KOREAN SQUASH PANCAKE: HOBAKJEON

As I've said before, I *love* Korean food. Especially snack-y things like these pancakes which are quick, easy, vegetarian, and so summery with the zucchini squash. 

Korean Squash Pancake: Hobakjeon

makes: 1 12 in. pancake (1 - 2 servings)

Pancake:

- 2 medium zucchini (or other summer squash), shredded

- 1 tbsp. salt 

- 4 tbsp. finely diced onion

- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro

- 1 tbsp. minced Thai green chile (optional)

- 1 tbsp. fish sauce (or 1 tsp. salt)

- 1/2 cup AP flour (or a mix of rice flours, or your favourite gluten-free flour mix)

- 1/2 cup water

- 4 tbsp. oil

Soy Dipping Sauce: here

1. In a bowl, mix the salt and shredded zucchini and set aside for 15 - 30 minutes.
2. The zucchini will release a lot of water - drain the zucchini. Squeeze well by the fistful to remove all the water from the zucchini and place in a large bowl.
3. To the zucchini, add all the other ingredients to make a thick batter. If the batter is too dry, add water 1 tbsp. at a time till you have a thick batter.
4. Over medium heat, heat the oil in a 12 in. skillet and swirl to evenly coat the skillet. Add the zucchini batter and spread evenly into a large pancake.
5. After the edges have browned and crisped up, lift an edge to let the oil under the pancake to crisp up the center and cook for 4 - 5 minutes.
6. Flip the pancake over and cook for 3 - 4 minutes.
7. Flip the pancake over again and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.
8. Transfer to a plate or cutting board and cut into 6 wedges. Serve with kimchi or soy dipping sauce.

BOURBON, MAPLE, ROASTED ALMOND: EGGLESS ICE-CREAM

This is one of my favourite ice cream base recipes. It's easy, mostly fool-proof, and without the bother of making an egg-based custard for the ice cream. And, it's like a blank slate so you can create away to suit the season (because ice cream is always in season!), your mood, your cat's mood, a theme, a cuisine, whatever!

Cornstarch is a neutral stabiliser that absorbs residual water left after cooking the cream. This minimises the formation of ice crystals in the cream mixture and results in a creamier smoother ice cream.

If you're adding any amount of alcohol to ice cream, remember to add it nearly at the very end of the ice cream maker freezing cycle. Because alcohol doesn't freeze... and you can imagine the rest! But if you can't, then here it is in plain words: if you add alcohol early on, your ice cream base will not freeze no matter how hard you pray. And that's no fun.

As always, add-ins like nuts, brownie bits, chocolate chips, etc. should go in just before the alcohol, or near the end of the freezing cycle.

Adapted from Ice Cream Nation.

Bourbon, Maple, Roasted Almond Ice Cream: Eggless

Makes: approximately 1 quart

**Freeze an ice cream maker bowl for at least 8 hours**

- 3 cups half-and-half (or an equal mix of whipping cream and 2% milk)
- 1/2 cup Demerara sugar (or Turbinado)

- 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup

- 3 tbsp. cornstarch

- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp. salt (only if using unsalted nuts)

- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds (I use Trader Joe's Lightly Salted Roasted Almonds)

- 1/4 cup coarsely crushed almonds (pulverized but definitely not almond butter!)

- 3 tbsp. bourbon (I like to use Bulleitt)

1. In a saucepan, stir together 2-1/2 cups half-and-half, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt (if using unsalted nuts). Heat over medium-low heat until mixture begins to steam and barely boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the sugar from settling.
2. In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup half-and-half till the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Temper the cornstarch: add 3-4 tbsp. of the heated half-and-half to the cornstarch mixture and mix well. Repeat.
3. Add the tempered cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring until it starts to thicken and reaches a simmer, about 4 - 5 minutes. Reduce heat to the lowest possible and stir for 2 - 3 minutes or so until thick. Don't overcook after adding the cornstarch or the cornstarch will overcook and won't thicken the mixture!
4. Remove from heat and let the mixture come to room temperature. If there are lumps (although there shouldn't be), strain the mixture into a bowl. Chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Remove from the fridge and stir. If there's a skin on the mixture, stir it in. 
5. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Just when the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve, add the almonds. Blend for a few minutes and when the ice cream is almost done freezing, add the bourbon and let it mix for 2 - 3 minutes longer to blend it in.
6. Serve right away for a soft serve, or freeze for a couple of hours till firm.

ALMOND AND CASHEW BUTTER CHOCOLATE FUDGE

I love homemade nut and seed butters for many reasons: they're easy, quick, additive-free, fresh, you can make any combination and quantity you want, and you can do so much with them. Like this "fudge" with almond and cashew butter.

If you want to know how to make nut butter at home, check out my almond butter blog post. Feel free to use a single nut butter or a combination - hazelnut, almond, pumpkin seed butter, tahini, whatever you fancy. Store-bought nut butter certainly works in this recipe, just make sure it is made with only nuts and has no additives like sugar or oil.

I sometimes toss 1 - 2  of these into my breakfast smoothie - totally delicious.

Almond and Cashew Butter Chocolate Fudge

Makes: approximately 25 pieces

- 1/2 cup homemade almond butter
- 1/2 cup homemade cashew butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (not hot cocoa or hot chocolate mix!)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt

Optional garnishes:
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened coconut, shredded or flaked
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted or raw

1. Mix everything except garnishes in a bowl. Taste the mixture and add 1 tbsp. maple syrup at a time to adjust sweetness.
2. Spread in a pan to make a 1/2 in. thick layer. Smooth the top and gently press on the garnishes (if you just sprinkle the garnishes on top, they won't stay on).
3. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan and cut into approximately 1-1/2 in. square pieces (I find it easiest and fastest to cut the fudge into 1-1/2 in. strips in the pan itself, then remove it from the pan 1 strip at a time and cut into squares.) Store in the fridge.