Cycle 13 – Item 73

19 (Sat) March 2022

Spenatsoppa

3.0

by me

at home

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with W, IZ

Korean-Swedish Culinary Exchange (23) (see all posts on KSCX)

A while back, I had sent GK a care package of Korean food products and cooking implements, including a ddukbaegi (earthenware bowl).  GK used the ddukbaegi to make 2 dishes: gyeran jjim and dolsot bibimbab.  The gyeran jjim was featured in the previous exchange (#22), along with my gravad lax.  The bibimbab is featured in this post, along with my spenatsoppa.

BY ME

Spenatsoppa is a Swedish dish.  It’s spinach (spenat) soup (soppa).  According to the comments in the recipe, “it is an autumn favorite, typically served with hearty bread.”

In response to GK’s bibimbab, I had wanted to make something to highlight vegetables, so GK suggested spinach soup and provided a link for the recipe.

Whereas the recipe was posted on food.com 12 years ago (in 2010), garnering only 3 comments during that time (most recently in 2015), I am grateful that it’s remained quietly active, waiting for this day to serve as a resource for GMTD (also launched in 2010).

It turned out great.  The central ingredient being a fresh leafy green, the dish felt intrinsically lean, rounded out with milk and egg, warmed by a trace of nutmeg – well-balanced overall.  Yet another dish that I’ve never tasted beyond my own – will I ever experience it in the wild?  In any case, it’s a proud addition to my ever-expanding Swedish portfolio.

BY GK

[The comments below are GK’s own words, with minor typographical edits from me.]

I have made dolsot bibimbab several times by now, since I had lots of namul and cooked rice in the fridge.

I followed your instructions to first heat it up, add sesame oil and heat it too, then add the rice, then the namul, gojuchang sauce and finally an egg, take it off the heat and mix.  I have experimented with letting the rice get more and more fried in the bowl before I mix it.

I find bibimbab to be a kinda dull dish, but the added crunchiness of the slightly fried rice gives it a new kick. 

CONCLUSIONS

On my effort:

• • While spenatsoppa bears no resemblance to bibimbab, I am very appreciative that one dish could inspire the other – the very essence of KSCX.
  • The soup brings me 1 dish closer to developing a full-on Swedish table d’hôte.  Just 3 items remaining until the spread is complete.  Stay tuned.

On GK’s effort

• • I am so pleased that GK is putting the stuff that I sent him to good use.
  • Having never made dolsot bibimbab myself, I am even more impressed than usual with GK’s ambition.
  • Definitely let the rice sit as long as possible to maximize toasting, just before it begins to burn – in fact, restaurants typically keep the heat on with rice in the bowl to get it going before serving; the rice should be hot enough to cook the egg as everything’s being mixed.

NEXT STEPS

I am still looking for a fresh vegetable salad/medley that I can add to my Swedish table d’hôte, preferably something that doesn’t involve cream and/or potatoes (what I’d initially had in mind as the companion for bibimbab).  Suggestions would be welcome.

For GK, I would be keen to see the ddukbaegi used to make a soup dish, like doenjang jjigae (using the ingredients in the care package) or a brothy bulgogi (e.g., Maangchi’s bulgogi stew in an earthenware pot).

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)