As you may know I’ve competed on Food Network’s Chopped a handful of times. One of my most hotly contested appearances was when I went through 3 rounds to beat other Chopped Champions to get the chance to beat Bobby Flay. When it was time to go toe to toe with Bobby Flay, I challenged him to face off with Bibimbap as my signature dish. Bibimbap is a Korean dish. Each component is relatively simple but you really have to give each part of this multilayer dish careful attention to create the perfect bimbimbap. When it came down to it, the Chopped judges said my meat was better than Bobby Flay’s but they preferred his rice and so he won the challenge. It was a disappointing moment, and a controversial loss that my fans still bring up each time the episode re-airs. All the same, it was a fun day of competing in the kitchen and bringing some more attention to Korean cuisine and bibimbap.

I had the opportunity to create this dinner recipe again today. I was slammed in the kitchen today, but my wife took a photo of her serving which I am using here. She’s vegetarian so you won’t see the Korean beef (which I did serve as well), and you’ll also see in her bowl she added Haemul Pajeon (Korean seafood pancake), which isn’t traditional to add to bibimbap. Other than that you can get a good idea of what this dinner recipe looks like. Bibimbap is really tasty and the sesame oil and seeds give it a nice nutty taste that I really enjoy on a cool or rainy day. It is raining today in Southampton. How is it where you are? Okay, give my Bimbimbap a la Chopped a try and let me know how you like it.

Bibimbap Steamed White Rice

• 2 cups short grain rice

• 2 1/2 cups water

• 1/2 cup toasted sesame oil

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil

• 3 Tablespoons sugar

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup mirin

Wash rice and place in a rice cooker or pot. Cook rice until done. Cool rice in the refrigerator. In a bowl mix together soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Form rice into cakes and brush with soy mixture. Place a non-stick pan over high heat and add sesame oil and canola oil. Place rice cakes carefully into the sauce pan.

Bibimbap Hot Pepper Sauce

• 1 cup kochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

• 1/3 cup toasted sesame oil

• 1/4 cup sugar

In a large bowl mix all ingredients and set aside.

Bibimbap Vegetables

Shiitake Mushrooms

• 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

• 3/4 cup water

• 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts (mung)

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce

In a medium bowl rehydrate mushrooms in warm water. Once mushrooms are hydrated remove stem and julienne. In a large sauté pan heat oils over high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté together with minced garlic, soy, and sugar. Cook until mushrooms are tender. Cool and set aside.

Carrots

• 3 medium carrots

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 1 Tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

• Kosher salt

Peel carrots and julienne. Set aside. In a large sauté pan heat oils over high heat. Add carrots and sauté together with minced garlic, salt, and sugar. Cook until carrots are tender. Add toasted sesame seeds. Cool and set aside.

Bean Sprouts

• 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts (mung)

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 1 Tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

• kosher saltmix

Boil water in a large pot and season generously with salt. Blanch bean sprouts for 1 minute. In a sauté pan toast garlic. In a large mixing bowl mix together bean sprouts, toasted garlic and all other ingredients.

Baby Spinach

• 3 cups fresh baby spinach

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• Kosher salt

Boil water in a large pot and season generously with salt. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds. In a sauté pan toast garlic. In a large mixing bowl mix together spinach, toasted garlic and all other ingredients.

Bibimbap Korean Style Beef

• 1 pound beef

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

• 1/4 cup mirin

• kosher salt

• 3 Tablespoons canola oil

In a large bowl combine all ingredients together except the canola oil. Marinate beef. Put a large sauté pan over high heat and add canola oil. Sauté beef. Cool. Cut. Set aside.

Bibimbap Finish, don’t forget the egg!

• 6 eggs

• 3 Tablespoons canola oil

• Kosher salt

• black sesame seeds

Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat and add canola oil. Crack eggs into the pan and cook eggs until the yolks start to firm up (sunny side up). Season with salt and garnish with black sesame seeds.