I had a great weekend with friends. One of them was among the very first customers to place an order when Korea Store launched! His wife kindly put some pressure on me by explaining that the products from her order were lingering in the cupboards, and I think they’re not the only ones this happens to!

That's why I'm offering you a quick tour of the best ideas for using your "leftover" Korean products in your everyday cooking!

This week, we're starting with gochujang! As with other articles in the "what to do with" category, this article offers ideas for combining a Korean product with your daily cooking, not all the Korean recipes that go with it.

What to do with… Gochujang?!

This fermented chili paste is the best condiment to have in your cupboards because there are so many things you can do with it. I particularly recommend the Jook Jang Yeon artisanal gochujang, made with only 4 ingredients and a long fermentation process.

It is obviously the basic condiment of Korean cuisine as it is perceived internationally, but it is also the easiest condiment to use in your daily cooking, especially if you like spicy food!

For sauces:

This fermented chili paste is an excellent condiment for enhancing your tomato-based sauces or meat gravies.

Among the great recipe ideas, I recently tried a gochujang bolognese, where I replaced the tomato paste with gochujang. The minced meat will gently caramelize in the chili paste, giving your dish an incomparable warmth, without burning you!

In meat or vegetable juices, it's also a good idea to add a small spoonful of gochujang during reduction. Gochujang will add a delicately spicy note to your juices and reductions.

As a spread:

I often have the opportunity to chat with cooking enthusiasts, and recently, Arthus, from Epicerie sur Cours in Lyon, shared an excellent recipe of his own invention with me: gochujang tomatade. It involves blending sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil with a little tomato paste and gochujang until a smooth paste is obtained, perfect for spreading on toast.

For your grilled meats:

Due to its spiciness and acidity, gochujang will bring a lot of balance to your grilled meats, especially if they are fatty. I really recommend brushing your pork pieces (especially pork belly) with it before grilling.

For making stuffings 😂:

Seriously, this refers to stuffings like for stuffed tomatoes. Instead of classic condiments, add a small spoonful of gochujang to make your stuffing for stuffed vegetables or even meatloaves.

To make your children love vegetables:

True and guaranteed without trickery, I recently made Chef Ottolenghi's recipe in which he makes broccoli with a peanut + gochujang sauce. The result is absolutely stunning, and my children now love this famous sauce:

In a bowl, whisk together 100g peanut butter, 30g gochujang, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons water. Drizzle this sauce over steamed but still crispy green vegetables – it’s delicious!

With cheese:

Gochujang pairs extremely well with cheese, especially with soft cheeses, and even more so when they're melted!

I recently posted a video on Instagram where I made a delicious kimchi mac and cheese. In fact, the name is misleading, because it's mainly the Gochujang that enhances the delicious cheese sauce in the dish. To make this sauce, you start by making a classic roux, with butter, flour, and milk, then add gochujang and then cheddar.

For a simpler recipe, melt a slice of cheese, like Saint-Nectaire, on a piece of toasted bread with a little touch of gochujang on top.

In mayonnaise:

Without wanting to be repetitive, Fat + Gochujang = ❤️. So why not a mayonnaise where gochujang replaces mustard?

As with a classic mayonnaise, start by whisking an egg yolk at room temperature with a teaspoon of gochujang and a drop of vinegar. Then add a vegetable oil (sunflower or rapeseed) in small streams until the mayonnaise thickens. Serve with fries or fried chicken.

For dessert:

If chocolate goes particularly well with red chili, then gochujang with dark chocolate is absolutely the perfect match! Delicately placed on a chocolate tart base, gochujang adds a warm and delicate touch!

And you? What's your favorite?

The possibilities are endless, so I'll stop here, but feel free to send me your ideas in the comments below!

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