Kimchi, kale, spinach and chèvre in a crusty, flaky buttery pastry topped with an egg – who can resist such a plethora of flavours? This delightful dance of sweet/savoury, rich/acidic, chewy/flaky and hearty galette is my interpretation of Omurice. I was inspired by this childhood favourite comfort dish originally from Japan. Omurice is essentially fried rice crowned with a paper thin omelette, with ketchup slathered atop. Koreans have adapted it by adding kimchi (of course), along with a mish-mash of proteins, seafood or veggies in the rice. Omurice can really be made of anything. So long as it’s fried rice blanketed by an omelette. Its name is a quintessential example of Gairaigo which basically means a transvocalization. ‘Omu’ for omelette, and ‘raisu’ for rice.
Being of both Korean and Japanese descent, I’ve had my fair share of this delicious comfort food growing up. Natively, it is not considered the most elevated of foods, but is nevertheless a staple in households across Japan and South Korea because it’s so easy to make, filling and versatile. My mother never made the same type twice. Her omurice would always start off with day-old rice, some chopped up kimchi, then basically whatever left-overs could be scrounged up from the fridge. My favourite part was always the perfect omelette that crowned the dome of “mystery rice.” I loved drawing figures or even simple landscapes with ketchup to adorn the eggy yellow canvas. In retrospect, my mother was brilliant – so long as I was distracted with my ketchup art, she’d be able to sneak in all kinds of random ingredients into the rice that I would normally turn my nose up at. And I’d eat it being none the wiser.
As an homage to my clever mother and her “Trojan Horse” omurice, I created this galette that presents beautifully, and yet secretly holds “convenient” ingredients (in other words, whatever is lying around in the fridge). Being married to a Belgian, there is always cheese and deli meats in the fridge. And of course…I am never without kimchi! The chèvre here could easily be replaced with any other type of cheese like feta, bocconcini or even ricotta. For the meat eaters in the family, add a bit of pancetta, or bacon or even prosciutto. As for the veg…anything leafy that can sustain a bake without wilting too much. Just make sure you have kimchi. And of course, top with an egg (and for a more delicate presentation use quail eggs). Serve with a side salad or soup and it makes for a perfect brunch or dinner.
This galette I have to admit is one of my fave bakes so far. It’s spicy, flaky, and buttery…It doesn’t get any better than this. In fact I think I need to make this again tonight – my family never seems to tire of this fun yet hearty and delicious creation.
For days when I’m in the mood for clean eating and going fully plant-based (usually after a big family feast over the holidays), I opt for a vegan version of my omurice-inspired galette. Topped with sweet potato match stick fries and a dollop of plant based cashew cheese, the vegan version is just as scrumptious.
Whether you make your omurice-inspired galette with a shmorgishborg of meats and leftovers or go completely vegan, one thing is certain…they’ll be delicious and gobbled up in no time.
Bon app!
Vegan Kimchi Galette with Cashew Cheese and Sweet Potato Match Stick fries
Vegan Kimchi Galette
Vegan Kimchi Galette
Vegan version followed by pancetta version below.
- 260 g or 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt (only if using unsalted vegan butter)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/3 cup ice cold water
- 226 g or 1 cup cold vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil or olive oil
- 650 g or 3 cups kimchi cut into pieces about 1inch wide *
- 200 g or 6 leaves of fresh green kale fine julienne cut (shred cut)
- 200 g or 3 very generous handfuls of spinach (cut smaller if large spinach)
- 50 g or 1/2 a purple onion cut julienne or diced is fine too
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang (red chili paste) or sub with 1 1/2 tablespoon of siracha
- 60 grams or 2 large dollops creamy vegan cheese(I used creamy cashew swiss cheese)
- 110 grams or half a sweet potato skinned and chopped into into thin strips
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 stems sallions
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
- DIRECTIONS FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH
- 1 Grate (on largest hole on box grater) the cold vegan butter on parchment paper on small tray or dish and pop in freezer uncovered
- 2 In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder and soda…whisk, set aside
- 3 Gather all your ingredients and chop/dice the galette filling ingredients while you wait for the butter to chill
- Back to the dough
- 1 In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup cold water, vinegar
- 2 Take the chilled butter and toss in with the flour until for about 2 minutes until the mixture resembles large coarse breadcrumbs
- 3 Drizzle the water/vinegar/egg mixture over the flour/butter/lard mix and toss the mixture together with a spatula
- 4 Don't overwork...You want to maintain the chunks of butter - it will look dry…don’t worry…
- 5 Dump out onto large piece of parchment paper and fold the dough over using the paper, about 5 or 6 times using a misting spray with cold water to spritz extra dry parts in between folds ...if you don't have a misting spray, use little droplets of cold water
- 6 The dough should now hold its form (a few dry spots and seeing the chunks of butter is okay...)
- 7 Divide dough into 2 equal flat discs and double wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
- DIRECTIONS GALETTE FILLING
- 1 Meanwhile on a large skillet add the sesame seed oil on medium high and fry up the purple onions
- 2 After 1-2 minutes and once the onions have slightly softened, add the Kimchi and fry stirring every so often for another 2 minutes
- 3 Stir in the gochujang
- 4 Turn off stove top and add the kale and spinach and stir altogether
- 5 Take tongs and shake access juices and spread out onto shallow large plate or tray lined with parchment paper and pop into fridge to excelerate the cooling
- 6 Save the juices from the pan in a small bowl and set aside
- ASSEMBLING THE GALETTES
- 1 Take dough discs out from fridge and let them warm up a couple minutes
- 2 Preheat the oven to 425 F and put shelves on top third and bottom third of oven
- 3 Line 2 baking trays or 1 large tray with parchment paper
- 4 On a cold floured counter, roll out the dough discs into about 15 inch circles.
- 5 Transfer to the baking trays
- 6 Spread about a quarter of the cooled kimchi filling on each pastry dough in the centre leaving about 2 inches of the edge.
- 7 Fold over the edges of the dough
- 8 Bake for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown
- 1 While the galettes are baking, heat a heavy sauce pan with vegetable oil to about 350F
- 2 Dust sweet potato matchsticks with corn starch and fry for 3 minutes or until slightly golden orange and remove from oil onto papertowel and dust with salt and pepper to taste
- 3 sliver the scallions and lightly spread around in centre of galette
- 4 Create a well/nest on top of the scallions in centre of galette with the sweet potato match stick fries
- 5 Add a large dollop of the cashew cheese in centre of the match stick fries
- 6 drizzle the juices collected earlier and sprinkle with seasame seeds
- *Kimchi is sold both vegetarian version and non vegetarian (seafood)
- 260 g or 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/3 cup ice cold water
- 1/2 an egg beaten (save the other half beaten egg for the pastry wash later)
- 100 g or 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening
- 115 g or 1/2 cup unsalted cold butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil or olive oil
- 650 g or 3 cups kimchi cut into pieces about 1inch wide
- 150 g or 6 large leaves of fresh green kale roughly chopped and stems removed (Substitutes: collard greens, cabbage or chard)
- 150 g or 4 very generous handfuls of spinach (cut smaller if large leafed spinach)
- 50 g or 1/2 a purple onion cut julienne or diced is fine too
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang (red chili paste) or sub with 1 tablespoon of siracha
- 125 g chevre cheese (goats cheese)
- 4 eggs
- Grate (on largest hole on box grater) the cold butter on a parchment paper on small tray or dish.
- Cut the shortening into small 1 cm cubes and add to the grated butter. Put in freezer uncovered for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder and mix well, set aside.
- Gather all your filling ingredients and chop/dice and toss together in a bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together1/3 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1/2 egg and set aside.
- Take the now chilled shortening and butter and toss in with the flour until the mixture resembles large coarse breadcrumbs.
- Drizzle the water/vinegar/egg mixture over the flour/butter/lard mix and toss the mixture together with a spatula.
- Don't overwork...You want to maintain the chunks of butter and shortening.
- Dump out onto large piece of parchment paper and fold the dough over using the paper, about 5 or 6 times using a misting spray with water to spritz. extra dry parts in between folds ...if you don't have a misting spray, use little droplets of cold water.
- The dough should now hold its form (a few dry spots and seeing the chunks of butter/shortening is good...)
- Divide dough into 4 flat discs and double wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F
- Take dough discs out from fridge and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- On a cold floured counter, roll out the dough discs into about 12 inch circles.
- Transfer to the baking trays
- Toss 3 tablespoons of gochujang together with your bowl of galette fillings.
- Spread the filling between the 4 pastry dough discs in the centre leaving about 2 inches of the edge.
- Sprinkle some chèvre
- Fold over the edges of the dough
- Brush on the other half of the whisked egg onto the dough crust
- Refrigerate galettes for 15 minutes
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown
- Remove trays from oven, create a small well in the middle of the galette with a spoon and crack an egg carefully into the middle
- Cook for another 5 minutes until the egg whites have settled.
- Sprinkle with some chili flakes or scallions (optional)
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