Korean Seafood Pancake

A picture of Korean Seafood Pancake caught my eye on Instagram and I made the dish last night for supper.  In check out the recipes, the recipes are very similar mainly flour with some rice flour.  The rice flour is easily purchased in the Asian section of  Superstore.   I find that the rice flour made the pancake tender and light, yet crispy. 

Batter

• I cup white flour 
• 2 T rice flour
• 2 T cornflour
• Salt and pepper
• Minced Garlic 
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 - 1 1/4 c icy water to make a light batter 

Whisk together, adding enough water so the consistency of cream.

Let sit, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients

• 1 egg beaten
• Variety of seafood, 
• green onions
• hot chilies, sliced

You can add your seafood into the batter

Some also added Kimchee to their pancake. 

I spread out the seafood out over the pancake and then drizzled half of the beaten egg on top.

Flip to cook the top seafood and egg.

Serve with;
Dipping Sauce

• 2-3 T soya sauce
• 1 Vinegar
• 2-3 T water
• chile flakes
• splash of Sesame Seed Oil
• chopped green onions

Pickled Green Tomatoes with Green Adjika

 Last year, I came across Pickled Green Tomatoes with Adjika on Instagram 
and made a jar with the last of my green Cherry tomatoes and was pleasantly surprised how delicious these pickles were.  I used small tomatoes, but this year used medium side and Cherry tomatoes.  I grow tomatoes in a pot and like to grow a variety but this year have 4 mislabelled tomatoes plants that are all Cherry or Cocktail Tomatoes.   

The recipe shared with me from Europe 

"My fermented green tomatoes stuffed with green adjika. (that's a total fermenting spam 😉) Here in my location it's very popular in autumn when they pick up last tomatoes in the fields and kitchen gardens.  My adjika for stuffing is out of green and hot peppers, garlic, mint, celery, parsley, sage.  All stuffed tomatoes are put on celery and horseradish coat and pour with sweet & salt brine. Delicious!"

Last year, I added a horseradish leaf and celery sticks to the base. 

For the filling, I used dill, thyme, mint, parsley, hot jalapeño and garlic cloves and placed the stuffed tomatoes over the celery.  As I was pouring the brines, I wondered about the filling coming out.   Although some of the filling settled to the bottom of the jar, the tomatoes did have filling in the tomatoes.  The pickles were delicious, firm and tasted like pickled olives.  I did find the dill too strong of a flavour and did not use it this year.  The celery sticks are also  delicious. 

Green Adjika Filling

Use oregano, thyme, tarragon, garlic cloves and Jalapeños.

Pulse in the Food Processor 

Cut the top of the tomatoes and stuff the filling into the tomato

* use gloves to do this because of the hot chilies.

My hairdresser from Moldova who makes pickled Tomatoes says she hollows out the tomatoes to add a bit more filling.

I did not stuff the very small yellow lemon tomatoes or green tomatoes, just added them whole to the jar.  I used celery and Grape leaves for the base in the sterilize jars

Brine

• 4 c water
• 2 c vinegar ( I use half white and cider 
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 T pickling salt

Bring to boil and add to pickles

Refrigerate the pickles. 

Lacto Fermentation Hot Sauce

This is the third year I have made this Hot Sauce. The first year I used only Habaneros and the sauce was so hot that only the wife of the Syrian family we hosted would eat it.. I still have about a cup and it has mellowed out.  Last year's sauce, even though I also used a pound of hot Habanero Peppers, it lacked favourite and heat.  This is the second batch I made this year as the first time, there was no Habaneros only Jalpeno Peppers.  I came across this beauties, a couple of days ago and decide to make another batch. 

Hot Sauce

• 1 lb Hot peppers
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 T honey, sugar

Pulse hot chilies in Food Processor

Add honey

Transfer to sterilized jar

Add brine and stir well

• Brine; 1 1/4 c water  mixed with 2 teaspoon of pickling salt

Keep at room temperature, loosen lid

Stir every day

On the fourth day, add 

• 1/4 c cider vinegar

Let mixture sit for 2- 6 weeks, the longer it sits the better the flavour

Store in Refrigerator when ready

The hot sauce last indefinitely

Princess Castle Birthday Cake with Butter cream

This year's birthday cake creation was a Princess Castle Cake with it's size based around being plated on a cake stand.  

The butter cream was one I had used for many years, but when it made, I wasn't sure if I would have enough to cover the cake.   I used a trick my Mom had always used for her layer cakes which was spreading jam between the layers.  It was interesting to hear those at the party reminisce on the use of jelly or jam between the layers after one of the guests won't eat the cake because of the jam.  This also lead to memories of money hidden in birthday cakes. 

Butter Cream Icing

• 1/2 c shortening
• 1/2 butter
• 1 T milk

Beat together, then add

• 4 c icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Add more milk to get the proper consistency

The cakes had been frozen which makes it easier to apply a crumb coat of icing.  Again, being concerned about the amount of icing and that the party was that morning, I applied a thinner coat as I thought of the Naked Cakes or those that have minimal outer layer of frosting that are so popular presently.  I must say I did feel better after decorating this cake as I usually cringe at the amount of sugar and fats applied on the cakes as icing! 

Not only did my design revolve around the cake stand, it also had to be transferred to my son's home.  A long wooden kebab skewer worked well to hold the layers together along with the glue of butter cream on the plate and between the layers along with the jam.

My son dished out plates of hot croquet monsieur, a baked ham and cheese sandwich which disappeared quickly. 

The pink stripped marshmallows were a big hit as then everyone had a marshmallow. This was always a problem when I made cakes for my kids' party using marshmallows for Ernie or Bert's eyes! 

The best part was watching my grandchild examine the cake very closely and the thank you  after!  A success! 

The pointed cones were frosted and rolled in red sugar sprinkles.  Gummy bears had been placed inside the cones, but to my disappointment did not fall out as expected as even in such a short time, they had absorbed moisture from the cake and stuck to the cones.  It was still a surprise to the kids, although not as impressive if the candles had rolled out of the cones. One needs to use hard candies for this. 

The craft was an painting  a small canvas to take take home and a group effort to paint a large canvas for the birthday girl! 

Dutch Pancake

I forgot how easy this breakfast dish is to make.  It is alway impressive even if for just a few minutes before it collapses.  I had made it for my teenage sons but with only one Cast Iron, I couldn't keep up with their appetite and my Hubby's so I did not make it again until today. 

I have been making Claufotis which is similar, but more filling.  I have posted about Dutch pancakes before, one on Wild Blueberries and other on Maine Pancakes , not sure why I have not blogged on Claufotis as the batter is a little different.  

Today I used up the last of the BC cherries for this year.  Cherries are tradition for the Claufotis recipe but it worked well here.  


Dutch Pancake

• 1 T butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2c flour
• 1/2c Milk
• vanilla
• 1 T sugar, opt
• salt 

Method

• Heat the Cast Iron in a preheated oven of 425 degree
• Whisk eggs
• Whisk in the flour, milk, vanilla, sugar and salt
• Add fruit to batter
• Spray pan with oil
• Melt butter in hot pan
• Pour into hot Cast Iron pan
• Bake 15 minutes
• Dust with icing sugar