Korean Brunch: Steak, Eggs, & Kimchi Rice

I saw Korean brunch advertised at a local restaurant and couldn't stop thinking about it.  Who knew when we would actually be able to make it there on a Sunday morning so I opted to just make it at home for immediate satisfaction.  Luckily I had bookmarked this great recipe from Serious Eats so I knew exactly what I wanted to make.  It does require some planning ahead, as the steak needs to be marinated over night.  It really boosts the flavor of the meat, and it came out tender and juicy using our grill press instead of an actual grill.  The kimchi rice is spicy but doesn't take over the meal- a good complement to the steak and the fried egg which adds just the right amount of creaminess to the dish.  We also decided to make some mustard greens cooked with bacon and rice vinegar to have as a side dish with the meal.   It all tasted amazing together, and it was refreshing to have something totally different and unique for brunch.  I can't wait to surprise guests in the future with this delicious meal!

Ingredients:  

1/4 cup mirin (rice wine, available in the Asian section of most grocery stores) 

2 T finely grated Granny Smith apple 

2 T soy sauce 

2 T light corn syrup 

2 T finely chopped scallion or chives

1 T korean hot pepper paste pepper paste (gochujang or kochujang) 

1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 1/2 t toasted sesame oil 

1 1/2 t unseasoned rice wine vinegar 

Four 5-ounce pieces skirt steak 

For the kimchi rice: 

1 1/2 cups rice, cooked in salted water as directed (we used jasmine, but sushi or short grain rice would be more authentic)

Kosher salt 

2 T plus 1 t canola oil, divided 

2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped (we used one whole 16 oz jar)

2 T unseasoned rice wine vinegar 

2 T sriracha (hot sauce- you may not need this if your kimchi is already really spicy)

Freshly ground black pepper 

4 large eggs (or one per serving) 

Chopped scallions, for garnish

Find the mustard greens recipe here.

Directions:

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl (everything listed above the steak).  Pour into a large zip-lock bag and add the steaks.  Seal the bag and make sure all pieces of steak are coated.  Store in the fridge over night, bringing out about an hour before cooking so it can come to room temp.

For the rice:  Cook your rice according to its directions on the package, using salted water.   Meanwhile, heat your grill or grill pan to high.  Add the steaks and cook for about 3 minutes per side, enough to char the outside but still leave some pink in the middle.  Sprinkle with salt.  Take them off the heat and let them set for about 5 minutes before slicing.  

 In a skillet heat the oil and add the kimchi , sriracha, and rice vinegar.  Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes and add to rice, mixing until all the rice is evenly coated.

Use the same skillet you cooked the kimchi in to fry your eggs.  Over medium-high heat, crack the egg right into the pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and remove when you can tell the egg white is completely set (no more clear).  Slice the steak into thin strips, against the grain.  Serve next to a mound of rice, and top with the egg.  This would go great with a simple salad, or with our bacon-rice vinegar mustard greens.