Name: Spicy Korean pork jaffles from Soul Dining
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Softened butter, for spreading; 8 slices square white bread; 200 gm firm mozzarella, thinly sliced; Orange marmalade or strawberry jam and flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional), to serve; Jaffle Filling; 300 gm frozen sliced pork neck, thawed, shredded (see note); 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 spring onion, thinly sliced; 30 gm gochujang paste (see note); 30 ml Korean corn syrup (see note); 1 tbsp gochugaru (see note); 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 tsp finely grated ginger; 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp sesame oil

Soul Dining’s Daero Lee salutes the Australian jaffle with this spicy Korean pork toastie. The filling recalls jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) and a Korean style of pizza flavoured with blue cheese and yuzu honey. The condiments are garden-variety marmalade and jam, which Soul Dining’s other half Illa Kim says are inspired by a street toast in Seoul, which uses jam, “but it doesn’t have any spicy meat, so this is Daero’s spin on it.”

These spicy Korean pork jaffles are a simple crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Softened butter, for spreading

8 slices square white bread

200 gm firm mozzarella, thinly sliced

Orange marmalade or strawberry jam and flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional), to serve

Jaffle Filling

300 gm frozen sliced pork neck, thawed, shredded (see note)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

30 gm gochujang paste (see note)

30 ml Korean corn syrup (see note)

1 tbsp gochugaru (see note)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp finely grated ginger

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

For jaffle filling, place all ingredients, except oils, in a large bowl; season to taste and stir to combine.

Heat oils in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add filling and cook, stirring frequently, until pork is caramelised (10-12 minutes); cool slightly.

Preheat jaffle-maker. Butter bread and place, buttered-side down, on a work surface. Top half the slices with filling, then sliced cheese. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side up, and cook, in batches, until golden and the cheese has melted (4-5 minutes). Serve immediately, scattered with flat-leaf parsley, with orange marmalade or strawberry jam on the side.

Frozen sliced pork neck, gochujang paste (Korean hot pepper paste), Korean corn syrup and gochugaru (red chilli powder) are available from select supermarkets and Korean and Japanese grocers. For a less hot and spicy filling, reduce the amount of gochujang paste and gochugaru.

This recipe also calls for cooling (see method).
Note

Recipe by Daero Lee Chef

Chef and co-owner of contemporary Korean restaurant Soul Dining in Sydney.

Photography by Brett Stevens Photographer

Brett Stevens is an award-winning food, travel and still-life photographer based in Sydney, Australia. His career spans the globe; regularly taking on assignments for esteemed international magazines, advertisers and publishing houses. His signature style bestrides food, lifestyle, architecture, design and travel. Brett is renowned for his ability to create innovative work that combines his technical, considered eye with a playful organic freedom. Inspired by design, architecture and a bold aesthetic, Brett sights the work of Geoffrey Smart, Joel Sternfeld, Gregory Crewdson and Edward Burtynsky as but a few who inspire his ideals of creative expression. Whether it be large-scale studio set-builds, location shoots or concise tabletop environments, Bretts’ passion for photography and distinctive style is reflected in every shot he captures. Brett finds creative freedom and experimentation through his many personal projects, which allows him to maintain a clear headspace through the non-commercial elements of his craft. Invigorated by the current shift traditional advertising, marketing and publishing clients are making into generating multi-faceted digital and print content, Brett is now collaborating with clients on concepts that encompass all media outlets and platforms. Even though he remains a ‘stills’ photographer at heart he is engaging with some of the best editors, sound and post-production teams and has directed motion for a multitude of OLO, EDM and tablet platforms. With an enviable professional career that has encompassed many changes to all facets of the industry, Brett Stevens continues to evolve and embrace new technologies to best serve his clients while creating work that exemplifies his talent and distinct creative style. Some of Brett’s clients include Gourmet Traveller, DMG Fine Wine, Are Media, Dominos, Harvey Norman, Delicious, NLM, Domayne, Vogue Living, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Smeg Appliances, Jones, Condé Nast, Time Inc, Rockpool Group, Food & Wine, Mercedes Benz and Hardie Grant.

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Styling by Olivia Blackmore

Ingredients

Method

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