Beans, Kimchi—and French Onion Soup?

Delicious unorthodoxy in a piping hot bowl

Well, I dislocated my shoulder early at the start of this week. This alarmed me and required a visit to the ER, but otherwise hasn’t been nearly as bad as I’d have expected. I got lucky in that there seems to be little real damage.

That said, it sure slowed me down in the kitchen. I’ve been having one of those empathy building experiences — such as when I was on crutches for a few months and trying to get around this “walker friendly” city — that reminded me to appreciate all the things that are so easy take for granted in the autodrive motions of daily life. (Cooking with one arm, especially when it’s not your good one, is not easy.)

On top of that, it’s been such a cold January. Nothing has been more appetizing that soupy and stewy things that satisfy on a primal level with deep-reaching flavor. Even better if there’s a melted cheese component.

So today’s recipe has been floating around in my head all winter, taking inspiration from bowls of French onion baked beans, searingly hot cauldrons of sundubu jjigae, an oozy grilled cheese sandwich with kimchi layered in, and simple bowls of brothy beans.

It’s a real bastard child recipe, but it is a tasty one, and will hit your 30 grams of protein target if that’s what you’re aiming for. As always, there are lots of tips for customizing below.

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Broiled Cheesy Kimchi Beans