[1] Mix the tartare, spoon it into the center of a romaine leaf, roll and enjoy (photo © Ardor Restaurant | Los Angeles).

[2] Sashimi-grade tuna loin (photo © Sea Delight).

[3] Look for baby romaine. You want something smaller than the large romaine leaves (photo © Good Eggs).

[4] Quail eggs (photo © To Table, a great resource for premium, hard-to-find ingredients).

[5] Anchovies. Use a quality brand or they may taste fishy. These are Agostino Recca, available on Amazon and elsewhere (photo © Vital Choice).

[6] Dijon mustard has the best flavor for a vinaigrette or dressing (photo © Maille).

We have a happy day whenever we discover a new and creative food preparation.

This one (photo #1), from Chef John Fraser of Ardor restaurant in Los Angeles, is a winner.

Chef Fraser does a mash-up of Korean barbecue and tuna tartare.
 
 
WHAT IS KOREAN BARBECUE

If you haven’t had Korean barbecue (BBQ), try to find it in your area—or come to New York City: We have tons of it!

Korean barbecue consists of thin slices of charcoal-grilled meat, served with a variety of condiments like ssamjang, a spicy paste of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) mixed with gochujang (hot sauce/paste).

Place some paste on a romaine leaf, add the grilled meat, and roll it up burrito-style.

There are also side dishes, which you can eat from the bowl. Or, wrap some in the lettuce leaf with the meat.

A good restaurant serves at least five side dishes, called banchan.

Banchan can be anything the chef wants to serve, but typically consist of scallion salad, kimchi and pickled vegetables: cucumbers, daikon radish, peppers and other delight, like bean sprouts tossed with a bit sesame oil and garnished with toasted sesame seeds.

Banchan

Korean barbecue is low in calories, high in flavor, and one of our favorite foods.
 
 
MAKING KOREAN-FUSION TARTARE

RECIPE #1: KOREAN FUSION TARTARE

Make the tartare as a first course. Serve with saké, beer, white wine, green tea (especially houjicha) or Korean barley tea (boricha)—which is what you’d get at the restaurant.

Ingredients

 
Preparation
 
1. MAKE the optional banchan: anchovies (if you don’t make the anchovy mustard) scallion salad, marinated cucumbers, radish, etc. Let the marinated vegetables sit overnight.

 
2. CHOP the fish finely, from sushi-grade tuna or salmon. You want very small pieces (see photo #1).

3. PLACE the tartare in a bowl and add a cracked quail egg in the center. Top the tartare with the capers, chives, olives. Serve the anchovy mustard† on the side.
 
 
RECIPE #2: ANCHOVY MUSTARD

In addition to mixing some into the tartare, you can also use this dressing with green salads, fish, pork chops, grilled romaine, add it to a pan sauce, etc.

If you don’t like anchovies, try this lime vinaigrette or simple a simple sesame vinaigrette with 2 parts olive oil, 1 part dark sesame oil, and 2 parts rice vinegar.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. USE a mortar and pestle to make a paste of the garlic. Add a pinch of salt. If you don and have a mortar and pestle, use the flat side of a knife.

2. WHISK together in a small bowl the garlic paste, anchovies, mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the oil until combined. Less oil creates a paste as in the photo. More oil makes a pourable dressing.

3. TASTE and season with salt and pepper, and more lemon juice as desired (or use the zest).
 
 
________________

*Look for baby romaine, or use the smaller center leaves of a regular head. Smaller leaves are the right size for tartare.

†Mustard and anchovies are ingredients in a classic tartare.
 

Dalgona coffee is the newest coffee craze.

Named after a South Korean honeycomb candy with a spongy texture and a similar list of ingredients, it’s pillowy, like the candy.

It went viral in the U.S. last month when a TikTok user posted some how-to videos.

You can now find photos of it on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

You can read about it on CNET, MarketWatch, and other news sources.

So: What is Dalgona coffee?

The recipe is a mixture of equal parts instant coffee or instant espresso, sugar and hot water. The mixture is beaten until it reaches a creamy peanut butter-like consistency.

Finally, it’s spooned over a glass of milk on the rocks. You can also make a hot version.

Dalgona coffee is also called whipped coffee. Some people have called it a reverse latte: plain milk on the bottom and whipped coffee on top.
 
 
RECIPE: DALGONA COFFEE

This recipe is for a cold drink. To serve it hot, heat the milk (we do 2:30 – 2:45 minutes in the microwave) and omit the ice cubes.

You can order instant espresso powder online from DeLallo. The powder has numerous other uses, below.

Ingredients Per Glass

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the instant espresso, sugar and boiling water in a mixing bowl.

2. USING a hand or stand mixer, whip the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can use a wire whisk, but it’s quite a workout.

3. POUR pour the milk over ice in a tall drinking glass. Add the whipped coffee to the glass. Garnish as desired.

4. SERVE. Some people like to eat the topping with a spoon; others like to mix the top with the milk into a frothy drink.
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ESPRESSO
IN OUR ESPRESSO GLOSSARY <

[1] Dalgona coffee: frothy whipped coffee over plain milk (photo © DeLallo)

[2] Get the instant espresso powder here.

[3] Spoon straws combine a spoon and a straw, for frozen drinks, milkshake, smoothies and more. Get them on Amazon.

Instant espresso powder is brewed espresso that is then dried and processed into granules. It easily dissolves in liquids and mixes into baking and other recipes (see ideas below).

In baked goods and most other recipes, it adds flavor without leaving a coffee taste.

NOTE: Don’t substitute instant coffee for espresso powder. The espresso powder is a stronger, richer and more concentrated.

Recipes:

 
(Source)

[1] Here’s another recipe with pecans: a Pimento-Pecan Cheese Ball (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[2] Mini cheese balls in phyllo cups. Here’s the recipe from A Spicy Perspective (photo © A Spicy Perspective).

[3] Mini cheese balls with pretzel sticks. Here’s the recipe from Five Heart Home (photo © Five Heart Home).

April 17th is National Cheese Ball Day.

The holiday was entered into the record as cheeseball, even though cheese ball is the preferred spelling.
 
TWO FUN IDEAS

Cheese balls are typically served as party food, on a tray with crackers.

How about trying something different:

 
For Serving

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients together except half of the pecans. Mix well and shape into a ball.

2. COAT with the remaining pecans and serve with crackers or toasts.
 
 
CHECK OUT THE
HISTORY OF THE
CHEESE BALL