Feb 25th - Pantry-Freezer Seafood Bibimbap w Figure Skating

Pre-mixed bibimbap. Without the typical ingredient stations. ;-) Don't tell mom.

Today was a bit hectic and confusing from a scheduling perspective and I ended up having to think about making dinner with no fresh vegetables in the fridge. I should have gone to the grocery but D and I had crossed wires as to who was supposed to do that so in the end, neither of us did. Luckily there were some basics in the fridge and freezer as well. I spotted the smoked, peppered salmon fillet I bought at Choices the other day. It's super yummy. It is one of the only ready to eat proteins for fish-eaters, that and the Salmon-pepperoni choices sells as well. We some times have it when we go snowboarding as a walk around the village snack, refuel.

Having spotted the salmon there in the fridge, built dinner around it. I made a Salmon and Shrimp Bibimbap. Bibimbap is a traditional Korean hotpot dish with rice, sesame oiled steamed spinach, Bulgogi(marinated sliced beef), julienned carrots, mushrooms, Kochujang(chili paste) and an egg. The egg should be served raw on top if you have the hot-stone bowl to serve it in. The egg cooks in the bowl and the yolk gives the dish a rich, sort of carbonara sort of texture. If you don't have the stonebowl, you can poach it or fry it. In most 'western-friendly' Korean restaurants, the egg will come cooked. In the more true to form joints, the egg will come in the shell atop the rice.

You don't need the hotpot if you don't have them and you can play with the ingredients. My mom does several different themed varieties, cold or warm, sweet and sour. I really like julienned radishes on top or shredded Moo-kimchee, yummo! I had a limited selection but it turned out really well. I didn't even have an egg in the house!

Pantry and Freezer Seafood Bibimbap

(ingredients per person but not to be strictly followed EXCEPT don't overdo the sesame oil)

1/2 c brown rice

100 g smoked salmon fillet (or cooked salmon fillet)

7-8 shrimp, thawed

1/2-2/3 c frozen peas

1/2 T sesame oil

1/4 c sweet and sour Kochujang (kochujang with rice wine vinegar and dash of sesame oil and sesame seeds) or regular Kochujang

1/4 c Korean marinated kochus (mild chilies, cooked and marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil eaten as a banchan)

Cook the rice as per directions and set aside but keep warm.

Defrost the peas and prawn. I defrost most things by rinsing and soaking in cold water. It's the most effective and least damaging. Sautee them both in a non stick skillet with some neutral vegetable oil. Until the prawns are just cooked through.

In a large bowl, pour half the sesame oil. This is just my thing to ensure even distribution of the oil. Add the rice. Dollop the kochujang on top. Flake the salmon over top. Add the kochus over that. Normally you wouldn't distribute the ingredients this way, even at home. They're served in stations around the bowl like a clock then mixed at the table. It's just us at home so I prefer to make sure that I have evenly distributed ingredients. :-D Add the peas and shrimp and top with the last of the sesame oil. Don't over do the sesame oil. You'll regret it and there's no going back but to add more rice.

This turned out great for a last minute throw together and just in time for the Ladies Final freeskate! Korea won the Gold and Canada the Bronze. Double happiness!!!!