Spicy Pork, Caramelized Onions, with fresh Perilla

Korean BBQ is something most people know when they think of Korean food. Usually it is Kalbi, or Bulgogi, but have you ever tried spicy pork? (dwaeji bulgogi) My family picked up some and also some spicy chicken (really the only “meat” my mom really eats now). Marinade with typical korean bbq stuff and to make it spicy add in hot pepper paste. This one was particularly sweet so it probably had more sugar than normal. Grill, making sure that you grill onions too. The perilla leaves were fresh from our garden. I had convinced my parents to plant a pot or two of them since they are easy to maintain and these ones were seriously huge. Put a hot piece of meat, and some onions on the leaf, roll it up and devour. I am still drooling thinking of all the flavors. The perilla I think gives a fresh taste helping to cut through the richness of the meat. Some people may not like the strong flavor of perilla, but it is a classic staple in Korean eats! If you don’t want to go through the hassle of marinading, most Korean supermarkets have pre-marinated meats for purchase. More often than not, you can save a lot of money doing it yourself, but it just requires more work. Trust me it is loads cheaper than what you pay for in a Korean restaurant! Try this combo! It is amazing how good pork can be and is a good alternative to beef.

Roasted Sweet Potato with Caramelized Onion Wraps

This recipe was off of Thekitchn, when they did an article on the different lunch options as well as different recipes using sweet potatoes. I LOVE sweet potatoes. The sweetness just can’t be beat, but it isn’t too overpowering either. I used spinach tortillas here, and then as an added bonus I used my Redi Set Go (yes As Seen on TV) to toast up the outside. The filling was a multi-step process, perhaps because I had so much filling it needed to roast a lot longer than listed. Even still the potatoes never quite got soft enough for me but I was impatient and wanted to eat. The pesto was from my local CM, but I wonder if it just was too potent. The garlic aftertaste was really strong and almost bitter, and it doesn’t send me grabbing for these wraps as eagerly as I thought I would. The concept was great, all the ingredients are ones that I love, I think the garlic though is tough to handle during the day when you are around others. I wonder if there might be another type of sauce that would be less “offensive” to others that could be substituted.

I think I would try this recipe again, but I think I would have to do something that counteracted the garlicky smell. While I personally do not mind garlic, I have to be considerate about those around me. No one likes to be around stinky people. I hate having the lingering raw garlic aftertaste in my mouth too.. I might also try different veggies/ingredients, and definitely roast those sweet potatoes so they are the consistency I like.