Growing up in the ’80s as a half Korean and half white kid in Southern California, the TV shows, dolls and demographics of my neighborhood didn’t reflect me or my reality. Physically, I did not look like I was enough of one side to hide comfortably behind those features. As a child, I longed to fit in, to be as unremarkable as the white bread sandwiches my classmates brought for lunch. Instead, my mother lovingly packed me bentos filled with rice and bulgogi, meals rich in flavor and culture, but as glaringly out of place as I felt in my elementary school lunchroom. The wrinkled noses and pointed fingers from classmates were more than my 7-year-old self could bear. Heaven forbid she included kimchi — its pungent aroma drawing notice like a spotlight illuminating my failure to blend in.
As an adult, I have come to celebrate my personal distinctiveness on many different levels. I finally understand: I don’t have to choose. I now love to share recipes and food ideas with my friends and neighbors, and expand their food universe. Grilled cheese, a staple and a classic, can be brought to a new level by adding some kimchi. Mackerel, an extremely sustainable fish beloved by Korean communities, is often overlooked here, but it’s easy to grill. When we have steak for dinner, I also set out the ingredients for ssam (rice, lettuce and ssamjang dipping sauce) and soju is always a good idea for a happy hour at my house. These small acts of tweaking recipes reminds me that being different isn’t just OK — it’s worth celebrating and sharing with loved ones.
I created this dish as an entry in the Are you Feeling Saucy? sauce competition and annual fundraiser for Redwood Coast Montessori. At first glance, Alfredo and kimchi don’t seem to make sense paired together — not traditional sense. For this dish, I took the best of both worlds — two iconic sets of flavors and textures — to create something that is both familiar and unexpected. Sharing this dish with our school community was a way for me to give my kids the chance to be proud of their identity as Korean Americans and all the possibilities that includes. I want them and all kids to know that they are not bound to a single, static identity, and they should be uncompromising in their own authenticity.
And yes, my sauce won.
The recipe below can be adjusted for heat and creaminess, and the gochujang (fermented red pepper paste), gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) and kimchi can all be found at Little Japan in Eureka (2848 F St.).
This year, the Are You Feeling Saucy? fundraiser will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center. Tickets include a dinner of pastas with a variety of unique (competing!) sauces, salad, bread and dessert ($20, $15 kids, free for ages 0-6). Gluten-free options will be available, along with beer and wine for purchase. There will also be a silent auction and Dutch raffle, with live music by Luciano Marazzo.
Come hungry and ready to enjoy a night of culinary creativity while supporting our local school community. Tickets and entry forms are available at redwoodcoastmontessori.org.
Kimchi Alfredo
If you prefer extra sauce, increase the heavy cream slightly (up to 1 ¼ cups). Spice levels can be adjusted by modifying the amount of gochugaru and gochujang.
Ingredients:
4-6 thin slices bacon or pork belly (about 2–3 ounces)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon gochujang (fermented red pepper paste)
½ cup kimchi (finely chopped)
3-4 tablespoons kimchi juice
¼ medium white onion, finely chopped or grated (about ¼ cup)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces cream cheese (about ¼ of a standard block), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon green onions, chopped, for garnish
1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish
6–8 ounces dry noodles of your choice (dry weight, about half a standard package)
Boil noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside,
In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the bacon or pork belly over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove and set aside.
In the remaining fat, sauté the white onion over medium heat until translucent. Add kimchi and a splash of kimchi juice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 2 minutes).
Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and cream cheese. Mix until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated. Add gochugaru, gochujang and garlic, stirring until evenly combined.
Return the bacon or pork belly to the pot and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to prevent scorching.
Toss the cooked noodles in the sauce, ensuring they’re well-coated. Top with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Susann Goodman (she/her) has been adding kimchi to things since 1980.
This article appears in Sanctuary in the Storm.