Korean Steamed Eggs with Garlic Scallion Confit

Known as Gyeran-jjim, Steamed Eggs are a popular Korean dish for their velvety custard mouthfeel brimming with an umami flavor profile. The Garlic Scallion Confit brings this variation to new levels.

To make the confit:

Ingredients:

⅓ cup of garlic cloves, 2/3rds sliced thinly, 1/3rd whole cloves
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallion greens (approx 8-10 scallions)
1 tsp gochugaru (adjust to your heat preference)
⅓ cup neutral oil (rice bran oil)
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Place all the ingredients in a heatproof dish, making sure that the ingredients are fully submerged under the oil.
Cover with foil and cook for 1 hr. Uncover, stir, then recover and cook for an additional hour. Place in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

To make the steamed eggs:

(Recipe adapted from Korean Bapsang)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1 cup anchovy broth or dashi broth
2-3 scallion greens
½ tsp fish sauce
salt
pepper
gochugaru (optional)
1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions:

Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat. Then, in order to get a silkier texture, pour it through a strainer into a bowl, using a spoon to help push the beaten eggs through.
Add the scallions, fish sauce, salt, pepper, and gochugaru (if using) to the eggs and stir together. Rub the sesame oil on the inside of a traditional Korean stoneware pot (ddukbaegi) and pour in your egg mixture.
Place on top of the stove on medium heat. Cover until the bottom begins to set, then lower the temperature to low and stir the eggs. Cover and let cook, checking every 2-3 minutes to stir and recover. The eggs should be cooked in approximately 7 minutes.
To serve, spoon some garlic scallion confit overthe steamed eggs.
*Note: If you do not have a ddukbaegi or stoneware pot, you can steam the eggs in oiled ramekins in a covered water bath instead.

RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING BY VEDA SANKARAN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BRYCE