Foods Of The World

2010-02-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

This variation of the traditional Salade Nicoise is inspired by a recipe in the New Mayo Clinic Cookbook. This recipe uses green beans instead of lettuce and salmon instead of canned oil-packed tuna.

SALADE NICOISE
Serves 4
1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1 teaspoon Fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon salt, separated
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound haricots verts, or small green beans, trimmed
4 5-ounce salmon filets
1/2 cup olives, Nicoise or Kalamata, pitted and halved
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
6 anchovy filets, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf
(Italian) parsley

Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, then preheat it to 425 degrees. In a large baking pan toss together potatoes, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the rosemary, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Roast for about 35 minutes, shaking the pan periodically, until the potatoes are browned and crunchy on the edges.

While the potatoes cook, add the tablespoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Cook green beans until crisp-tender, rinse with cold water and set aside. Remove potatoes from oven when done and set aside.

Brush salmon with olive oil and sprinkle on remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Grill or broil to preferred doneness. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the olives, garlic, anchovies, capers, thyme, lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil the roasted potatoes and the beans. Toss gently until well combined. Divide among 4 plates, then place salmon on top. Garnish with parsley.

STEAMED MUSSELS
Serves 2
PERSILLADE

1 bunch Italian parsley

3 large cloves garlic

MUSSELS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons persillade (see recipe)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds fresh, live mussels, scrubbed and debearded (about 24 medium)

1 1/2 cups white wine

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

To make the persillade: Finely chop the parsley, leaves only. Set aside. Finely chop the garlic. Mix garlic with parsley and chop to incorporate. Transfer into a small container, cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes Ð cup. (Mix leftover persillade with butter and/or olive oil and slather on bread for garlic bread. Persillade will keep for several days if refrigerated.)

In a small bowl, mix the butter and three tablespoons of the persillade. Set aside.

To steam the mussels: In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over high heat for about three minutes. Add the mussels to the oil all at once, tossing or stirring to coat with oil. Pour in the wine and the butter mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 10 minutes. (Discard mussels that don't open when cooked.) Divide the mussels among four deep soup bowls. Pour the cooking liquid over them and serve immediately.

PAN BAGNAT
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
2 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 6-ounce cans tuna packed in olive oil, undrained
Lemon juice to taste
8 ripe tomato slices
6 hard-boiled eggs slices
Nicoise or Kalamata olives, pitted
4 anchovy fillets, drained
Combine the red onion with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl.

Mix everything together thoroughly. Work in both cans of tuna in olive oil, including the oil. Season with fresh lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, and salt, then add pepper to taste.

Cut baguette in half crosswise and remove some of the bread to form a trough down the middle. Drizzle each half with olive oil, then put in the tuna mixture. Top with sliced tomatoes, egg, olives and anchovies.

On top of each lettuce layer, arrange 4 tomato slices (skip this step if you don't have good -- really good -- tomatoes on hand). Then add about half the tuna mixture and 3 to 4 slices of hard-boiled egg.

Press the sandwich closed, wrap firmly in wax paper and allow to sit, preferably at room temperature, for two hours before eating.

Brie and Heirloom Tomato Omelet

2010-02-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here is my rustic version of all time favorite omelet. I was in Las Vegas for a convention years ago. After a few days of recycled and smoky air and awful convention food, I hopped into the fine looking Pinot, adjacent to the convention hall, for a promising breakfast treat.

There, I had my very first brie and tomato omelet. Just the first bite, I was already feeling happier, my grumpy tummy was smiling and grateful. The omelet was refine and delicate. I suspected it cooked in low heat to have an even buttery color. There were no brown spots on the surface. It was flawless. The combinations of the simple ingredients were just absolutely heavenly and unforgettable.

3 tablespoons of butter
3 eggs
A splash of milk, I prefer 2%
1 small heirloom tomato of your favorite type, cut in small cubes.
A few cubes of your favorite Brie. I love Pont-l’Evêque for the smooth, creamy yellow texture and the exquisite aroma and flavour.
Salt and pepper

Whisk eggs and the splash the milk with a little salt and pepper in a bowl. For a fluffier omelet, whisk the mixture until it is frothy.

With medium heat, heat a heavy bottom pan, coat the pan with butter; make sure the pan does not get too hot. Butter burns quickly.

Pour in the egg mixture in the pan and cover the pan completely.

Just when the edges are browned, spread brie and tomato on half of the egg.

Flip the other side of the egg to cover brie and tomato.

Remove pan from heat. Let the omelet rest in the pan for few more seconds so brie will be fully melted.

Remove from jennifer, serve, and enjoy!!!

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

2010-01-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, masking the more delicate flavors. Here it contains a bountiful amount of mushrooms and is served over chicken breasts.

Ingredients

* 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tips & Techniques)
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
* 1 medium shallot, minced
* 1 cup(s) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
* 2 tablespoon(s) dry vermouth, or dry white wine
* 1/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
* 2 tablespoon(s) minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

Directions

1. Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Tips & Techniques

It's difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast — the "tender" — removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers.

Sole with Lemon Cream

2010-01-21T23:49:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoon(s) butter
* 2 pound(s) sole fillets, cut to make 4 pieces
* 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup(s) flour
* 3/4 cup(s) heavy cream
* Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
* 1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
* 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Sprinkle the sole with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Dust the sole with the flour and shake off any excess. Put the sole in the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 2 minutes longer. Remove the sole from the pan.

2. Add the cream and lemon zest to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and parsley. Serve the sauce over the fish.

3. Fish Alternatives: Other members of the flounder family, such as sand dab or fluke, will go well with the sauce, as will such mild fish fillets as trout, hake, or whiting.

4. Wine Recommendation: A ripe, full-flavored chardonnay with oak overtones will be well suited to the richness of this creamy dish. Try a bottle from California or Australia.

Steamed Mussels in a Tomato and Fennel Broth with Perfect French Fries

2010-01-21T23:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 ounces small diced pancetta
* 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fennel
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced medium onion
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 cup Pernod or dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 2 cups peeled and small diced tomato concasse
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
* 2 tablespoons anise flavored liqueur (recommended: Pernod)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Set a very large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the pancetta and render until crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the fennel and saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and shallots and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the and saute for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with Pernod or white wine. Reduce the Pernod until nearly evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomato concasse, salt and crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and anise liqueur to the pan and stir once, cover with a lid, and cook until the mussels just begin to open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the basil and parsley and stir the mussels. Serve the mussels in large, deep bowls, and serve with French fries on the side.

For the French Fries:

* 4 large russet or kinnebec potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1/4-inch thick batons
* 2 quarts peanut oil
* Salt and pepper

Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

In a deep-fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees F. Be sure not to fill the oil beyond the maximum fill line.

Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use the basket to carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Aloo Pie (Trinidad)

2009-03-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

Description
Ingredients

* 2 Cups Flour
* 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
* 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
* 1 Cup Water
* Olive Oil
* 4 Cups Water
* 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
* 1 Pound Potato -- peeled and cubed
* 1 Small Onion -- finely chopped
* 2 Cloves Garlic -- finely chopped
* 1 Large Green Onion -- finely chopped
* 2 Teaspoons Cumin
* 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala
* 1 Large Jalapeno -- finely chopped
* Salt And Pepper -- to taste
* Oil -- for deep frying

Directions Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Add enough water to form a dough and knead. Rub a little oil over dough and let rest while preparing filling. Bring water to a boil. Add salt and potatoes. Boil until tender. Drain. While still hot, mash with onion, garlic, green onion, cumin, masala, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Divide dough into 6 parts and knead for 1 minute to form a smooth ball. Let rest 5 minutes. Heat oil in saucepan. Roll out 1 portion of dough on a floured surface into a circle 5 inches in diameter. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle and fold into a semicircle. Seal and deep fry until golden on all sides. Drain and serve.

Baked Onion Chicken Thighs with Umeboshi and Shiso

2008-11-21T20:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for the baking dish
1 large onion, minced
sea salt
fresh coarsely ground black pepper
10 umeboshi, pitted
20 shiso leaves, chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved
splash of sake
1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Serves 2 or 3

Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and shiso is a natural and traditional combination in Japan (especially in sushi), but the sauteed onions blended into the mixture give it a new and satisfying depth that permeates the chicken. Wonderful with hot rice, miso soup, and a small flask of chilled sake.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). In a heavy skillet over high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, add the onion, and liberally salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Place the onion in the blender and add the umeboshi, shiso, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and blend (also add as much sake as the blender needs to do its work). Reserve about 3 tablespoons of this mixture in a small bowl.

In the same skillet, heat up the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil over maximum heat and fry the chicken until brown spots begin to appear. Transfer the chicken and the blended onion mixture to a large bowl and mix.

Apply or spray some olive oil to a baking dish, transfer the chicken to it, and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken, mix the reserved sauce through it, and return it to the oven for another few minutes before serving.

Serve on a warm plate, topped off with the chopped shiso.

Buri no Teriyaki

2008-09-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: (for 4 servings)

4 pieces of buri, Marinating sauce (tare): 1/2 cup soy sauce,1/2 cup mirin, 1/2 cup daikon oroshi (grated raddish).

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Preparation:

Wash fish. Pat dry.
Mix Soy sauce and mirin. Marinate buri for 1 hour.
Make tare sauce. Mix ingredients, boil, turn off heat.
How to make:

Remove buri, drain excess liquid.
Place fish skin side up on cutting board to keep flat. Skew sticks lengthwise into both sides of fish.
Pre-heat broiling net to prevent sticking.
Grill skin side down 1 minute on a medium fire.when cooked, turn over using skewers.
Cook other side Brush on tare sauce about 3 times each side.
Remove skewers. Place buri skin side down on plates.
Add daikon oroshi.
oven cooking: Place buri on grill. Brush tare sauce both sides Do not turn over.

skewering buri

Gyoza

2008-08-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Gyoza is originally a Chinese dish, which has become very popular across Japan. This recipe shows how to make the gyoza dough and the gyoza filling. The time consuming and difficult part of making of the dough can be skipped by buying premade dough pieces, which are available at some Japanese and Chinese grocery stores.

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Ingredients:

(for 30 Gyoza)

Dough:
170 mL water
200 g strong flour

Filling:
200 g ground pork
Cabbage
Nira*: can be substituted by leek or green onion

Leek or Green onion
Garlic
Ginger
Sake*
Soya sauce, salt, and pepper
Sesame oil

Dipping Sauce:
Soya sauce
Vinegar
* This ingredient may not be available in Western supermarkets, but you should be able to find it in Japanese grocery stores that exist in most large European and American cities.

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Preparation:

Dough:

Mix the water and the flour to a dough that should not be sticky but as soft as an ear lobe.

Put a wet towel over the dough, and let it stand for several minutes.
Separate the dough in 30 pieces, and form each of them to very thin discs with a diameter of about 10 cm. The middle of each disc should be a little bit thicker than the edge.

Filling:
Cut some green, outer cabbage leaves, some green onion (or leek), nira, ginger, and garlic in very small pieces. The amount of these ingredients should equal the amount of meat. Do it as you like.
Put some salt on the cabbage, and let it stand for five minutes. Then press the water out of the cabbage pieces.
Mix the cabbage, green onion (or leek), nira, ginger, garlic, and the ground pork all together, and add some salt, pepper, soya sauce, sake, and sesame oil. Mix it all very well.

Making and frying the Gyoza:
Put some of the filling onto a piece of dough. Remember that the filling should suffice for 30 gyoza pieces.

Moisten the edge of the dough with water. Moisten only a semicircle, not all the way around.

Close the gyoza. While closing it, fold the edge about 6 times as shown on the image.

Put the gyoza on the table as shown in the image.

Fry the Gyoza in a little bit of hot oil until the bottom is brownish, then add water so that the gyoza are in the water with about half of their hight.
Keep the high heat and wait until all the water has vaporized. Then remove the gyoza from the heat.
Dipping sauce: Mix the same amounts of soya sauce and vinegar together.

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Serving and eating:

Eat gyoza pieces after dipping them in the dipping sauce.

General information:

In China dumplins are usually eaten either steamed, fried or in a soup. Japanese gyoza, however, are usually fried. There are many kinds of fillings used, e.g. with different seafood instead of the meat, other vegetable, etc.

Preparing jumbo shrimp for nigiri-zushi

2008-02-11T17:33:00.000-08:00

jumbo shrimp

This is the method to use when preparing jumbo shrimp (king prawns) for sushi. It will cook them the appropriate amount of time and prevent them from curling.

1. Wash shrimp under running water and cut off heads.

Insert a bamboo skewer or long toothpick along shrimp from head to tail, running along legs of shrimp without touching flesh.

Drop shrimp into a pot of salted, boiling water (use enough salt to make it taste like seawater). Boiling shrimp in salted water keeps protein in shrimp. They will sink to bottom and after 3 to 5 minutes will change color and rise to top. (Do not use a lid, or a strong smell of shrimp will remain.)

To check that they are cooked, remove one shrimp from water and squeeze gently. If inside is firm, it is cooked.

Quickly place shrimp in ice water. This gives them a good color and stops flesh from shrinking and becoming hard. When shrimp are cold, remove from ice water and place in a colander.

To remove skewer, use a screwing motion to avoid breaking flesh.

Remove shell from around body, but not tail.
2. To make butterfly cut, lay shrimp down with tail away from you, then cut from head to tail along belly with knife only going halfway in.

3. Use the knife or your fingers to open out and flatten shrimp carefully, without breaking the flesh.

Remove vein and rinse shrimp with mildly salted water. Lay on paper towels to drain.

Note: For sushi rolls and chirashi-zushi, remove tails and cut shrimp in half lengthwise, or leave whole.

Crabmeat with Wasabi Mayonnaise

2008-02-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon salt
8 fresh Alaskan (snow) crab sticks
ice water, for chilling
4 strips of daikon 4 inches by 1/2 inch (10cm by 12mm)
16 long chives, stemmed
1/4 punnet mustard cress
For wasabi mayonnaise:
1 3/4 oz (50g) light mayonnaise
1/3 oz (10g) wasabi
Serves 4

Okonomiyaki

2007-11-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

Okonomiyaki is a mixture between pancake and pizza. "Okonomi" means "as you like". This refers to the ingredients.

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Ingredients:

Dough
300 g flour
210 ml water
2 eggs
Cabbage
Possible ingredients to put into/onto Okonomiyaki
Katsuobushi*: Dried, shaved benito (katsuo)

Aonori*: Green, dried seaweed.

Leek or green onion
Beef: thinly sliced or ground
Pork: thinly sliced or ground
Chicken: breast filets
Octopus*
Squid*
Prawn
Tuna
Mushrooms
and much more...
Sauces
Brown okonomiyaki sauce*
Mayonnaise

* May not be available in Western supermarkets; but you should be able to find it in Japanese grocery stores that exist in most large European and American cities.

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Preparation:

Cut four large, green cabbage leaves without the hard, white core in thin strings (ca. 4 mm).

Mix the water, flour, eggs and the cabbage strings together.
You may now add more ingredients to the dough: e.g. seafood, cut in little pieces, ground meat, cut mushrooms, etc.
Fry the dough like a pancake in a small frying pan.

Before turning the okonomiyaki over, and while the dough is still quite soft, you may put other ingredients on top of the dough.

Turn the okonomiyaki.
When fried well, serve the okonomiyaki with katsuobushi, aonori, mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce.

Tuna and Daikon Spaghetti

2007-09-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

It's a simple Japanese-style spaghetti with tuna and daikon radishes.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 lb. spaghetti
4-5 inches daikon radishes
2 small cans of tuna
4 tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp butter
2 tsps salt
PREPARATION:
Peel the daikon radish and grate it. Boil water in a large pan and add salt in the pan. Add spaghetti in the boiling water. Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Put butter over the spagetti and stir lightly.

Serve the spaghetti into plates. Place tuna and grated daikon on top of the spaghetti. Pour soy sauce over the toppings.
*Makes 4 servings

Shogayaki (Fried Ginger Pork) easy to make recipe.

2007-08-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

Shogayaki is a great little dish that has sustained popularity throughout Japan where it is eaten with rice at lunch or dinner time. As the name suggests, the main ingredients is ginger which combined with pork makes for a light meal that will provide you with plenty of energy - perfect for summer time!

Ingredients - Serves 2 people
Pork slice - 8 slices (100g)
Ginger - one small piece
Soy sauce - 2 tablespoons
Sugar - 1 and half tablespoons
Sake (Liquor) - 1 and half tablespoons *
Mirin (sweet sake used as seasoning) - 1 tablespoons *

* Sake and Mirin can be found at your local Japanese food shop.

Step 1 - PrepareIn preparation, in order to make the ginger sauce, add all the ingredients together, with exception for the pork making sure to peel and grate the ginger into the sauce.

Step 2 - Soak PorkNow that you have prepared the sauce, add in the slices of pork. Slowly mix all the ingredients together and leave the pork to soak thoroughly in the sauce for approximately 10 minutes, allowing the flavour to penetrate through.

Step 3 - Heat and serveFinally, pour a small amount of oil into a heated frying pan and add the pork. Once the pork has browned nicely, remove from the pan. Now add the remaining sauce into the pan and boil for a few seconds, then add the pork with the sauce and mix together for a short while.

Tip: Please heat the pork and ginger sauce separately as if they are heated together it is more easy to burn the ginger sauce.

Sushi Information

2007-07-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

Encyclopedia
In Japanese cuisine, sushi (most commonly 寿司, but also 鮨 or 鮓) is a food made of vinegared rice combined with various toppings or fillings.

In Japan the word sushi refers to a broad range of foods prepared with sumeshi (酢飯) or sushi meshi (寿司飯), vinegared rice. Sushi toppings or fillings can include seafood, meat, vegetables, mushrooms or egg, Sushi toppings may be raw, cooked, or marinated. In the Western world, sushi is often misunderstood to mean clumps of rice topped with raw fish (nigiri), or even simply raw seafood, which is properly called sashimi.

There are various types of sushi. Sushi served rolled in nori (seaweed), is called maki (rolls). Sushi made with toppings laid onto hand-formed clumps of rice is called nigiri; sushi made with toppings stuffed into a small pouch of tofu is called inari; and sushi made with toppings served scattered over a bowl of sushi rice are called chirashi-zushi, or "scattered sushi."

Types of sushi
The common ingredient in all the different kinds of sushi is sushi rice. Variety arises in the choice of the fillings and toppings, the other condiments, and in the manner they are put together. The same ingredients may be assembled in various different ways:

Nigiri-zushi (hand-formed sushi). 握り寿司. Arguably the most typical form of sushi at restaurants, it consists of an oblong mound of sushi rice which is pressed between the palms of the hands, with a speck of wasabi and a thin slice of a topping (neta) draped over it, possibly tied up with a thin band of nori. Assembling nigirizushi is surprisingly difficult to do well. It is sometimes called Edomaezushi, which reflects its origins in Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the 18th century. It is often served two to an order.
Gunkan-maki (battleship roll). 軍艦巻き. An oval, hand-formed clump of sushi rice (similar to that of nigiri-zushi) is wrapped around its perimeter with a strip of nori, to form a vessel that is filled with some ingredient, for example, roe, natto, or less conventionally, macaroni salad.

Makizushi (rolled sushi). 巻き寿司. A cylindrical piece, formed with the help of a bamboo mat, called a makisu. Makizushi is generally wrapped in nori, a sheet of dried seaweed that encloses the rice and fillings. In an American invention, the roll is wrapped so that the rice is on the outside, which presumably makes the maki more acceptable to people unfamiliar with nori. California roll, another American invention, is always prepared this way. In another variation, the nori is substituted with a paper thin fried egg wrapper. Makizushi is usually cut into six or eight pieces, which constitute an order. The Korean gimbap is makizushi.
Futomaki (large rolls). 太巻き. A large cylindrical piece, with the nori on the outside. Typical futomaki are two or three centimeters thick and four or five centimeters wide. They are often made with two or three fillings, chosen for their complementary taste and color. During the Setsubun festival, it is traditional in Kansai to eat the uncut futomaki in its cylindrical form.
Hosomaki (thin rolls). 細巻き. A small cylindrical piece, with the nori on the outside. Typical hosomaki are about two centimeters thick and two centimeters wide. They are generally made with only one filling, but that doesn't preclude California rolls from having multiple fillings.
Kappamaki, filled with cucumber, is named after the Japanese legendary water imp, the kappa.
Temaki (hand rolls). 手巻き. A large cone-shaped piece, with the nori on the outside and the ingredients spilling out the wide end. A typical temaki is about ten centimeters long, and is eaten with the fingers since it is too awkward to pick up with chopsticks.
Uramaki (inside-out rolls). 裏巻き. A medium-sized cylindrical piece, with two or more fillings. Uramaki differ from other maki because the rice is on the outside and the nori within. The filling is in the center surrounded by a liner of nori, then a layer of rice, and an outer coating of some other ingredient such as roe or toasted sesame seeds.
Oshizushi (pressed sushi). 押し寿司. A block-shaped piece formed using a wooden mold, called an oshibako. The chef lines the bottom of the oshibako with the topping, covers it with sushi rice, and presses the lid of the mold down to create a compact, rectilinear block. The block is removed from the mold and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Inari-zushi (stuffed sushi). 稲荷寿司. A pouch of fried tofu filled usually with just sushi rice. It is named after the Shinto god Inari, whose messenger, the fox, is believed to have a fondness for fried tofu. The pouch is normally fashioned from deep-fried tofu (油揚げ or abura age). Regional variations include pouches made of a thin omelet (帛紗寿司 or fukusazushi) or dried gourd shavings (干瓢 or kanpyo).
Chirashizushi (scattered sushi). 散らし寿司. A bowl of sushi rice with the other ingredients mixed in. Also referred to as barazushi. ばら寿司.
Edomae chirashizushi (Edo-style scattered sushi). Uncooked ingredients artfully arranged on top of the rice in the bowl.
Gomokuzushi (Kansai-style sushi). 五目寿司. Cooked or uncooked ingredients mixed in the body of the rice in the bowl.
Narezushi (なれ鮨) is an older form of sushi. Skinned and gutted fish are stuffed with salt then placed in a wooden barrel, doused with salt again, and weighed down with a heavy tsukemonoishi (pickling stone). They are salted for ten days to a month, then placed in water for 15 minutes to an hour. They are then placed in another barrel sandwiched and layered with cooled steamed rice and fish. Then this mixture is again partially sealed with otosibuta and a pickling stone. As days pass, water seeps out, which must be removed. Six months later, this "funazushi" can be eaten, and it remains edible for another six months or more.

Chawamnushi is Japanese steamed custard in a cup.

2007-06-20T03:59:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1/2 cup dashi soup stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp soysauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sake
1 chicken thigh
4 shiitake mushrooms
1 oz mitsuba (trefoil)
2 oz. kamaboto fish cakes

PREPARATION:

Cut chicken into small cubes. Slice kamaboko and shiitake mushrooms thinly. Beat eggs in a bowl. (*try not to bubble the eggs.) Add dashi soup stock, soysauce, salt, sake, and sugar in the bowl.

Strain the egg mixture. Prepare four cups and put shiitake, chicken, and kamaboko in each cup. Pour the egg mixture into each cup. (*fill each cup to the third-forths.) Place mitsuba on top of each cup. Cover the cups with lids. (*use alumiun foil or plastic wrap if you don't have lids.) Preheat a steamer on high heat. Turn down the heat and carefully place cups in the steamer. Steam the custard for 15 min. Poke the custard with a bamboo stick. If clear soup comes out, it's cooked.

*Makes 4 servings.

(Kamaboko)

Japanese Cooking Ingredient Pictures
Kamaboko are semi-cylinderical fish cakes. Pink and white kamaboko are served as Japanese New Year's food. Kamaboko are often used as toppings in noodle

dishes.

( Dashi Soup Stock )

Konbu (kelp) dashi is known as vegetarian soup stock. Removed konbu is good to cook with vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of water
6 inches long konbu (Dried kelp)
PREPARATION:
Wipe the konbu with clean cloth to remove dirt. (Konbu shouldn't be washed.) Soak the konbu in the water in a pot for one to two hours. Put on low heat and bring the water to boil. Just before the water comes to a boil, remove the konbu. Now, you have a vegetarian soup stock for your cooking.
Makes 4 servings

Sukiyaki Pronounced tskee-yaki

2007-05-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

(4 servings)
1 piece beef suet, about 2" x 2" x 1/2" (enough to lightly grease hot pan) 1 Lb. lean beef, sliced paper-thin across the grain, then cut into bite-sized pieces 1 bunch Scallions, cut into 2" lengths, both white and green parts or 1 large white onion, peeled, halved and sliced thick 1 block of fresh tofu, cut into bite sized squares 1-12 oz. can of shirataki (yam noodles) (This is optional as they are very expensive on the east coast) 1-16 oz. can of bamboo shoots, sliced thin 1/2 Lb. fresh bean sprouts 8 fresh brown mushrooms, sliced about 1/4" thick 1/2 c. Soy Sauce 1/2 c. Sugar 1 c. Water 2 T. Sake Mirin or dry sherry

Instructions

Heat skillet until the suet sizzles when it touches. If the suet does not sizzle, remove it and heat the pan further. Move the suet around the pan, putting a coat of oil over the whole surface. Place about 1/3 of the sliced beef in a corner of the pan, mix it about a bit to brown for about 1 minute. Add the begetables, 1/3 of each in their own 'corner' of the pan, except the scallions. Pour sauce (see following recipe) over these but not so much that the vegetables are swimming (about 1/2 the sauce). Bubble for 4-5 minutes, gently turneverything over and place scallions on top in a neat pile. Bubble 4-5 minutes more and it is ready to serve. Carefully place 1/4 of the meat in each person's bowl. Then immerse the scallions in the pocket you have just created in the skillet. Serve the other ingredients and by the time you have served all, the onions/scallions should be wilted and cooked just right. Spoon a bit of sauce over all. Start the next batch of sukiyaki when the first half of the dish has been served. SAUCE: Combine the soy sauce, sugar, water and mirin in a bowl or pitcher. Stir well, set aside for cooking/serving.

Serving

Sukiyaki is generally served with rice. Also, to be totally authentic people serve themselves out of the bubbling mass in the center of the table (on a hot dish). Also, each person has a little bowl with raw egg in it. You take the boiling hot item from the central cooker, and dip it in the egg. This transfers the heat to the egg so you don't scald your mouth. -->

Chirashi-sushi

2007-05-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

Chirashi-sushi is not only beautiful but also fabulous taste.

Ingredients

A.For Sushi-Rice
700gram (24 1/2oz) rice
1100cc(18 oz) water
5cm konbu kelp
Sushi vinegar
8Tbs vinegar
6Tbs sugar
3tbs salt

B.Sushi-ingredients
Simmered shiitake mushrooms
5 dried shiitake mushrooms 150cc(5oz) water
1Tbs each sugar, mirin
2Tbs soy sauce
Soboro Chicken topping 400gram(14oz) ground chicken
3Tbs Sugar
3Tbs Mirin
5Tbs Sake
5Tbs Soy sauce
1Tbs vegetable oil
1tbs ginger juice (grind ginger and squeeze)
Golden- thread egg(thin omellet)
3 eggs
pinch salt
8@shrimps
1Tbs sake
simmerd pea
8 peas
boiled in salted water
Salom roe
(if any for decoration)
How to make

A. For sushi rice
(1) Prepare White Rice
(2) Remove white rice from a pan to flat container ( you can substitute bowl). Spread rice and sprinkle vinegar for sushi thoroughly and mix together. And wait until rice as cool as human temparature.

B.Sushi-ingredients
(1)soak dried shiitake mushrooms in 150 cc water until mushrooms become soft.(about 15 minutes) Never get rid of soak brown water which is called mushrooms dashi, because it contains mushrooms good flavor and taste. Remove stems and cut shiitake mushrooms thinly.
(2)Mix mushrooms dashi and sugar, mirin, sake, soy sauce in a pan and simmer until the sauce is almost gone and shiitake mushrooms shining.
(3)To make Soboro Chicken topping.Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet and stir the ground chicken for 5-10 minutes until the color is white. Add to the pan, together with sugar, Mirin, Sake,Soy sauce, and ginger. Bring to a boil , cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce to gone.
(4)To make golden-thread egg
Beat eggs and add pinch salt and combine. Heat the oil pan and add few vegetable oil and pour few egg and spread widely.
When surface is dry, turn over and cool. Continue to make omellet until egg is gone.
When thin omelets are cold,Roll the omeleets and slice into fine strips.
(5)Put shrimps on a plate and pour sake and wrap .Microwave high to 2minutes.
(6)Enter peas into boiling salted water about 2-3 minutes and soak in cold water to keep green color.
(7)Mix sushi- rice and sushi ingredients. And decorate colurfully.

Japanese Style Pork Cutlet

2007-05-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

Serving Size : 4
Preparation Time :0:10
Categories : Pork-Ham

Ingredients:

Preparation Method

1 pound pork loin cutlets

1 1/2 cups medium grain rice

2 cups yellow onions -- sliced

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup soy sauce or oyster sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

4 slices fresh ginger

6 large eggs -- lightly beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pinch black pepper2

1/2 cups panko (or bread crumbs)

1/4 cup oil

green onions -- chopped

1. Prepare rice according to package directions.

2. Before breading cutlets, beat the eggs in a shallow dish (like a pie plate), mix flour, salt and pepper in a second dish, and place the panko in a third dish; set aside.

3. Pound cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap until 1/4-inch thick. Bread cutlets by first dredging both sides in flour mixture, then dipping into the egg, and following with the panko. Then "double bread," dipping into the egg, then panko again. Transfer to a rack or plate until ready to fry. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.

4. Fry cutlets in batches, browning on both sides until cooked through, 6-8 minutes total. Transfer cutlets to a rack set over paper towels to drain and then to a warming plate in a low oven.

5. Simmer onion, broth, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger in a large saute pan over medium-low heat until onion is soft, 15 minutes.

6. To serve, place 2 cutlets sliced in 1/2-inch wide strips, on top of some rice, ladle with broth, and sprinkle with green onions.

NOTE: If you don't have "mirin", combine sake/sugar in a combination of 3 sake to 1 sugar. I sometimes serve the broth on the side and have guests take what they desire.

Vegetable Tempura

2007-05-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Tempura Batter:

1 cup cold water or cold beer1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 egg yolk1 cup sifted unbleached flour1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

Dipping Sauce:

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce1 teaspoon Mirin

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

1 tablespoon sliced scallions

Preparation:

Batter:

In one bowl, mix all liquid ingredients. In another, mix dry ingredients. Slowly stir wet into dry, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl frequently for stray clumps.

Dipping Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Stir to combine. Keep Chilled until use.For tempura vegetables, simply drop your choice of veggies (zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, etc.) into the batter, remove with tongs and drop into hot (350 degrees) peanut oil until golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Japanese Fruitcake with Filling

2007-04-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

(8 servings)
1.00 c Butter,at room temperature 2.00 c Sugar 4.00 Eggs 3.00 c Flour 0.50 ts Salt 3.00 ts Baking powder 1.00 c Milk 1.00 tb Orange rind,grated 1.00 ts Vanilla 1.00 ts Allspice 1.00 ts Ginger 0.50 c Raisins 0.50 c Pecans,chopped 1.00 tb Flour 1.50 c Coconut,grated Candied cherries (opt) FRUIT FILLING: 2.00 tb Flour 1.00 Juice of 3 lemons 1.00 c Sugar 1.00 cn Pineapple (20 oz)* 2.00 Egg yolks 0.50 c Pecans chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350'F.

2. Grease and flour 3 9-inch layer cake pans. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Beat eggs until light and add to butter-sugar mixture.

3. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together and add alternately to batter with milk. Stir in vanilla and orange rind; beat well. Spread 2/3 of the batter into 2 of the 3 prepared pans.

4. Add allspice and ginger to remaining batter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the raisins and nuts to coat, then add to batter and mix well. Spread spiced batter into remaining third pan.

5. Bake layers at 350'F. for 30 minutes, or until cake tests down and sides shrink from pan. Invert on wire rack and allow to cool.

6. When completely cool, spread fruit filling between layers and thinly over the top and side of cake, using a flat-bladed knife to spread evenly. (Place the fruit/spice layer in the middle when stacking layers.) Cover top and side of cake with the coconut. Decorate with red and green candied cherries in a wreath design if desired.

FRUIT FILLING: * - pineapple should be crushed & drained. Combine all ingredients in top half of a double boiler over, not in, simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. It should be quite thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.

Sukiyaki Pronounced tskee-yaki

2007-04-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
(4 servings)
1 piece beef suet, about 2" x 2" x 1/2" (enough to lightly grease hot pan) 1 Lb. lean beef, sliced paper-thin across the grain, then cut into bite-sized pieces 1 bunch Scallions, cut into 2" lengths, both white and green parts or 1 large white onion, peeled, halved and sliced thick 1 block of fresh tofu, cut into bite sized squares 1-12 oz. can of shirataki (yam noodles) (This is optional as they are very expensive on the east coast) 1-16 oz. can of bamboo shoots, sliced thin 1/2 Lb. fresh bean sprouts 8 fresh brown mushrooms, sliced about 1/4" thick 1/2 c. Soy Sauce 1/2 c. Sugar 1 c. Water 2 T. Sake Mirin or dry sherry
Instructions
Heat skillet until the suet sizzles when it touches. If the suet does not sizzle, remove it and heat the pan further. Move the suet around the pan, putting a coat of oil over the whole surface. Place about 1/3 of the sliced beef in a corner of the pan, mix it about a bit to brown for about 1 minute. Add the begetables, 1/3 of each in their own 'corner' of the pan, except the scallions. Pour sauce (see following recipe) over these but not so much that the vegetables are swimming (about 1/2 the sauce). Bubble for 4-5 minutes, gently turneverything over and place scallions on top in a neat pile. Bubble 4-5 minutes more and it is ready to serve. Carefully place 1/4 of the meat in each person's bowl. Then immerse the scallions in the pocket you have just created in the skillet. Serve the other ingredients and by the time you have served all, the onions/scallions should be wilted and cooked just right. Spoon a bit of sauce over all. Start the next batch of sukiyaki when the first half of the dish has been served. SAUCE: Combine the soy sauce, sugar, water and mirin in a bowl or pitcher. Stir well, set aside for cooking/serving.
Serving
Sukiyaki is generally served with rice. Also, to be totally authentic people serve themselves out of the bubbling mass in the center of the table (on a hot dish). Also, each person has a little bowl with raw egg in it. You take the boiling hot item from the central cooker, and dip it in the egg. This transfers the heat to the egg so you don't scald your mouth.

Fun With Sushi

2007-03-19T03:38:00.000-07:00