Archive for the 'Appetizer' Category

Hamachi with yuzu and olive oil

Published
by
marc
on May 8, 2008
in Appetizer, Asian, Japanese and Seafood
. 9 Comments

This is actually one of my favourite ways to have sashimi. It’s so simple and light, somewhere between carpaccio and ceviche. The 2 types of yuzu add a phenomenal flavor with a floral tartness form the juice and a bit of green spice from the yuzu kosho. The salt crystals, provide little bursts of brine on your tongue and the olive oil brings it all together without being greasy.

What’s yuzu kosho you ask? It’s one of my favourite condiments, right up there with Thai sweet chili sauce. It’s made with yuzu rind, green chiles and salt making a rough paste (a bit like wasabi) that’s spicy, salty and intensely citrusy. It’s a little too potent to use like ketchup, but it can be mixed into mayo, dressings, olive oil, soups, sautes, bbq sauces, the list goes on… It is a bit hard to find, but I scoured the Internet and found it here for about 12 bucks. Sounds a bit pricey for such a small bottle, but trust me, it goes a long way.

Well, I’m off to Houston for the rest of the week, so I won’t be posting till I get back on Monday, but I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

sashimi grade hamachi (yellowtail)
yuzu kosho
good quality olive oil
yuzu juice (you could substitute lemon or lime juice)
sea salt ( I used Portuguese fleur de sel)

Put a plate in the freezer for a few minutes to get it very cold.

Using a very sharp knife, and cold hands, slice the hamachi into thin slices.

Place the hamachi on the chilled plate then place a small dab of yuzu kosho on each slice. Drizzle with olive oil, a couple of splashes of yuzu juice and then sprinkle some sea salt on top.

Serve immediately.

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Hamachi wrapped in ramp kimchi

Published
by
marc
on May 3, 2008
in Appetizer, Asian, Japanese and Seafood
. 7 Comments

I know what you all must be thinking “enough with the ramp recipes”. I promise I’m starting to reach the bottom of the bag from my most recent foraging trip, so you shouldn’t see many more:-) In case you’re still looking for a place to buy ramps, there are a few sellers on ebay you may want to check out.

This is less a recipe and more a way to serve the ramp kimchi I made last week. The cold creamy texture of the hamachi makes a perfect foil for the intensely briny and spicy kimchi. This goes well with an ice cold glass of soju (korean vodka) as an appetizer, or along with a bowl of rice and some other small dishes as a main.

ramp kimchi (garlic chive kimchi works as well)
sashimi grade hamachi (yellowtail)

Put a plate in the freezer for a few minutes to get it very cold.

Using a very sharp knife, and cold hands, slice the hamachi into moderately thin slices (a little less than 1/4″).

Working quickly, wrap each piece of hamachi in a ramp leaf then plate. You want to handle sashimi as little as possible as the heat from your hands will melt the fat in the fish and change its texture.

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Tuna Poke (pronounced poke-ay)

Published
by
marc
on April 27, 2008
in Appetizer, Asian, Japanese, Salad, Seafood and Side
. 15 Comments

So here’s a recipe that draws its heritage from the the tropical islands of Hawaii. It’s been decades since my last visit and I wasn’t even introduced to Hawaiian cuisine till I lived in San Jose, but I’ve become quite a fan of the regional food that quite possibly started the “asian fusion” movement.

For those of you that are from other parts of the world, Hawaii is a blend of people from just about everywhere, including such disparate groups as the Native Americans, Japanese, Germans, and the native Hawaiian population. It then stands to reason that the food reflects a melding of the different ancestries combined with the abundant bounties of the rain forests and surrounding sea.

This dish is my take on on this island classic, combining the asian flavors with some local springtime ramps. The sweet soy sauce, nutty sesame oil and sweet garlicy ramps work harmoniously with the satiny tuna to create something refreshing, exotic and comforting all at the same time.

Best of all, there’s not much work involved beyond a bit of chopping and stirring, perfect for a hot summer’s day. Because shape doesn’t really matter I usually go for the cheaper “kiriotoshi” cuts of the tuna, These are the bits that get cut off when the store shapes the tuna into perfect blocks to sell as sashimi.

Continue for full recipe

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Kasha corn fritters (vegan)

Published
by
marc
on April 19, 2008
in Appetizer, Vegan and Vegetarian
. 10 Comments

Being a meat eater these days seems a bit like being a smoker 20 years ago (still socially accepted, but something that meat eaters are starting to feel guilty about). I know I’ve been posting a lot of meat dishes lately, so consider this recipe this week’s mia culpa (something I’m sure I’ll be doing with some frequency).

These shallow fried fritter’s are crispy on the outside and soft and spicy on the inside with little bursts of sweet crispy corn. Because there is no flour or egg to bind it all together it’s very delicate, but what it lacks in cohesiveness it makes up in a wonderful soft crumbly texture on the inside. I suppose this may also qualify as gluten-free, though I’m no expert.

If you can get your hands on fresh curry leaves, they add a wonderful fresh aroma that’s a bit hard to describe. I got a bag from a co-worker who picked them up at a spice market here in Manhattan. They shouldn’t be confused with “curry powder” as they are not related. Curry powder, as it turns out, is a British blend of spices created to approximate the taste of “Indian food”… who knew?

2 C cooked kasha (make it with a little extra water)
1/2 C fresh corn (or well drained canned/frozen corn)
6-8 small fresh curry leaves cut into a chiffonade (optional)
1 serrano or jalepeno pepper seeded and minced
1/4 C minced onion
2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

oil for frying

When cooking the kasha, make sure you add some extra water (how much will depend on the type of kasha you’re making). The idea is to get it to a soft state where it turns into a paste as you stir it. I know, this sound unappealing but it’s essential to get the ingredients to bind into patties and the frying will fix the texture. If it’s not pasty enough, try adding a bit more water and cooking for a little longer.

Mix all the ingredients together until it forms a rough paste.

Heat a pan over medium heat adding a thin layer of oil that’s thick enough to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, form a ball of kasha mixture between your palms then squish it flat making sure all the edges are sticking together.

Gently place this in the hot oil. Be very careful as the corn will have a tendency to pop, splattering hot oil everywhere (if you have a spatter shield, it might be a good idea to use it). Repeat with the rest of the kasha until the pan is full. Wait until you see the sides of the fritters turn golden brown, then using 2 spatula’s (1 on top, 1 on the bottom), flip the fritters over cooking until the second side is well browned. You mean need to clean up the floaties in the oil between batches so they don’t burn.

Remove to a plate lined with several layers of paper towels and allow to drain. Serve immediately. I served them with some Thai sweet chili sauce and a mint yogurt sauce (1/4 C plain yogurt, 1 Tbs minced mint)

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Homemade Asian beef balls

Published
by
marc
on April 13, 2008
in Appetizer, Beef and Southeast
. 2 Comments

Most people who have tried these at a restaurant will tell you that beef balls are an acquired taste. It’s not not even the taste so much as the texture. Rubbery, and almost crunchy is the first thing to come to mind… making one wonder what exactly these “balls” are made of.

They’re widely used in soups and noodle soups and are probably the cheapest meat product you’ll find in the freezer section of an asian grocery. While I’ve acquired the taste for them, I’ve always wondered if I could make them better at home. Since I was planning to make Thai beef noodle soup for dinner, I thought it would be a great chance to try my hand at it.

I’m pleased to report that even you beef ball haters should find these agreeable (provided you’re not a beef hater in general). They’re soft, slightly fluffy with just enough elasticity to give them some texture. I flavored them with some garlic and cilantro so they’re even good on their own with a little squeeze of lime.

For the photo, I just sliced up some avocado, and made a sauce out of Thai sweet chili sauce, fish sauce and some lime juice that I drizzled on top.

1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic crushed
a couple sprigs of cilantro
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp finely ground white pepper
1/4 Tsp kosher teaspoon salt
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs vegetable oil

Just toss all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it’s a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times.

Boil a large pot of water. Rub some oil on your hands then start making the meat balls. I actually start dropping them strait into the water, but if you do this, it’s a good idea to have someone watching and removing them as they cook. Otherwise you can place them on parchment paper until you’re ready to add them all to the water. They cook in about 5 minutes (depending on how big you make them) and you’ll notice that they grow in size and float as they cook (due to the baking powder).

Serve them as an appetizer or as a main with some rice. They’re also marvelous in noodle soups. If you think you won’t be able to get through all of them in a few days, you can freeze some once they’ve cooled off.

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