Jessica's Dinner Party

Archive for the 'Vegetarian' Category

Rustic Mashed Potatoes

I thought and thought about it, but Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes would feel off. Sort of like going to the movies and getting popcorn but no candy. I was really irked by the fact that my potatoes never came out silky smooth. I don’t own a potato masher and until I came to Korea the food processor I had was teeny tiny. However, I realized that if you put the word “rustic” in front of mashed potatoes it’s absolutely acceptable to have chunks and irregularities in your mash. People expect it; it’s practically a rule; you have to have lumps.

November 24 2009 | Side Dish and Thoughts and Vegetarian | 4 Comments »

Easiest Potato Gratin

A few years ago, my aunt taught me an easy potato gratin recipe that sort of stuck with me. I made it for a Valentine’s Day potluck my senior year of high school. It was an interesting occasion because we were actually celebrating a belated Secret Santa gift exchange in February. Somehow with college applications, school, and all the crazy things we did in high school, Christmas was pushed back two months. There were an array of dishes that appeared at the potluck. Everything from caramel apples and macaroni and cheese to Popeye’s fried chicken. I don’t really remember the food or if the gratin was a hit, but I do remember the company I was with, being ridiculously full, and the fun moments and gifts we shared that day. I feel like that’s the essence of Thanksgiving; sharing a meal with people we love and enjoying all the laughs that spill in between. Life seems to get so busy that it seems like we need occasions like Thanksgiving or Valentine’s/Christmas just to spend time with family and friends.

November 21 2009 | Side Dish and Vegetarian | 6 Comments »

Matchstick Sweet and Savory Salad

When it comes to salads, I’m not a very adventurous cook. I usually just chop some romaine lettuce and any other greens I have lying around in the fridge. Drop a little extra virgin olive oil, champagne vinegar, and a pinch of salt, and the salad is ready to go. I have to admit, it’s really boring. I’m bored making it, I’m bored while eating it, and I get bored thinking about it. It’s funny though, because when I’m at a restaurant I always forego the standard Caesar salad and go with something interesting and different, but in my own kitchen I don’t even make the effort to shave some parmesan cheese to fake a Caesar salad.

November 19 2009 | Fruit and Recipe and Salad and Thoughts and Vegetarian | 5 Comments »

Sweet Potato Kimchi Pancakes

It’s kimchi season right now, which means many Korean families will be making enormous amounts of that famous spicy fermented cabbage. We’re in the middle of making our own right now, and I must say, it is quite a fete. I can see why many families forego the whole ordeal and just buy some at the supermarket. It’s not only a long process, but we’re dealing with pounds and pounds of cabbage, more than you would believe you’d eat in a lifetime. However, nothing beats food made at home. There’s that love and trust that is absent elsewhere.

November 11 2009 | Asian and Korean and Recipe and Thoughts and Vegetarian | 6 Comments »

Shitake Mushroom Pancakes

Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. They’re easy to work with and perfectly accompany almost any savory dish out there. They’re amazing on pizza, in pasta, soup, stews, pies, casseroles, you name it! It enhances a dish by supporting and deepening the main flavors. Mushrooms, however, are always given that role, the sidekick. They rarely take center stage and shine on their own. That’s why I love this recipe because it’s all about the mushrooms.