Bulgogi Helper

Sweet and savory, ground beef sauce tossed through elbow pasta.

Bulgogi Helper

Serves 4 - 5

From the beginning I knew I wanted this dish to have the sweet salty flavors and elements of a bulgogi jeongol with the creamy appeal of the rare hamburger helper meal my mom would make for my brother and I as kids. The goal wasn’t too difficult to accomplish especially once I switched to ground beef from thinly shaved beef. The problem was coming up with an appropriate name. The names of my dishes are usually very straight forward so there are no surprises when looking at the recipe however, I also didn’t want to come off as disrespectful of a traditional Korean dish either. Ultimately, I went with Bulgogi Helper because the final dish was completely inspired by bulgogi jeongol and reimagined into the most classic of 90’s American dinner, Hamburger Helper. The flavors are all traditional for bulgogi the biggest difference being the addition of cream cheese for richness and switching out the sweet potato starch noodles for elbow pasta.

“Recipe Tips:

*1. ”

Ingredients

Beef Marinade

454g (1 lb) ground beef

45ml (3 T) soy sauce

30g (2 T) dark brown sugar

30ml (2 T) mirin

30ml (2 T) maesil

15ml (1 T) Worcestershire sauce

15ml (1 T) sesame oil

10g (2 t) ginger, minced

5g (1.25 t) ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, minced 

Saute

15ml (1 T) vegetable oil

400g (1 large) onion, sliced 0.25 in thick with the grain

400g (a little less than 1 lb) carrot, small dice

350g (a little more than 0.75 lb) enoki mushrooms, ends trimmed, cut in ½ and separated

91g (6.5 T) cream cheese

30ml (2 T) soy sauce

30g (2 T) dashida

2g (0.50 t) ground black pepper 

Finishing

500g (a little more than 1 lb) elbow pasta

50g (3) scallions, sliced thinly

5ml (1 t) sesame oil

Method

1.      In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the “Beef Marinade” ingredients well until no liquid remains pooled at the bottom.

• Marinate for 30 minutes.

Continue to Step 2 while the meat marinates.

2.      Fill a large pot with water and place on high to come to a boil.

3.      Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

Ø  Add the vegetable oil and heat for 30 seconds.

Ø  Add the onion, carrot and mushrooms with a pinch of salt.

Ø  Saute for 10 minutes or until beginning to wilt.

Continue to Step 4 while the veg cooks.

4.      Salt the pot of water and add the pasta.

• Cook 3 minutes shorter than package directions for al dente.

• Reserve 500ml (2.5 c) pasta water.

• Drain.

While the pasta cooks, return to the vegetables.

5.      Remove the wilted vegetables to a bowl.

• Add 10ml (2 t) vegetable oil if needed.

• Add the beef and cook for 7 – 10 minutes or until no pink remains and the beef is beginning to brown.

• Deglaze with the soy sauce.

• Add the vegetables along with the cream cheese, dashida, pepper and 75% of the reserved pasta water.

• Stir until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.

• Add the drained pasta and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly to make creamy.

• Add the scallions and sesame oil along with more water as necessary so the sauce is not dry.

• Cook 1 minute longer.

• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

6.      Serve with freshly ground pepper, gim and muu sangchae (recipe here).