Recipes

These recipes are measured out to the minimum quantities to serve 1, to make it easy to scale them up — just multiply by how many servings you want.

I like really spicy food, so you might want to be a bit careful. Taste as you go.

I was raised by a legitimately good cook, but I don’t have the talent, so these recipes are all radically simple and easy. Get decent ingredients, spending most of your money on good quality protein and dairy, and you’ll be good to go.

Bulgogi Sauce

Hot, sweet, glorious.

• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (or less, to taste)
• 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tsp fresh chopped ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced thin (hot); or 1 tbsp red pepper flakes (medium)
• black pepper to taste (optional)

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Add small amounts (1 tsp at a time) of corn starch to thicken, if desired.

Spicy Meatbolls

Spicy and comforting.

• 0.5 lb ground beef
• 0.25 cup panko breadcrumbs
• whites of 2 scallions, sliced
• greens of 2 scallions, sliced

Marinate beef in bulgogi sauce overnight. Put beef, breadcrumbs, scallion whites, and 4 tbsp bulgogi sauce in a bowl, and blend thoroughly. Form beef into 1 – 1.5 in balls. Bake at 425 °F for 16 minutes. Garnish with scallion greens. Goes well with Ginger Garlic Rice.

Ginger Garlic Rice

You can definitely use more aromatics, but don’t overdo it if you’re serving with something that has Big Flavor Vibes.

• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 tsp ginger, minced finely
• 0.5 tsp – 1.0 tsp olive oil
• 0.75 cup rice
• 1.25 cup water
• pinch of salt

In a small pan, at medium heat, warm up olive oil, garlic, and ginger until fragrant (1 – 2 minutes, go by nose). Pour in rice, salt, and water, and bring to a boil. Let boil and stir for 1 – 3 minutes. Bring heat down to low, cover, let cook for 15 – 18 minutes.

Roastie Carroots

Super simple but weirdly addictive.

• 1 whole carrot
• 1 – 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel carrots, then slice into diagonal slices about 0.25 in thick. Drizzle oil on a baking sheet. Spread slices on sheet, getting an even coat of oil. Season to taste. Bake at 425 °F for 18 – 20 minutes.

Simple Cheese Board

It’s a good solid snackie.

• 1 pear
• 1 in by 1 in by 3 in chonk of English, Irish, or Vermont cheddar
• 3 oz almonds

Wash then dry the pear. Slice the pear and the cheddar into 0.125 in (or thinner) slices. The thinness of the slices is crucial. Serve on the cutting board, with almonds in a lil bowl.

Roasted Broccoli

A tiny bit spicy.

• 0.75 cup broccoli florets
• 1 – 2 tsp olive oil
• red pepper flakes to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Wash broccoli, then cut into bite-size florets (minimal stems). Drizzle oil on a baking sheet. Spread florets on sheet, getting an even coat of oil. Season to taste. Bake at 425 °F for 15+ minutes. Should be slightly browned at the tips but not too much.

Creamy Pasta Sauce

Garlic is not bound by any human law.

• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp grated parmigiano
• 0.5 cup pasta water
• 1 clove garlic
• rosemary and/or thyme

Finely mince garlic and herbs. In a pan over medium heat, pour in cream cheese and water. Whisk smooth and let thicken 2 – 3 minutes. Blend in butter, garlic, herbs, parmigiano. Remove from heat when the texture looks good (1 – 2 minutes).

Spaghetti Amatriciana

• 2.5 oz guanciale, cut into small pieces (e.g. 0.5 in square)
• 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 0.25 lb tomatoes
• 1 hot pepper of choice
• salt
• 0.25 lb pasta
• 4 – 6 tbsp grated pecorino romano

Put the oil and guanciale in a pan at medium heat. Keep it moving. When it’s about to get crisp, add the onion and cook until it starts to become transparent. Add the tomatoes and pepper, take the temperature down to low, and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir.

Cook pasta in 2.5 qt water with 1.5 tbsp salt. Stir. About 8 minutes.

Drain pasta and pour it into a warmed serving bowl. Stir in pecorino. Stir in sauce.