129 replies to this topic

[menuinprogress]

Here's the Grilled Octo Salad with Kombu, Bamboo shoots, etc.

That looks awesome!

[jnash85]

I did the Steak Ssam. Wasn't that impressed with it as a whole. I haven't found anything I love in this book yet. But I haven't attempted the larger scale preparations either.

http://forums.egulle...ost__p__1744873

[slkinsey]

Anyone else feel like the vinegar pickle recipe (calls for 6 T sugar, 2 1/4 t kosher salt, 1 C water, 1/2 C rice vinegar) is too sweet?

Edited by slkinsey, 23 July 2010 - 05:15 PM.

[Kent Wang]

I think it's too watery. I do 75% vinegar, 25% water.

[abadoozy]

I made the Bánh mì the other day, and it's right up there as one of the best recipes I've ever made. Perfect combination of salty, sweet, hot, sour, and umami. Even better, the terrines freeze well, so I'll be able to pull some out whenever I want. Definitely something I'm not only going to make again, but will probably keep it around in the freezer for quick dinners.

It was so good we had it three days in a row. On the third day, we did it in lettuce wraps instead of bread, for a lighter version. Husband said he actually liked it better in the lettuce, he felt the crisp of the lettuce added something and (of course) he could eat more of it minus the bread. I'm not sure I agree with him, but given that I kinda try to stay low-carb most of the time, the lettuce wraps are definitely a good alternative.

[ScottyBoy]

Great cook bok! Here are my efforts.

Edited by ScottyBoy, 10 September 2010 - 09:15 AM.

[Chris Amirault]

What kind of noodles are those?

[Anna N]

Great cook bok! Here are my efforts.

Thanks for the great photos but could you elaborate on each of the dishes for those of us following along but not lucky enough to have the book? Many thanks.

[ScottyBoy]

The noodles are from a local noodle maker in Oakland's chinatown, just basic chinese egg noodles. The first is the basic ramen broth pork/chicken/kombu/bonito/bacon. Roasted pork shoulder, braised bamboo shoots, pickled carrots and pea shoots. Then the pork buns, I put a little siracha as well has the hoisin sauce. The last is the yakitori chicken ramen, 45 minute soft egg some quick pickles. The noodles in the chicken ramen were the thinner ones and much better.

This is actually the only cookbook I have followed recipes exactly, I usually only flip through them for insperation. I have to say, if you follow the recipes it all comes out great.

Edited by ScottyBoy, 10 September 2010 - 01:51 PM.

[Anna N]

Thank you, ScottyBoy. Anna

[Foodietopo]

I really enjoyed the Momofuku cookbook and I used his spicy/kimchi cucumber recipe and used daikon instead with great success.

I will try to cook a few more recipe soon.

Momofuku is a bit far from Japan, but I can't wait to go back to NYC and try it for myself.

[Chris Amirault]

To what ends are people putting their mustard seeds?

[ScottyBoy]

I add mine to a sherry gastrique. A reduction of sherry vinegar, sugar and honey. Then just mix in a couple spoonfuls of the pickled seeds. I use this as the acid to cut through some richer dishes like pork belly on grits. Also you can pour the whole thing, pickling liquid and all into a blender and it makes a nice sweet thin mustard.

[Chris Amirault]

Wow. Nothing for months -- but I definitely use my Momofuku cookbook regularly. This week, for example, I snooped around trying to find ideas for a pork rib marinade (more on that later) and made a few pickles (cuke, daikon, shiitake) using the basic pickle recipe.

But I found the topic in order to report that the watermelon rind pickle is to die for.

[jk1002]

After having the roasted rice cakes with pork sausage at ssam bar i pulled mine out back again as well.

Beautiful book, can't waito get into it ......

[Mallet]

Wow. Nothing for months -- but I definitely use my Momofuku cookbook regularly. This week, for example, I snooped around trying to find ideas for a pork rib marinade (more on that later) and made a few pickles (cuke, daikon, shiitake) using the basic pickle recipe.

But I found the topic in order to report that the watermelon rind pickle is to die for.

That's quite timely, since I've been eating massive quantities of watermelons for the past 2 weeks.

[Chris Amirault]

Very simple, uses something I usually toss out, and addictive to boot.

[slkinsey]

The roasted rice cakes are awesome.


Now that I have a chest freezer, I've been meaning to make a massive recipe of ramen broth to reduce and freeze. But I've also been wondering about perhaps attempting to make the ramen broth using techniques from Modernist Cuisine. This would mostly mean grinding the bones and meat, and cooking the whole thing in a pressure cooker (also meaning that I have to get around to buying a 5+ gallon pressure cooker.

[Zeemanb]

The "Ghetto Sous Vide" continues to impress in my household. When I tell people about "cooking steak in my sink", they think I'm insane. BUT when they bite into the just-seared buttery Wagyu flatiron or whatever else I'm using...they are believers. It took a little tinkering with the thermostat on my hot water heater, but I can generally keep the water right in that 123-125 degree range.

Getting a SVS in the near future, but I'll still go back and kick it old school from time to time....

[Tim Dolan]

Just ordered this cookbook after somebody dropped a Barnes and Noble giftcard on my desk this morning. We went to Ssam Bar at the beginning of the summer and totally loved it. Very excited to get into this thing. Anyone have any recent stories?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I checked the book out of the library and scoured it for ideas. I was taken by its tongue-in-cheek attitude and delighted with his take on American ranch dressing. His pickled ramp dressing (sub cocktail onions and scallions if you must) is superb. Makes iceberg lettuce (or pork chops) almost "downtown"! I keep a pint in the fridge at all times.

[Tim Dolan]

I wanted to bump this thread because with Super Bowl Sunday coming up, it seems like the Bo Ssam would be a no-brainer. I'm going to a friend's house who has a wonky oven so I might not be able to do it, but I also wanted to see if anyone has attempted it recently. Any stories?

[ChrisTaylor]

I have started to open this book every week or two. Today I've got a couple of dishes lined up: I just portioned and brined the chicken for the fried chicken w/ octo vin. I'll also be making the fried cauliflower and dashi-braised daikon radish.

[TheTInCook]

I'm going to attempt the noodle dough recipe. I'm kinda worried because it has a really low dough hydration as written. Same with the MC recipe (did they just use his?)

[MikeHartnett]

Mmm... octo vin.

[Shalmanese]

I, too have struggled with low hydration. In Lucky Peach, there's an update from Harold McGee to deal with the low hydration by pulsing in the food processor until coarse crumbs are formed, letting it rest to get properly hydrated and then doing the majority of the kneading using a pasta machine. I haven't tried it but it seems like something that could work.

[TheTInCook]

shoot, no food processor. hopefully resting is enough.

[TheTInCook]

Ok, just finished kneading till combined and fairly smooth. Didn't want to overwork it since I'm planning on running it through the pasta machine.

I used the as printed amount of water and mixed by hand. 90-95% of the flour came together in a stiff ball. The rest were like cornmeal or bigger. Added >10ml addtional water to get them to aggregate.

Makes me remember that I always seem to be making my noodle doughs too slack, so they get too soft when cooked.

[TheTInCook]

Just checked my dough. I left it out, wrapped in plastic, at room temp for ~1.5 hours. Its got a nice texture, feels like it will roll well in the machine, BUT it's already starting to turn grey/green. Good thing this is a test batch.

[ChrisTaylor]

Just made the vinaigrettes (octo and fish sauce). I could see the octo working nicely with, say, some pork belly.