Spring Bibimbap Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the beef: Freeze the beef 30 minutes, then slice paper-thin. Whisk the brown sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, onion, applesauce, vegetable oil, soy sauce and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the beef and stir to coat; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 4 dolsot stone bowls or two 10-to-12-inch cast-iron skillets in the oven to preheat, 30 minutes.
• Cook the beef: Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade and shake off the excess. Add the beef to the pan (you may have to do this in batches-be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the beef will steam). Cook without moving the meat, about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook 1 more minute. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.
• Cook the veggies: Combine 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the carrots in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, tossing, until the carrots are slightly tender but still crisp, just under 1 minute. Transfer to a large plate in a pile, leaving space for the other ingredients. Add 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil to the same pan; add the mushrooms and cook until they wilt and begin to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to the plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 minute, then add the vinegar and cook until completely evaporated, about 30 seconds. Place the spinach on the plate with the rest of the vegetables.
• Assemble the bibimbap: Mix the gochujang with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; set aside. Remove the preheated bowls or skillets from the oven to a heat-safe surface, like a wooden cutting board. Add equal amounts of hot rice to each pot. (The rice must be piping hot in order to cook the egg yolk when you stir it in.) Add equal amounts of the remaining ingredients to each bowl or skillet in piles, clockwise in order: beef, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, cabbage, scallions, bean sprouts and kimchi. Drop a dollop of the gochujang mixture in the center of each bowl or skillet, then drop the egg yolks right on top of it (1 yolk per individual bowl or 2 yolks per skillet). Serve immediately, while the rice is still sizzling, and stir to combine all of the ingredients before eating.

Steps:

• Trim the stems from the Swiss chard. Cut or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Reserve half of stems for another use or discard them. Slice the remaining stems into 2-inch lengths, and then into halves, quarters, or eighths to make uniform matchsticks and transfer them to a medium bowl.
• Slice the cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then stack them up and slice into matchsticks. Slice the carrot into thin (less than 1/4-inch) rounds. Slice the radishes into thinnest possible rounds. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the chard stems. Toss with the sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and let stand as you prepare the rest of the meal. Just before serving, rinse and drain the veggies, blot dry with a clean towel, and toss with the rice vinegar.
• Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil. Using tongs, add the Swiss chard leaves in increments, adding more as each batch cooks down. Add a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently with the tongs for 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted and the pan appears mostly dry. Remove from the heat and gather up the greens to one side of the pan with a spatula. Holding the chard in place and gently squeezing, tilt the pan over the sink and pour off any excess liquid. (You can do this in a colander if you're worried about accidently dumping the greens into the sink.) Place the chard in a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the sesame seeds. Wipe out the skillet.
• To make crispy-base bibimbap rice (optional): Just before serving, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Press the rice into the skillet, making a thick cake. Let cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom of the rice.
• Wave the nori squares over the flame of a gas burner a few times, until the corners curl and they turn crisp, or roast under a broiler, flipping periodically. Slice into thin strips with a chef's knife, or crumble with your fingers.
• To serve, use a spatula to scoop out the rice and divide it among four bowls, ensuring that everyone gets some of the crispy part. Top with the Swiss chard, kimchi, and avocado, then use a slotted spoon to add the pickled vegetables to the bowls. Garnish with the nori and serve immediately, passing the Gochujang sauce at the table.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash and cut it crosswise, separating the long neck from the bulbous bottom part. Slice the neck into 1/2-inch-thick dominoes; scoop out seeds from the bottom and slice the squash 1/2 inch thick.
• Whisk together 2 tablespoons neutral oil, the soy sauce, brown sugar and gochujang or sambal oelek.
• Place squash and mushrooms on one baking sheet, but do not mix them together. Place broccoli rabe on another baking sheet. Divide sauce between the two pans and use your hands to toss the vegetables so they're evenly coated.
• Transfer both pans to the oven. Cook broccoli rabe for 5 to 8 minutes, until collapsed and the thicker parts of the stems are tender. Cook mushrooms for 15 to 20 minutes, until juicy and slightly shrunken, and remove from baking sheet. Return squash to oven and cook 5 to 15 minutes longer, until caramelized and tender. Cover the vegetables with foil until ready to serve.
• If you'd like, make crispy-base bibimbap rice: Just before serving, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil and the sesame oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Press rice into the skillet, making a thick cake. Let cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom of the rice. (If you skip this step, use freshly cooked rice instead.)
• While the crispy rice is cooking, fry the eggs: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough neutral oil to liberally coat pan. Crack in 2 eggs and sprinkle with salt. Tilt the pan so some of the oil runs over the edges of the egg whites, lower heat to medium-low and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon water (or soy sauce), cover and cook another minute, until whites are set. Carefully remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining eggs.
• To serve, use a spatula to scoop out rice and divide it among 4 bowls, ensuring that everyone gets some of the crispy part. Top with vegetables, including any marinade left on the baking sheets, and place 1 fried egg on top of vegetables in each bowl. Garnish with sprouts or shoots, pickles (if using) and lime. Serve immediately, passing gochujang or sambal oelek at the table.

Steps:

• Mix soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together in a bowl. Add beef brisket and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for for 30 minutes.
• Rinse rice until water turns clear. Pour into a rice cooker and add 1 1/2 cups water. Seal and select setting according to manufacturer's instructions; cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Keep warm.
• Place mushrooms in a bowl of warm water. Soak for 20 minutes.
• Coat eggplant with salt on all sides and allow to 'sweat,' about 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
• Squeeze the water out of the re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms and slice into 1/4-inch strips.
• Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a covered plate to keep warm.
• Saute eggplant in the same skillet until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the mushrooms.
• Place squash in the hot skillet; cook and stir until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the plate with the eggplant and mushrooms; keep vegetables warm.
• Saute carrots and broccoli in the skillet until slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the plate with rest of the vegetables.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sprouts and cook uncovered until tender but still crispy, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated beef slices and saute until nicely browned and lightly pink in the center, about 7 minutes.
• Place approximately 1 cup cooked rice in each bowl. Season with remaining sesame oil and vinegar. Pat rice down with a spoon to make a mound. Cover with a bed of lettuce. Add small mounds of cooked mushrooms, eggplant, squash, carrots, and broccoli on the lettuce around the edge of the bowl. Place beef in the center.
• Heat the skillet over medium heat. Break eggs into skillet and season with salt. Cook until whites are just set and yolks are slightly runny, about 3 minutes. Place a sunnyside-up egg on top of the beef in each bowl. Top with radish and green onion.

Steps:

• Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• On a large sheet pan, arrange the mushrooms, sweet potato, red onion and kale into four separate quadrants. Drizzle the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat, keeping the types of vegetables separate. Try to not crowd the vegetables; you want them to brown, not steam. Roast on the top rack until the sweet potato is fork-tender, the onion and mushrooms are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy but not burnt, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place another large sheet pan on the bottom rack to heat. When the vegetables are almost done cooking, in the last 5 minutes or so, remove the heated pan from the oven and evenly drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil on it. Spread the rice over half of the pan. Crack the eggs onto the other half and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 minutes (this time may vary depending on your oven, so watch it carefully).
• To serve, divide the rice evenly among four bowls. Now divide the vegetables evenly as well, placing them in four neat piles over each portion of rice. Use a spatula to slide the eggs over the vegetables. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and dollop with 1 teaspoon of gochujang, adding more if desired. Mix everything together with a spoon or chopsticks before diving in, and serve kimchi alongside, if you prefer.