Mr. Ex's Recipes for Singles: Korean Dinner For 2

DESCRIPTION: Impress your date with a spicy Korean dinner.

Directions:

Grilled Korean-style Skirt Steak

2 pounds skirt steaks, trimmed and cut crosswise into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup cola
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper
1 large white onion, cut into 2 inch thick wedges
6-8 sliced thick cut bacon
2-3 banana or Cubanelle peppers

Pierce steak a few times with a fork. Toast sesame seeds (2-3 minutes).
Combine the seasame seeds, garlic, cola, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Add the steak, onion wedges and bacon, turning to coat.
Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Remove the steak and onion wedges from marinade to baking sheet (reserve bacon for fried rice, below). Heat grill pan over high heat. Grill onion wedges and peppers, turning until charred, (8-10 minutes). Transfer to platter. Grill steaks until charred 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare. Add to platter.

Kimchi

Pulse 3 chopped red jalapenos, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped ginger,1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 2 tablespoons salt in a food processor.
Cut ½ head napa cabbage and 6 scallions into 2 inch pieces. Toss with jalapeno paste.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Kimchi Fried Rice

6-8 slice thick cut bacon (from above)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 nori sheets (dried seaweed)
3 cups kimchi (above)
4-1/2 to 5 cups cooked medium-grain white rice chilled
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Cut bacon crosswise into ½ inch pieces.
Toast sesame seeds 2-3 minutes
Cut nori sheets in half with sheers then cut ½ inch thick strips.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and stir-fry until almost cooked through (6-8 minutes). Drain the kimchi, reserving the liquid. Raise the heat to high and stri-fry the kimchi until browned (7-8 minutes). Add the rice, the reserved kimchi liquid, sesame oil and half the nori strips. Continue to cook, turning and flattening the rice mixture with a spatula until it starts to form a golden crust (about 8 minutes). [for more of a crust, remove pan from heat, cover and set aside 10 minutes]. Transfer to dish; sprinkle with sesame seeds and nori strips.