Grilled Kimchi Toast

Labneh, XO Sauce, Sesame Seeds, Cilantro

Chef Brad Deboy of Ellē | Washington, D.C.
Yield: 8 servings

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Adapted by StarChefs | November 2018

INGREDIENTS:

Kimchi:
1 red cabbage, quartered
Salt
Garlic
Ginger
Cooked rice, warm
Gochugaru
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon zest

XO Sauce: (Yield: 1 gallon)
2 quarts canola or grapeseed oil
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
1 cup thinly sliced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced ginger
6 cups gochujaru
½ cup Kikkoman soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
8 thick slices sourdough or rye bread, toasted on grill
Labneh
Toasted sesame seeds
Cilantro leaves

METHOD:

For the Kimchi:
Scale cabbage and record weight. Measure 2 percent salt by weight, 3 percent peeled garlic cloves, 3 percent peeled ginger, 1 percent rice, and 1 percent gochugaru. Rub cabbage with salt. To a Vitamix blender, add the garlic, ginger, rice, and gochugaru; purée. In a fermentation vessel, combine the purée and salted cabbage. Ferment at least 1 month. Prepare and heat grill. Drain fermented cabbage, reserving liquid. Char Kimchi. Medium dice charred Kimchi and transfer to a nonreactive container. Marinate in reserved fermentation liquid and oil; season with zest.

For the XO Sauce:
In a pot over very low flame, heat oil and slowly toast shallots, garlic, and ginger until deeply browned and soft. Increase heat to medium-low, add gochugaru, and continue to toast (not burn) mixture, about 45 minutes. Add soy sauce and brown sugar. Transfer to a Vitamix blender; purée.

To Assemble and Serve:
Coat one side of toast with labneh. Arrange Kimchi on top. Garnish with XO sauce. Finish with sesame and cilantro. 

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