dass raciss.

Making a new Momofuku recipe or two tonight since I'm batchin' it and can eat things no one else likes. Tonight's gimps are kimchi and kohlrabi: I'm making that interesting-sounding fuji apple salad with kimchi and maple labneh (and bacon); plus I'm making a scallop with kohlrabi puree and pickled oyster mushrooms.  Except I'm making some provocative substitutions, so provocative I'm embarrassed to talk about them. We see how it goes.

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AND AFTERWARDS: Momofuku continues to win at the game of surprising interactions between unusual ingredients. The maple labneh was dreamy; the kimchi apples became some new third thing that tasted like neither of the components, etc. Put together on a plate (above), everyone became very good friends.

And then, a further surprise of surprises, my provocative substitution worked out wonderfully (that's it below, a few hours after the pic above and thus horrifyingly lit). But you would only think this if, like me, you have a secret guilty ability to enjoy surimi. But really, this was yet another delicious Momofuku recipe, and I would hope that Chang would approve of my white trash version, given his fondness for ghettofying things. It's all equally racist...and equally delicious!!!

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white trash scallops with kohlrabi puree, pickled mushrooms, and furikake. 

oyster mushrooms
rice vinegar
salt
sugar

kohrabi
smoked salt

frozen surimi sticks (you know, "the good stuff")
butter

furikake
scallions

Make the pickling liquid, put mushrooms in it for four hours or so. Cut the kohlrabi in rough pieces, boil for 20 minutes or until tender, season with smoked salt. Saute (or, very nearly, poach) your surimi in a few tbsp of butter, three minutes per side will give you a scallop-like (ok not scallop-like at all) nutty brownness on the outside. Serve over kohlrabi puree with pickled mushrooms strewn about, sprinkle with furikake and cut scallions. It was very Japanese-tasting.

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