Tommy Thompson Park in Early Spring
An accidental nature refuge
Tommy Thompson Park is a 5km long spit of land that stretches into Lake Ontario at the south east end of Toronto. It is entirely manmade, consisting of silt dredged up from the harbour as well as construction and demolition material produced over the last 75 years as the city grew. The shores of the park are made up of mostly broken concrete, tile and brick which have been eroded by wind and water over time. Shanks of twisted iron rebar jut out from the shoreline like rusty branches. Although it doesn’t sound so picturesque, it is actually quite beautiful.
Nature has taken over as this pile of dirt and rubble has sat here mostly undisturbed. It is now home to indigenous plants, animals, birds and insects. Some rare migratory birds make Tommy Thompson Park an annual nesting ground and there are areas of the park that are closed off during most of the year to allow them to nest in peace. Cars are not allowed. Even dogs are not allowed as the permanent residents of the park see them as predators.
Because it is remote from the city and protected by environmental laws, it is a great place for spotting beavers, minks, martens, coyotes, geese, swans, all types of ducks, birds of prey, insects, turtles, snakes, frogs…. Even Snowy Owls and Bald Eagles make stops here.
Since there are no cars it is also an ideal place for a walk or bike ride when you feel like escaping from the noise and hustle of downtown. For more detailed info here is the official website.
Photos and sounds from an early spring visit to Tommy Thompson Park
I expected it to be noisier, but except for birds quietly nesting and people cycling and chattering away, it was almost silent. Below is a sound sample from late summer. In contrast, the sounds of cicadas, crickets and bees is LOUD! You can also hear a Porter Airlines or Air Canada Dash-8 flying over. This is a typical sound of the park which is at the end of one of the Toronto Island Billy Bishop Airport runways.
This park changes dramatically with the seasons…let’s come back later and see what’s going on.
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Myeolchi Bokkeum
Myeolchi Bokkeum is panfried dried anchovies. Sweet, salty and crunchy, it is one of my favourite Korean sides and also one of the simplest recipes. It can be made in just a few minutes but you need to move fairly quickly and take a little care to get it just right. I really like these with peanuts in the recipe but I am making these today without nuts to share with someone who has an allergy.
The recipe is easy to remember because it is just “one” of everything…
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried very small anchovies (in freezer section at Korean grocer)
- 1 tablespoon olive or other vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon sugar (white or brown)
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Process:
Before you start cooking, combine the water, sugar and minced garlic in a small container. Mix until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
Start cooking: this is an easy preparation but you have to move a little quickly so here are a couple videos to demonstrate…
Heat your pan on medium high and add dry anchovies (and nuts if you are including them). I like to stir mine with my fingers in the dry pan until they are too hot to touch. This step will ensure that any moisture in the fish will evaporate before frying them in oil. Keep them moving and just heat them until you can’t handle them with bare hands anymore.
Add the olive or vegetable oil and fry until crispy. Keep them moving. It is ok for them to brown a little bit but don’t go too far or they may taste bitter (burnt)
When they are crisply fried (you can even hear how crunchy they are), move them aside, add the sugar, water and garlic from the prepared container. Let it cook down a little on the side until you have kind of a loose caramel, then mix the fish back in for a few seconds and remove from the heat.
Move the hot fish to a new bowl or container so that it stops cooking.
Pour over the sesame oil
Add the sesame seeds
Mix well and it is done
How to eat myeolchi bokkeum
You can eat these as is, put them on rice or add them to your favourite lettuce wrap (ssam). I especially like to sprinkle them on fresh salads. They can be used anywhere something sweet, salty and crunchy would go. I had a Korean cook once who put them on her yogurt for breakfast but not sure if I would recommend it! If they are not all gone in one sitting, you can store your myeolchi bokkeum in an airtight container in the fridge.
Variations:
- you can make these spicy by adding a little gochujang to the sugar/water mixture or by sprinkling some chili flakes in at the end with the sesame seeds
- you can make these saltier or more savoury by adding sea salt or soy sauce to the mix. Careful though because the anchovies themselves are already quite salty. Experiment with small amounts.
- you can add any nut or seeds in with anchovies at the start of the recipe. Peanuts are classic and delicious but almost anything works including almonds, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.
- If you like them sweeter, add a little more sugar or even syrup (rice, corn or maple)
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
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Dried Pollock Soup Bukeoguk
The start of a long relationship with Korean food
Years ago I hired a new cook who had recently arrived from Korea on a work visa. I soon started to notice them struggling a little with physical demands and mental focus. Everyday, they worked diligently and did an excellent job, never complaining once. But they were mentally exhausted and physically depleted by the end of every day. After a few weeks, they finally admitted to me that they were having a hard time eating North American food without feeling ill. On top of homesickness, they were basically….hungry all the time. And because they were hungry, they were exhausted.
The only way I could think of to make this situation better was to feed them. I asked them what they would eat if they could choose anything. The answer was Bukeoguk.
I knew nothing about Korean cooking and I had never heard of it. But, I searched for recipes and went to a Korean grocer for the first time and bought all the ingredients I needed. The next day, I made my first Korean food. And, for the few years that this cook worked for me, I continued to feed them one new dish a day. I gradually became a pretty good Korean cook and they gradually became healthier and happier.
They eventually moved on, as all cooks do. But my love for Korean food and cooking has remained with me. And for the last 10 years I have continued to learn methods and ingredients. By now, I must have made a hundred different dishes (probably more), even making my own doenjang, ganjang and gochujang from scratch. Makgeolli too.
Since that fateful meeting, I have cooked and eaten everything I can get my hands on. I have traveled to Korea many times and I have made many friends, even learning to speak the language at a basic level (so far). This story is a long one, too long to write here….and it’s not over yet! For now, I’ll just say “Thank you: 만나서 반가워요”
Ingredients:
- 60 grams (one big handful) dried Alaskan Pollock (bukeo) 북어
- 1 cup peeled and rough chopped Korean radish
- 4 cloves of garlic minced or sliced thinly
- 2-3 green onions (scallions)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Korean Soup Soy Sauce (guk ganjang) or fish sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- salt and pepper
- water (4-6 cups)
The amounts above are guidelines. This preparation is very simple and there is no delicate balance to upset here. If you like more fish, use more fish. If you like more radish put in more radish. The important thing is that everything is underwater and that it is seasoned well with salt or soy sauce/fish sauce. If you do follow the recipe exactly it will make a good soup. 2 smaller portions with rice and sides or one big portion.
Raw ingredients:
Process:
Soak dried pollock for 15 minutes or so in warm water until it softens up enough to cut or tear apart. Keep the soaking water…we will add it in later.
Chop or tear soaked fish into bite size pieces. Sometime there are a few little bones in the meat and tearing it by hand will help you find and remove them.
Cook the fish pieces in sesame oil for a few minutes until it is hot and aromatic
Add garlic. I like to slice my garlic thin but I think minced garlic is more common. Up to you!
Add chopped radish and cook for a few minutes until warm
Pour back the soaking water, enough to cover everything plus a few centimetres.
Soup soy sauce goes in. This stuff is not the same as regular soy sauce. It is much saltier and funkier. You should be able to find it easily at a Korean grocer but, if not, you can substitute fish sauce.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until radish is cooked through. Now is a good time to add salt if needed. The dried fish contains salt, the soy sauce is very salty and the radish will release a lot of water. So I prefer for all these ingredients to cook completely before adding salt. Now is the perfect time to taste and adjust. Add salt if needed. Pepper too if you like.
Green onion goes in
Pour in egg and remove the pot from the heat. Wait until a raft of egg floats up before stirring it in.
Time to eat!
Bukeoguk is nutritious and easy to digest (also why it is known as a good “hangover soup”). It is simple and quick to make with only a few ingredients. I like to eat it with fresh white rice and a little homemade kimchi. Whenever I make it now, I can’t help but remember the first time I made it and the hungry person who got me started on my Korean cooking adventures.
If you have any questions or comments please leave them below. I am always happy to hear from you.
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