Here you will find recipes past down from generations before me and quite a few new ones I have found along the way. When possible I will add a story that goes along with them.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Garden Fresh Nori Rolls


With the days getting hotter and the garden starting to grow, it seems a perfect time for a cool break from the hot stove. Sushi, as my Japanese Aunt would make, is a wonderful, but maybe too daring culinary adventure for some. If the idea of raw seafood or caviar is more then you can handle, then try the American version of sorts- "Nori Rolls" 
'Nuffin' raw, only good and good for you.
You can buy them in certain grocery store and I have, but honestly I worry a bit about the freshness of sealed -tight trays that do contain seafood. Alright the other issue is I am cheap! I do not want to pay that much for what can be made quickly at home.

For the rolls you will need and this is general, with the exception of a few ingredients I don't measure because the amount added is up to you.
Nori paper, found in oriental markets
Sushi rice
Mayonnaise (optional)
Sesame oil
Lemon juice
Thin sliced vegetables, like fresh tender lettuce, carrots, asparagus, cucumbers, avocados, cilantro, really anything you might like.
Shrimp or imitation crap legs work great, even thin sliced, cooked chicken tenders 
A dish towel or bamboo mat made for rolling sushi

First thing;
Start with a cup of sushi rice, I like Kokuho Rose. Sushi rice is a short grained sticky rice.
Put the rice into a sauce pan or as I do a stainless steal frying pan and add 2 to 2 1/4 cup water and put onto simmer over low heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
Just as I start to hear the sizzle of the pan beginning to dry out, I uncover and turn off the heat.


As you can see, the rice is not soggy but still sticky. 
Now I pour a couple of tablespoons of seasoned rice wine vinegar into the pan, this works similar to de-glazing a pan and loosens the stuck on rice.
While hot, scrape into a bowl and add about 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar (total) and let cool. Now my Aunt would put a fan next to the bowl at this time to make the rice shiny.  My fan is broken, so no fan. The truly authentic way of doing this is to use a hand fan.  Really, that is not conducive to cooling the cook. Plus, once in the roll, how shiny does it have to be?


While this cools I get the other ingredients ready.
I like to lay a dish towel out with a bamboo sushi mat, but just the towel works fine.

Put about 2 Tablespoons of mayo into a small bowl and to this add a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of sesame oil, careful with the oil as it can overwhelm quickly. Stir well

 I will usually hold my paper with tongs over a hot burner for just a few seconds. This will toast the paper and gives it a milder flavor.
Place the paper with the tiny lines on it running horizontally on to the mat or towel


Spread a thin coat of  the mayo mixture onto the paper, leaving about a 1/2 to 1 inch on the end


Yeah, I know! I did not quite leave a clean border edge on this one!
Now it is time to get your hands wet. I mean it, wetting your hands before handling the rice will make your life easier.
Spoon rice onto the paper and press down with damp hands till fairly smooth and even, again leave the one edge free of rice


When the rice is well covering the paper you can start adding your center fillings


In this one I used fresh, tender lettuce and asparagus and thin sliced chicken tenders
Place them towards the edge closest to you, that way when rolling away from you they will be in the center of your roll
Be some what careful not to over fill or you will have a roll too big to cover your rice

Time to roll!
Carefully lift the edge closest to you and begin to gently roll, while holding your fillings in with your finger tips 


Once the roll starts to cover the filling you will have more control and then you can start to squeeze gently as you roll, compressing the roll into a rounder shape

Keep the roll going, don't stop for photo ops if possible!

Nice hand modeling by my daughter!

Squeeze and roll as you go, this will be the time that you can get the roll into a good shape


When the roll feels firm and tight, unroll the mat or towel
If  loose you can still lay the mat back over and roll and squeeze again to firm it up


Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 or more hours


Slicing time!
You will need a very sharp knife for this, thinner the blade the better! I have a fish boning knife that works great!
Cut gently so as not to 'smoosh the innerds out'
Keep the pieces thin, the suchi/nori etiquette is to fit the entire piece into your mouth in one bite.
Lay flat onto a plate or serving platter.


Eating time!
Serve cold and with dipping sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger

The sauce I make is,
 soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, mirin wine ( sweetened sake ) 
a few drops of sesame oil and wasabi on the side
Again this is more of a mix it as you like it kind of sauce, I find that each person really has a different idea of what taste best for nori.
 Start with a few tablespoons of soy sauce and slightly less rice wine vinegar and mirin, add the sesame oil last and stir
Mix and try, adjust to your taste. While you try to fit the whole piece into your mouth, feel proud of your cultural crossing and dream up new fillings for your next roll!


Oh yeah, wasabi Japanese horseradish, comes in a pre made paste or a powder.
The powder keeps the longest if put into the freezer.
Mix a tiny amount with a little water to form a paste. Traditionally you will then turn the bowl upside down and let set for about 10 minutes, this is said to intensify the flavor. A small can like this will last a long time.
Use just a tiny amount, it is powerful!







Saturday, May 21, 2011

Banana Maple Ice Cream !...No Dairy!


Wow! We know how  maple syrup is good for you and now add that to bananas and this is a good for you desert.
My diet restricted sister really liked it. I started with four bananas that I put in the freezer and......screeeeecch!....


...put on the brakes! 
See the problem up there in that picture of the lovely, frosted up bananas? 
Don't leave the peels on! I'll say it again, DON"T  LEAVE the peels on! I can't say in words strong enough for decent ears, so I will just wine pathetically.
 I am soooo sorry, so very sorry, I left the peels on! I had to carve the peels off like I was whittling a walking stick from a log. I wined and cussed a bit and whittled away and felt not so smart as family members walked by and said,
"I could have told you to peel  them first!"....
"Well then why didn't YOU?", I yelled and cast hateful looks as they walked away smirking, leaving me to pick teeny- tiny bits of slippery peel with my frost bit, numb fingers... but any hoo... "Sigh, sniffle!"... I eventually got the peels off. My fingers got back their feeling...Now back to the recipe.

You will need:
About 4 to 5 ripe bananas
2 Tablespoons of lime or lemon juice
3 Tablespoons of maple syrup

Step one
 Peel the bananas and chopped them into large pieces
Toss them with a little of the lemon or lime juice to keep their color and save the rest of the juice to add later.

Step two
Freeze the bananas. Freeze them hard!

Step Three
Put the bananas in to a food processor and blend ...


Looks a bit rough at first, just keep blending.
Now add the rest of the lemon juice and add in the maple syrup.
Blend some more, the texture will start to look very creamy and smooth and lighter.


When the mix is completely smooth and creamy, transfer into another container and put into the freezer till firm.
Scoop out with an ice cream scoop and serve. The texture is so much like real ice cream it is amazing! 
Next time I try this one it will be banana coconut.
Yeah Buddy!


Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Chewy Chocolate Cookies


   These are the very best chewy chocolate cookies I have ever had! My daughter actually made these to enter into the county fair last year and won a ribbon for them. So Yeppers, we could call these "County Fair Blue Ribbon Chocolate Cookies!"... Oh, except they only won second place. But any how... If you like chocolate, chewy and something that taste like "more" then you'll love these! (They should have won first :)

Ingredients in the order they are added:
1#
-------------------------------------                                                          
1 1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed                                                          
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract 

2# Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together well
-------------------------------------------
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl or stand mixer add soften butter and whip till light
Add the sugar and let mix till light and well creamed
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between 
Add in extracts. When well mixed turn mixer on slow and begin adding the dry ingredients
Mix just till combined
Refrigerate the dough for a few hours, if you can wait that long, I could not!

Bake at 350 degrees on parchment paper...

I make mine big! Large tablespoon size.


...bake  for about 10 minutes or till  "just when the shine is gone"
Over baking will give them a less chewy, more crispy quality, but crispier is wonderful for turning into ice cream sandwiches! The coconut extract really brings out the chocolate flavor.

 I baked half  just after mixing the dough without chilling, makes for a slightly flatter cookie. The other half I will bake the next day and the difference will be a fatter, softer cookie.