Premium European food campaign unveils two Korean fusion recipes

The Premium European Products campaign has introduced two recipes blending European ingredients with Korean culinary traditions, developed in collaboration with chef and culinary researcher Song Bo-ra. The dishes incorporate Greek Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products and premium Latvian food items — all produced using nature-friendly methods — into Korean fusion cooking.

The campaign is co-funded by the EU and organized by the Latvian Dairy Council and the Greek National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives.

The two recipes are mukeunji cottage tofu noodles and soy sauce pork steak.

Mukeunji cottage tofu noodles

The mukeunji cottage tofu noodles dish pairs aged kimchi with mild, creamy European cottage cheese and light tofu noodles. The deep fermented flavors of traditional Korean kimchi complement the smooth texture of the European dairy product.

140g mukeunji (aged kimchi), 200g tofu noodles, 160g shrimp, 40g sebal namul (sea sandwort), 2 tbsp PDO Greek extra virgin olive oil, 80g Latvian cottage cheese, 3 tbsp tangerine balsamic vinegar, 1/3 tsp paprika seasoning, 1g salt, pepper to taste

1. Rinse the mukeunji under running water, pat dry and cut into pieces roughly 5mm by 4cm.

2. Devein the shrimp and pat dry. Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and stir-fry the shrimp and mukeunji together for about two minutes, adding the paprika seasoning at the end.

3. Rinse the sebal namul and drain well.

4. Rinse the tofu noodles with water, then combine with the sebal namul in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to mix.

5. Plate the tofu noodle mixture, then top with cottage cheese and the stir-fried mukeunji and shrimp. Drizzle with tangerine balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Soy sauce pork steak

The soy sauce pork steak is a Korean-style steak that layers the deep umami of traditional soy sauce with the subtle sweetness of Latvian fruit syrup. Latvian dried fruit — produced naturally without artificial additives — is also incorporated into the dish.

Main: 600g pork neck, 150g water spinach, 9 cherry tomatoes, 30g garlic, 150g PDO Graviera cheese

Sauce: 3 tbsp Latvian fruit syrup, 3 tbsp PDO Greek extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp salted fermented shrimp, 1½ tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp pepper

Garnish: 9 mini cabbages, 30g Latvian dried cranberries, 1g dried hot pepper, 10g Latvian fruit syrup, 20g apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp PDO Greek extra virgin olive oil, 30g butter, salt to taste

1. Combine the fruit syrup, olive oil, salted fermented shrimp, soy sauce and pepper to make the marinade. Coat the pork and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Cut the water spinach stems into 5cm lengths and halve the leaves. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the garlic to 3mm thickness. Cut the Graviera cheese into 2cm cubes.

3. Halve the mini cabbages and blanch them with the dried cranberries in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, place the mini cabbages cut-side down along with the dried hot pepper and cook until lightly golden. Finish by adding the dried cranberries, fruit syrup and apple cider vinegar.

4. Heat olive oil in a pan, add the sliced garlic and stir-fry briefly. Add the water spinach stems and cherry tomatoes and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the leaves and 2 tbsp of the soy sauce marinade and stir-fry.

5. Heat olive oil in a separate pan, add the marinated pork and sear over high heat, then reduce the heat and cook both sides carefully to avoid burning the marinade. Slice into serving-size pieces and plate alongside the garnish, stir-fried water spinach and Graviera cheese.

Recipes provided by chef and culinary researcher Song Bo-ra