bulgogi burgers!

Over the past few months, we have been searching for some new culinary creations which better accommodate the summer heat.  One of our new summertime favorites is somewhat of a Korean/American fusion dish, inspired by Vietnamese sandwiches.  I introduce to you: the Bulgogi Burger!  

For those unfamiliar, bulgogi is a traditional Korean dish simply described as marinated beef.  We typically eat it with rice, kimchee, and other Korean goodies.  But in its reinvented form, we have made it into an Asian fusion burger, complete with with cucumber, cilantro, and a fried egg.

Here is a vague recipe if you wish to try it yourself:

Bulgogi Burgers
Makes 4 open-faced "burgers" // serves 2-4 depending upon appetite
Note: ingredients are approximations - I tend to eyeball everything

Ingredients:

Shaved beef (1 lb), best from an Asian grocery store, but also works well with the beef similar to what you would get for cheese steaks

Soy sauce (about 1/3 cup)

Sesame seed oil (1 tbsp)

Rice vinegar (1-2 tbsp)
Sugar (1 tbsp)
Garlic to taste
Sesame seeds to taste

Eggs (2-4, I recommend 1 egg per person)

Cucumber, sliced (1)
Portuguese sweet bread rolls (2)
Cilantro
Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)

Bulgogi prep:
~5 minutes

• Place shaved beef into a bowl.  Add a little soy sauce at a time, mixing beef between pours.  Continue adding soy sauce until beef is nearly saturated.
• Add sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar, and sesame seeds, mix.
• Cover and let marinate at least 20 minutes, up to 1 day.

Burger time!
~15 minutes

• Place marinated beef into a frying pan on high heat.  Stir occasionally until meat is evenly browned, then continue to cook over low heat.  Juices should burn off, thicken, and caramelize slightly.
• While meat is cooking, cut cucumber into slices about 1/8" to 1/4" thick.
• Cut each roll in half and toast.  Generously spread gochujang onto each slice of bread.  Add ~4 cucumber slices to each.

• Add a small amount of sesame seed oil to the frying pan if needed, or use remaining bulgogi juices to fry 2-4 eggs, keeping yolks slightly runny.

• Top each open faced roll with bulgogi, cilantro, and either 1 or 1/2 fried egg.

We have made these several times now, and find they are best enjoyed on the roof with a glass of wine (in Govino wine glasses!) or with an Asian beer (Kirin is our favorite).  I also recommend fork-and-knifing these, unless you are a highly skilled sandwich eater. 

ps. Those Govino wine glasses are pretty great.  They are made of a durable plastic, so they are reusable but much more conducive to picnics and roof deck dining than traditional stemware.  And the thumb groove is so fun!