Prosciutto e Melone

Salty and Sweet; like ice and fire. One simply cannot deny a certain inherent sex appeal that oozes from the timeless pairing of these two elementary binary opposites in our sense of taste. Prosciutto e melone - the classic Italian antipasto - is a case in point. The saltiness of dry-cured ham accentuates the sweetness from a perfectly ripe, juicy cantaloupe. It's like taking a dip in a hot spring followed by a plunge into an icy pool. Sexy, simple, and self-explanatory.

(Above) Cured meat galore at a Milanese deli

While a Prada handbag or a Bottega Veneta wallet may top many people's wish list when visiting Milan, peculiar items such as handmade ravioli, buffalo mozzarella and marinated olives somehow creep shamelessly onto my agenda. And with no less passion than those who score a Prada at a bargain, I'd rave about my parmesan cheese. Retail therapy does not discriminate, does it?

I was in Milan recently, it is a requisite to stop by the deli for some freshly shaved prosciutto. After poring over the cured ham and salame galore, I'd say to the deli man - perfecting my Italiano accent - "cento grammi di prosciutto di Parma, per favore". Acknowledging, the man picks up the ham, heads to the slicer and shortly after produces a packet of neatly arranged prosciutto.

Depositing a ripe melon in my grocery bag, grabbing a freshly baked foccacia and a cappucino (so inexpensive in Italy) on my way out (and perhaps a scoop or two of gelato), and I am the happiest boy on earth.

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Korean-style Grilled Pork Wraps with Assorted Leaves (Ssam)

My recent short visit to Seoul had gotten me a quick fix on all things barbequed, fiery hot (so sadistically hot I nearly Poughkeepsied in my pants the morning after), coated and deep fried. No visit to Seoul - or anywhere else for that matter - is complete without a detour to the supermarkets, where fresh produce and meats compete in sheer variety with a mind-boggling array of all things preserved and pickled.

My favorite section of all Korean groceries is undoubtedly what I dub the "ssam bar" (sounds familiar, New Yorkers?) - a misty, self-serve cooler where shoppers arm themselves with a pair of tongs and pick away from a dazzling assortment of lettuces and leaves sold by weight. Here you will find stacks upon stacks of the intensely fragrant perilla leaf, distinct with its grassy notes of anise and liquorice, that are larger, rounder, flatter, and with a less serrated edge than its Japanese counterpart, shiso. While some of these greens require cooking, most are destined to be consumed fresh, enveloping a morsel of sizzling hot samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) and a range of toppings.

My craving for Korean food hardly subsided by the time I returned home to my penthouse kitchen. Stocking up my fridge with fresh groceries from Korea, I began to plan for a power lunch for the following day. I needed something quick and hassle-free, and something to stave off my craving before I head to work. And so I 'cheated' by using a store-bought kalbi marinade, marinated some antibiotic-free pork shoulder overnight, and whipped together an improvised ssamjang the next day.

Below is my recipe for a fast and basic Korean-inspired ssam, or lettuce wrap, that also makes good use of my homemade Pink Pickled Radishes (click for recipe). I have also only recently discovered a way of lining my almighty Panini Grill to eliminate cleanup. So if you've got one just like mine, this delicious meal is practically ready in under 10 minutes with hardly anything to wash. Scrubbing down the beast is a thing of the past!

To Prepare...

Same results, zero mess!

1. Cut pork shoulder or collar into bite-sized morsels. Marinate for at least 30 min or overnight in pork kalbi marinade.

2. Preheat Panini Grill, line with aluminium foil, carefully folding in the edges to contain any runoff while grilling. Place marinated pork on grill, top with another sheet of foil, then press and leave to grill until fully cooked. Alternatively, use a griddle or a heavy skillet.

3. In the meantime, prepare ssamjang, which is a thick, spicy-savoury paste typically used with grilled meats in lettuce wraps in Korean cuisine. Either use a commercially produced ssamjang or make your own. I improvised with mixing miso paste with a dallop of Gochujang and a dash of sesame oil - super shortcut, and close to the real thing!

4. Check that pork has begun to caramelize and is cooked through. Build your wraps with pickled radishes, a sizzling chunk of pork, a tiny clump of ssamjang, and finish off with toppings such as micro sprouts for a cool contrast to the flavorful pork and a boost in phytonutrients!

Note: you can also add rice to make this a ssambap. Simply layer on a clump of rice and you've got a well-rounded meal!

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Pink Pickled Radishes

On a recent visit to the groceries in Los Angeles, I dove towards a basket full of locally grown radishes as if it were a quarry of precious gems. Indeed, these glistening rubies of the earth would be so rare back home that they'd only be found with a preposterous price at the up-market C!tySuper as foreign imports. Without much thought I snatched a bunch of these gems for just a dollar. For the record I did suppress a little victory dance.

The hue of these radishes enthralls me. Not crimson, not magenta, but a distinct shade of red in between that contrasts starkly with its cool white flesh. Its crisp pepperiness makes radishes an interesting addition to salads and meats, but pickling them makes them all the more fun for anything that deserves a pickle. A sandwich, a lettuce wrap, a taco... or simply straight from the jar. Experiment with different herbs when preparing this pickle. Some recipes call for tarragon, or bay leaf. I find that thyme imparts a delicate layer of flavor without overpowering; I'm using thyme also partly because my thyme plants are at their prime this season!

To prepare...
Radish (I used 6 medium sized ones)
3/4 cup of distilled white vinegar (or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons of honey (or agave nectar for vegans)
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 clove of garlic, peeled
10 black peppercorns, roughly crushed
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)

 1. Wash and gently scrub radishes and trim off the stalks and roots. Slice into thin rings using a fine knife or a mandolin.

2. In a saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, honey and salt to a boil until completely dissolved. Turn the heat off and set aside.

3. Pack the sliced radish into a sterilized jar. (Blogger Karon Grieve provides an excellent resource on Larder Love on how to easily sterilize jars. I opt for the oven method.)


4. Pour the pickling liquid over the radishes. Add the peppercorns, garlic clove, and herbs if using. Muse at the jar as the mixture gradually turns into a lovely pink hue!


5. Cover with lid and let cool. Place in the refrigerator once cooled. The pickled radishes will be ready overnight and keep well for several weeks, although they are most fresh and crisp for about 5 days after pickling.

Note: If you let the garlic clove hangout too long in the jar, the radishes will take on a very strong garlic flavor. If all you want is a touch of garlic, remove the clove after one day.

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