2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce.

Topping

1 chicken breast

1/2 an onion

1 egg plant

1-2 chillies

150g of grated cheese

A bunch of cilantro (고수)

A handful of basil leaves

Directions 

1. Make the pizza dough using my recipe here.

2. While the dough is resting, cook your chicken breasts with a little garlic and oil. I also added some Thai seasoning I bought on i-Herb. Then slice and roast your egg plants. Grate the cheese, and slice the onion and chillies. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

3. Roll out the dough to the size of your pan, then sprinkle with flour before placing the dough on top. Cover the base with the sauce and bake in the oven for 10 minutes to cook the dough. If you don’t do this and you pile on everything on top first the dough will stay raw in the middle.

4. Once the base has cooked, layer it up with cheese and all your lovely vegetables apart from the basil leaves and cook for another 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Sprinkle the basil leaves on top then serve.

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.

No one enjoys a luxury brunch accompanied by several cocktails more than me. While there are lots of great options for brunch all around Itaewon, it’s hard to find one which has great food and great drinks. So when The Libertine Bar & Kitchen opened its doors I was very keen to give it a try.

The restaurant is sleek and smart, and full of clean lines while still remaining welcoming and friendly. It really evokes a  New York kind of feeling. The whole place has a sense of occasion about it and make you feel as though you are going somewhere special.

With a decent sized bar with ample seating, it would also be a nice spot to enjoy a great drink after work.

The day menu is short and sweet offering up traditional brunch items with an eclectic twist. An Eggs Benedict (16,000) is an essential item for any brunch menu and at Libertine they got it absolutely spot on. I really couldn’t fault it. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the bacon was thick and tasty and an absolute cut above what is usually served. The star of the show really is the hollandaise though. By far the best I have had in Korea, it was so thick and creamy it was practically mousse like, it generously topped the eggs below. Served with the requisite side salad it’s the perfect brunch.

Being a Florentine fan myself we had to try the Eggs and Spinach (16,000). This was a nice twist on the classic. A large piece of toast topped with two perfectly poached eggs and topped with the mild spinach and cheese sauce. beautifully presented and effortlessly tasty it was nice to see this on the menu.

If you are a regular reader of my recipes, you know I am a fan of capresa salad, so when I saw the Grilled Watermelon Capresa salad (16,000) I just had to try it. Grilled wedges of fresh juicy watermelon, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and chili, drizzled with balsamic reduction and basil oil. It came with an olive crumble which I’m not sure added anything to the dish. I think I would have preferred some nice juicy olives instead of this slightly  pretentious crumble but I still enjoyed the dish immensely.

There was no way I could leave without trying the LBK Burger(18,000). I wasn’t a fan of the usually well regarded burger at the head chef’s former restaurant Scout, so I felt in need to give this one a go to make sure. It was much more satisfying. A medium cooked burger, tasty soft bun, cheese, homemade ketchup and salad. It almost warranted a small Mmm. Not the best burger ever but it was good and I would order it again, despite the fact it’s messy and does fall apart as you eat it. I also enjoyed the cute fries in their small basket. Although some homemade ketchup or aioli might be nicer instead of the regular stuff.

The drinks menu is just as good as the food. They have all the traditional brunch cocktails like Bloody Marys and Mimosas, as well as various other more inventive libations for those who need hard liquor in the morning. Brunch is a time to get drunk and eat good food and you can do it in spades here. Each drink that I have tried, has been mixed expertly with a subtle, excellent balance of flavours that have been thoughtfully picked out.

In particular we were fond of the lemongrass infused gin, sorbet martini, and LBK lemonade.  My only complaint is that the drinks service is a bit slow, especially the first time we visited, when our food came a good 10 minutes before our drinks which is a particular pet peeve of mine. If they could get those drinks coming out a little faster it would be a 10/10 for me.

The Libertine Bar & Kitchen is located at 141-8 Itaewon. To get their take a train to Itaewon station (line 6) Come out of exit 3 and turn back on yourself and take a left walking down the furniture street past Taco Bell, and Bulldogs restaurant. Keep going straight until you reach The Libertine on the ground floor. You can call them on 02-790-9477 or check out their facebook page for more information.

I do love my kalbi, out of all Korean foods it’s still my favourite. The problem is I just don’t eat it enough. I use it in the winter to make stews, but in the summer other than eating it Korean style I’m always at a bit of a loss. So making kalbi tacos which are all the rage stateside seemed ideal. This is one of the best dinners we have had in a long time and a perfect no hassle meal if you are having friends over.

Ingredients

1 roll of kalbi per person

2 small tortillas per person

1/2 an avocado sliced

Lettuce leaves for serving

Salad

A small wedge of red cabbage

1/2 a cucumber

1 green pepper

1 stick of celery

5 green onions

1 large handful of cilantro (고수)

Dressing 

3 tablespoons of sesame seed oil

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

1 tablespoon of hot sauce or gochu paste

Directions

1. To make the salad, grate the cucumber then slice the pepper, red cabbage and celery very finely and put in a bowl. Use a pair of scissors to cut the green onions and cilantro and add to the bowl and mix everything together.

2. To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together, then pour over the salad.

3. Put a frying pan on medium heat, then add a piece of the kalbi. Cook on one side for about 3 minutes, then flip over and do the other side for another 2-3 minutes until it’s browned on both sides. Be sure to cut the rib pieces off and cook them separately as they will take much longer. When the meat is done, leave to cool while you cook your next piece. When it is cold enough to touch, cut it into strips. it’s much easier if you use a pair of scissors.

4. When everything is done, put it all out and let everyone assemble their own. A bottle of sriracha doesn’t go amiss either, it gives a nice kick for those who like it spicy.

Coronation chicken, a blast from the past and a sandwich filling invented many years ago to celebrate our dear old queen Lizzy. An old favourite, it’s been years since I’ve eaten this. But after eating all my favourite salads far too often lately I figured I was in need of a change. There are a million ways you can make this that run from quick and easy like mine, to incredibly complex and time consuming. Mine is just a simple version, ain’t nobody got time for hours in the kitchen in this heat. Make a big batch up and throw it into salad, sandwiches, and wraps. Or take it to a barbecue and wow your friends with this tasty classic dish.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts shredded (or a similar amount of cooked chicken)

10 tablespoons of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of raisins

1 small handful frozen mango (fresh is fine too, just chop it into chunks)

5 dried apricots

2 teaspoons of curry powder

1 tablespoon of sliced almonds

1/2 a teaspoon of celery salt

1/2 a teaspoon of pepper

Directions

1. Blend your mango to make a purée.   Then stir in the mango purée to the mayonnaise. If you have it then you could use mango chutney which would give you a much better flavour.

2. Add the curry powder to the mayonnaise. It’s really up to you and how strong your curry powder is for how much you use. So keep adding a little at a time until you reach the desired taste. Then add the salt and black pepper.

3. Mix the sauce with your shredded chicken. Then chop the apricots and stir in along with the raisins. Serve in your favourite bread or on a bed of salad.

Last week I found out about a new gourmet salad company. I love a nice salad and back in London I would always buy them from my favourite place for lunch. So the fact that this one delivers is amazing!!! It can be so hard to find a healthy and tasty lunch. I make my own each morning  but I know that’s not possible for everyone and even I deserve a treat and a lie in sometimes. Even if you do have shops near your job it can be difficult to find the time to nip out and get something. This way you can order on the phone and have it delivered whenever is convenient.

When the salad arrives they come in a sleek black box all wrapped up with a bow. It’s just like getting a gift! It also comes with a bottle of separate dressing. The bottle is large, at least 100ml, which I love. Too many times there is not enough dressing to go around and no one wants to eat plain lettuce. I even had enough left to use on my own salad the next day. It also comes with a knife and fork ready to eat it.

I ordered the American Cajun salad (9,000). This one had cajun chicken, which had a nice tasty coating on the outside without being too over powering. The salad itself was a nice combination of lettuce, hard boiled quail egg, cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, and cheese. It came with the pine french dressing.

I also tried an Italian Caesar (9,000). A decent caesar salad can be hard to find in Seoul but this one didn’t disappoint at all. Plenty of lettuce, freshly shaved parmesan, and breaded pieces of chicken. The accompanying sauce was also delicious and again there was plenty of it. No one likes a dry caesar.

I also had to try the luxurious Australian Wakyu (24,000). In this elite salad was the lovely rare wakyu slices of beef, avocado, blue cheese, tomatoes, quail eggs, onion, and lettuce. It also came with the pine french dressing. This salad was also great but I think I preferred the first two. Plus it’s a little expensive for me, although would be a nice treat for high flying executives.

Obviously some of the salads may seem expensive but they are restaurant quality and they can be delivered. Plus I know that not all of my readers are teachers and some of my most fervent fans are among Seoul’s High Flyers. For more information including their locations and menu check out their website.

Every time I seem to watch TV, the characters always seem to be eating Huevos Rancheros. By the time I got to the third time I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I decided to whip myself up a batch. We like to vary our brunches, especially if we aren’t going out to a restaurant. It’s a nice change from the usual weekend brunch or even as a quick and easy dinner. Perfect for the summer time.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tortillas (I used the 6 inch ones)

1/2 a can of black beans

3 tablespoons of salsa

1 tablespoon of sour cream

1/2 an avocado

A few sprigs of cilantro

1 teaspoon of Mexican seasoning

Directions

The first step is to blend the black beans with 1 teaspoon of Mexican seasoning. You can just do this with the back of a fork if you don’t have a blender. Once the paste is formed warm it up in the microwave or a saucepan. Warm the tortillas, while you fry the eggs. chop the avocado. Put the tortilla on a plate, top with the black bean paste. Then top with the fried egg then arrange the salsa, sour cream and avocado as you like and sprinkle with cilantro. Voilà Huevos Rancheros.

Last week I picked up some insanely cheap fresh beetroot at my local market, (2 for 1,000). It’s insatiably good for your liver and my liver needs all the help it can get. Roasted beetroot is amazingly good just by itself, but I had some veg in the fridge that needed using so I decided to whip up this quinoa for my week day lunches. Tasty and healthy is always a winner for me. Switch up the veg depending on what you’ve got but be sure to keep in that beetroot.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (iHerb)

2 cups of water

2 beetroots

1 aubergine

8 mushrooms

15 cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped herbs (I used cilantro)

A glug or two of olive oil

Directions

Rinse the quinoa in water then put in your saucepan with 2 cups of hot water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down once it is boiling and cook until all the water has evaporated and the quinoa is clear. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.

Chop and peel the beetroot and cut into chunks, top with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile chop the cherry tomatoes in half, and the aubergine and mushrooms into bite sized pieces. After the beetroot had had 10 minutes alone, add the other vegetables to the pan along with the mixed herbs and a little extra olive oil, and cook for another 10 minutes. When the  veg is nicely roasted stir into the quinoa, make sure to include all of those lovely juices. Chop the fresh herbs and sprinkle on top along with a squeeze of lemon. Voilà a lovely beetroot and quinoa salad. Serve hot or cold.

Suji’s Deli has been a stalwart of the expat community for many years now. However there are still plenty of new arrivals that are unaware of this fabulous restaurant located at the very end of Itaewon. They have just relaunched to promote a new deli and takeaway service in addition to the restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have been meaning to write my review of Suji’s for some time now, and the new deli is the perfect reason to do so. Plus, they invited me to their media party at which they let me try lots of their yummy foods and drinks. It was my first media party and was fabulous, finally my Media degree is paying off.

The menu at Suji’s is large and has pretty much every option you could hope for covered . Omelettes, French Toast, Eggs Benedict, pancakes, bagels, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. I have eaten here plenty of times and am quite fond of the Eggs Florentine. What sets Suji’s apart from other brunch restaurants in Seoul is the fact that almost everything they serve is made in house. The meats and salmon are cured, the breads are baked, and all of the potato salads, pickles, mustards, and sauces are all made on the premises. They have even started selling their own coffee, which after trying I have to say is lovely. Pair it with a freshly baked cinamon bun or bagel and breakfast is good to go.

Whist taking some picticture I decided to stay and have some brunch. After having a long look at the new menu, I couldn’t resist my favourite Turkey Club Sandwich (13,000). I love the turkey here, it’s even better than the stuff I would buy at home. This sandwich is perfection. Throw in some chips and coleslaw and I’m in sandwich heaven.

My lovely friend Matt  accopanied me on the trip and ordered the Spanish Omelette (13,500). He let me try some and it was cooked to perfection. Despite their simplicity omelettes can easily go wrong but this one was spot on. With toast and potatoes it was a nice hearty start to the day.

I think you are all more than aware, that I can’t consider a meal to be brunch unless there’s booze involved. Luckily Suji’s has me covered with my favourite Bloody Mary (8,000) which always comes adorned with a giant piece of celery. They also have a peach bellini (7,000) or mimosas on the menu. It’s the most fun way to cure a hangover. However always expect to queue for around 30 minutes if you come on a Saturday or Sunday as it’s very busy.

Suji’s Deli is located on the 2nd floor of Yangjin building, 34-145 Itaewon-Dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul. To get their take a train Itaewon station (line 6). Walk straight out of exit 4 for about 5 minutes, past Mcdonalds until you reach the gate. Suji’s Deli is at the very end of the road on the left, just around the Skinfood shop. You can call them on 02-797-3698 or check out their website  for more information and to take a look at their menu.

Last week my lovely friend Miles asked me to help him to learn to cook. To say he is a novice is an understatement. He can’t even tell the difference between a courgette and a carrot. So I decided I would impart him with some of my wisdom and try and help him make a few meals. He is on a diet to help him lose weight, so we prepared some of my skinnier recipes. I only had so much time to give so we decided to spend one night cooking and make meals for the whole week. I have now realized what a wonderful idea this is. Especially for those who find cooking a chore. A few devoted hours on a Sunday and you will have a fridge and freezer full of healthy meals to last you the whole week.  So this week I even decided to have a go myself. It’s really up to you what you want  to make but here are just a few of the different things we made.

5 salads, consisting of lettuce, cucumber, whole cherry tomatoes and sliced red peppers. If you don’t add the dressing and you seal them in airtight containers they should at least last for 5 days. That’s one lunch every day of the week.

12 chicken  burritos for easy dinners. 3 minutes in the microwave and dinner is served. Cut the cheese and sour cream out of my recipe and they are a pretty healthy dinner.

A giant batch of my roast vegetable couscous. You can then just eat it by itself or add it to one those salads.

A batch of gazpacho which could be served as  a meal in itself, or used to top wholemeal pasta and a can of tuna. Tasty and easy, they can also be made in advance and used to top the salads or eaten as a hearty dinner.

A big batch of my Cajun chicken casserole. We portioned it out into individual containers and added brown rice and broccoli to each one. Just like a home-made version of a microwavable meal.

I also had a BBQ to attend at the weekend to which I was bringing a potato salad and a coleslaw. I made twice as much and put the extra into containers in the fridge. That way I had quick sides all ready made for dinners or something fun to add to my salads.

I also marinated a packet of cut up chicken pieces using one of my favourite marinades. Then I can just put a couple of pieces into the oven when I get home and serve with the coleslaw and potato salad and have myself a home-made BBQ for dinner.

There are so  many things you can do to save time, if you do them in one go. Slice your vegetables and put them into separate containers then you can just take a few of each to make a quick and easy stir fry. Or roast those veggies in the oven if you have one. You can also portion out fruit into zip-lock bags in the freezer, ready to use in a quick smoothie for breakfast. The possibilities are endless and a bit of forward planning will definitely help you to stay healthy if you’re on a new Summer diet. So get down to your nearest Daiso and buy yourself as many containers as you can carry. Miles’s shopping for the week cost around 65,000 and that made 28 meals. He had virtually nothing in the way of condiments in his cupboards so if you keep a well stocked pantry it will be even cheaper.