Korean Bing Bread
Chef-owners Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute Restaurant
Chicago
At Parachute restaurant in Chicago, chewy, crisp bing bread is a Korean specialty made with potatoes. It’s served warm in a cast-iron pan straight out of the oven. Topped with bacon bits, scallions and sesame seeds, this cheesy bread encapsulates a fusion of Asian and American elements complete with a smear of sour cream butter.
Ingredients
Soy glaze
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. water
1/2 tbsp. sugar
Bread
2 cups warm water (105 F)
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
3-4 cups of all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup flour for kneading
3 cups potatoes, skin on, diced into ½-in. pieces
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 slices nitrite-free smoked bacon, cut into chunks and ground through coarse die of meat grinder
3 cups sliced green onions, sliced 1/8-in. thick
2 cups diced white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
6 tbsp. white sesame seeds
Sour cream butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Steps
1. For soy glaze: In small bowl, mix together soy, water and sugar until dissolved. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, mix sugar, salt and yeast. Add warm water and dissolve mixture with a rubber spatula. Gradually mix in 3 to 4 cups flour until dough comes together. Cover bowl with plastic and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, toss diced potatoes with sesame oil, canola oil and salt. Roast in oven until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
4. In large saute pan, render bacon over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until bacon becomes golden, but not all the way crispy. Strain, reserving fat to recrisp bread later in the day.
5. After 1 1/2 hours, knead dough gently until smooth (using extra flour to avoid sticking, but not so much that dough becomes stiff) for about 20 turns. Portion into 6 balls and keep covered with plastic. Roll each ball into 9-inch circle and rub with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon canola oil until completely covered.
6. Over each dough circle, sprinkle 1/4 cup rendered bacon bits, 1/3 cup diced, roasted potatoes, 1/4 cup diced white cheddar and 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions.
7. Roll dough into a cylinder or jelly roll, pinching edges and pinching the finished edge. Spiral cylinder carefully on top of itself and gently pat down into a 6-inch circle.
8. Preheat mini cast iron pans on medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil to each pan and gently slide in bread dough. Turn heat to low. Brush soy glaze mixture on dough with a pastry brush; sprinkle 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds evenly over top. Cover pan with another pan to steam.
9. After 8 to 10 minutes, when bread is golden, flip over and place into 350 F oven. Bake until center is clean when poked through and bottom is evenly golden. Remove and rest on rack
10. Meanwhile, prepare sour cream butter: In a food processor, combine unsalted softened butter, sour cream and salt until completely smooth.
11. To serve, in 400 F oven, recrisp each bread with 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, flipping after 3 minutes on each side. Cut warm bread into wedges and serve with a smear of sour cream butter.
Photo courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission