priligy lietuvoje

Tag Archives | pork

REVIEW | Sushi Cafe & Shilla Korean Restaurant

Korean BBQ Table

Grilling it Up!

Don’t let the sushi name fool ya! – it’s Korean grub!

What is more fun than sitting around a table of fiery flames grilling your own meat?  I mean, seriously….not much. Knowing our love for culinary adventures, Kelvin found Shilla Korean Restaurant that offers a Korean BBQ table that you get to man yourself!

Our Mangia Memoir (what we’ll remember): 

Driving our asses to Doral in the rain was well worth it for this meaty treat! Dan and his bf Andrew, Vince, Kelvin and Adam and I went back to our caveman roots, conquered fire and grilled our own meats. So much fun!  (Aside from being worried about cross-contamination of chicken juice into the beef and pork).    Did we mention they have Karaoke with a full band?!?  When we asked our waitress when they have karaoke, her response was “Karaoke? Oh we have Karaoke any time. You want to Karaoke?”.   Dreams really do come true.  Unfortunately, our crew was ill-prepared, but we WILL be back to dominate!

The Verdict:

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • FOOD: awesome. We got the Korean BBQ table and a Dolsot Bibimbab (traditional Korean dish).  The meat was seasoned well and our caveman instincts allowed us to cook the meat to perfection.
  • SERVICE: our waitress was the bomb.  She was prompt, made great recommendations and had an awesome sense of humor. We loved her.  Wish we took her name, so we could give her a “shout out”.
  • AMBIANCE:  has a very laid back, cafe feel.  Not pretentious at all. The decor is Asian themed, but there is sports paraphernalia in the  bathrooms, remnant of probably a former sports bar.  Definitely gave it some character!

Items Ordered: 

The BBQ table is meant to be shared, so we ordered a bunch of meat items and got grilled, forking out meat onto each other’s plates as it was finished.

  • Bibimbab: stone pot creation with fresh vegetables, rice, meat and a fried egg on top.  Very delicious and our waitress was kind enough to mix it all together for us table-side.
  • Korean BBQ items:
  • Daiji Bulgoki: shredded marinated pork
  • Bulgoki: shredded marinated beef
  • Another Beef Dish which happened to be our favorite!!  I wish we remembered the name.
  • Dak Gui: marinated chicken
  • Fried Dumplings
  • Complimentary Sides – include a lot of veggies, like kimchi, marinated mushrooms, sprouts, broccoli, etc.

 

Share
Comments { 0 }

RECIPE | Amatriciana with Tagliatelle Pasta

Amatriciana Sauce with Tagliatelle Pasta

While living in Rome, I used to go to this little familypiece of guanciale owned restaurant near my friend’s apartment at the Policlinico stop on the blue line.  Money was tight, so we ate a lot of pasta.  One of my favorite meals was Sugo all’amatriciana.  They usually served it with beautifully al dente spaghetti or bucatini.  I thought it was time to bring this dish back to the states.

My family and I visited Jungle Jim’s International market and were able to find the number 1 ingredient for Amatriciana… Guanciale (aka pork cheek).  To read more about the Jungle Jim’s adventure, click here Jungle Jim’s Post

Our “Mangia Memoir” (what we’ll remember)

I know why my dad took us to Jungle Jims.  It’s because he knew I’d loooove it. And then we’d get to come home and cook together.  In the kitchen where I grew up.  At the dining room table where we’ve had so many meals.  Nostalgia.  Food brings people together. And in my family, cooking brings you even closer.  My dad and I busted each others chops all night.  “You are doing it wrong”.  “Move over, you’re hogging the counter”.  “When’s the pasta gonna be done?!”  “What are we gonna make Jaclyn?” (Jaclyn is my brother Nick’s lady friend that is a vegetarian.  I guess pork jowl would be considered meat.)  But, busting’ chops in my family is a sign of love.  I cherish these moments.

Ingredients for AmatricianaAmatriciana with Tagliatelle Pasta

  • ¾ pound guanciale sliced thin and in pieces.
    • If you can’t find guanciale, you can use pancetta
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced super thin.
    • I like it garlicky, so you can add/subtract to your taste
    • I sliced the garlic with a razor blade. Yes, alla Goodfellas.
  • 1 red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick.
    •  Some recipes say to do it 1/2 thick, but I prefer thinner.
  • 1 ½ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes.
    • Obviously add/subtract based on how hot you and your guests like it.
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups chunky tomato sauce
  • 1 pound Tagliatelle or whatever long pasta you prefer
  • 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
  • Pecorino Romano, for grating

thinly sliced garlic using a razor blade (alla Goodfellas)

Directions

  1. Start a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
  2. After cutting the guanciale into small pieces, put into a skillet (no extra oil) and begin to sautee.  Cook until it loses about half of it’s fat.  Do not overcook it, because it will turn into crispy pork bits.  Delicious, but not what we are looking for.
  3. Remove guanciale from skillet and place onto plate with paper towels.  Pour almost all of the fat out of the pan. Reserve enough to sautee garlic and onions.
  4. Add in onion and sautee until translucent. They should not have a “bite” or “crunch” to them.
  5. Throw in thinly sliced garlic.  It will basically melt away into the pan. Thanks Paulie from Goodfellas.
  6. Toss in the tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  7. Add in the reserved guanciale and parsley and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
  8. Add in cooked Tagliatelle pasta and let it set in the sauce for a few moments to soak up the flavor
  9. Place into serving dish and grate cheese over top

The Verdict

  • 4 stars
  • Would You Eat It Again? Yes, for sure, but will most likely have to use pancetta instead of guanciale, since I probably won’t be able to find it in Miami, unless Laurenzo’s Italian Market has it.
  • What Would You Change?  I committed a terrible offense and overcooked the pasta.  Was trying to do too many things at once.  Also, I left the guanciale in the skillet for too long and ended up with those pork bits I mentioned we don’t want.  So next time, I’d be sure to remedy these things.

 

 

Share
Comments { 1 }

RECIPE | Bolognese Meat Sauce

Bolognese meat sauce over linguine

Bolognese meat sauce is the perfect Sunday Night meal. Maybe this weekend?

The Meal: homemade bolognese meat sauce over linguine. Shared with friends on a Sunday evening to unwind from a busy weekend and get charged up for Monday morning.

The Details: combination of pancetta, various ground meats, “soffritto”, fresh bay leaves and a slow 3 hour cooking time.

The Verdict:

  • 5 stars
  • Everyone joined the “clean plate club” this night and we purposely made extra so we’d have enough for “to-go” containers for lunch the next day.  Bolognese is the gift that keeps on giving.
  • Would You Eat It Again?:  Everyone agreed, yes!
  • What Would You Change?:  serve a nice light salad with this dish. Between the meat and pasta, it is quite a hearty dish and it’s nice to something light between bites.

bolognese meat sauce clean platesOur “Mangia Memoir” (what we’ll remember):

Gathering around a table for dinner with friends on a Sunday night, makes it feel like family. It’s nice to have this Miami “family” to be able to relax, unwind and just feel at ease.   Kelvin smiled from ear to ear the whole night (because Bolognese is his favorite), while there was a silence over the table as everyone devoured their food. Sometimes, words aren’t really needed to feel completely content.

The Recipe: (inspired by Williams-Sonoma Pasta Cookbook)

What I changed from recipe below: substituted additional pork/beef instead of using veal because it can be pricey. I use half/half instead of heavy cream and totally skip on the veal demi-glace. I feel like there is enough going on this sauce, that for a normal night, we don’t need to spend another billion dollars or add another million calories.

Ingredients:

  •  4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 thin slices pancetta, finely chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into small dice
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into small dice
  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 1/2 lb. ground veal
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups unsalted beef stock or canned broth
  • 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
  • 5 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup veal demi-glace
  • 1 lb. homemade tagliatelle (see related recipe at left) or purchased fresh fettuccine
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

In a Dutch oven or large, heavy flameproof casserole dish over medium-low heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté until just starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté until aromatic and very lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground beef, pork and veal, stir to break up, season with salt and pepper, and add a generous pinch of nutmeg. Increase the heat to medium and sauté until the meat is lightly browned. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost evaporated.

Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, sage and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours. If the sauce seems thin, cook it, uncovered, until thick and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Skim the surface of excess fat. Add the cream and demi-glace. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the freshness of the pasta. Drain and transfer the pasta to a warmed large, shallow bowl. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and 2 Tbs. of the cheese. Toss until the butter melts. Add the sauce and toss gently. Serve immediately. Pass the remaining cheese at the table. Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Pasta, by Erica De Mane (Simon & Schuster, 2001)

 

Share
Comments { 0 }

Switch to our mobile site