Читать книгу Shunju - Takashi Sugimoto - Страница 10
ОглавлениеThe harvested shoots are immediately taken down for boiling by a tiny monorail. Negi bozu (blossoms of the Japanese bunching onion) in the morning sun. The boiled shoots being raised from the cauldron. Staff driving down the steep digging site with the harvest. The bamboo tofu ware is made on site. Staff hard at work: it takes an expert foot to feel the shoots hidden under a carpet of bamboo leaves.
As the days slowly grow warmer, bamboo shoots are the only things on our minds, for the shoots must be harvested just as they peek out from the ground. Our eager thoughts drive us to the telephone as early as in February. We are calling the parents of one of our colleagues who own a mountain covered in lush bamboo forests in Shizuoka Prefecture. Weather conditions significantly affect the growth of the shoots. They tend to shoot up earlier when there has been abundant rainfall. We generally receive the long awaited call in early March. There is no doubt that spring arrives to Shunju along with this joyful tiding and we speed off to Shizuoka after midnight, having closed the restaurants.
Preserving the freshness of bamboo shoot is a highly delicate operation. You can actually see a shoot start to oxidize, discolor, and turn bitter from the moment that it is dug out. It is truly a race against time to preserve the refreshing "newborn" taste. Normally, harvested shoots are whisked off to the gourmet markets in refrigerated trucks as a highly coveted delicacy, known as asabori ("morning dug"). This system is seemingly the best means for competing against time but it can not prevent the oxidation and marked decline in taste. Once they reach the kitchen, the shoots must still be boiled with rice bran and dried chili peppers to remove the bitterness.
We immediately begin to boil the shoots on site in an iron cauldron full of spring water to halt the oxidation process and to trap the flavor before it deteriorates. We have no need for the additional ingredients as no bitterness has set in. Digging in the forest and clamoring around the cauldron is a customary Shunju spring ritual for us. Of course, we rush back to Tokyo in order to serve this treasured harvest that very evening.
Grilled bamboo shoots
Takenoko no ippon yaki
Serves 4
2 12-in (30-cm) takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots) (for preparation see page 253)
1/4 cup (60 ml) koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
If you have the opportunity to dig bamboo shoots fresh from the ground, we recommend charcoal grilling them on the spot in their outer skins. Freshly dug shoots have a high water content so they steam in their skins when grilled. You will never forget their sweet, delicate flavor and indescribable texture, which is totally different to that of canned or vacuum-packed shoots. This extravagant way of savoring the spring delicacy is a treat which we reward ourselves with after a strenuous morning of digging.
1 Prepare the charcoal; the coals are ready when all glow orange-red.
2 Carefully place the bamboo shoots directly into the red hot charcoal and cover completely with coals. Grill for about 15 minutes, do not worry about the skin becoming charred. Remove from the charcoal and test for doneness. Pierce the thick bottom of a bamboo shoot with a metal skewer and keep it there for 5 seconds before removing. If the skewer is hot, but not too hot to touch (about 120°F or 40°C), return the bamboo shoot on top of the charcoal, brush evenly with soy sauce, and grill for another 5 minutes. If the metal skewer is not hot enough, return to the charcoal, cook for a further 5 minutes, and repeat the process before brushing with the soy sauce.
3 Place each bamboo shoot on a cutting board, then slice in half lengthwise. Remove the shoot from the skin and slice crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Discard the most charred outer skins, then arrange the remaining skin into its original form and arrange the bamboo shoot on the skin. Serve immediately.
Bamboo shoot rice cooked in a stone pot
Takenoko meshi no ishi gam a daki
Serves 4
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 taka no tsume (dried hot red chili)
2 oz (60 g) takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots (for preparation see page 253), sliced into batons 2 in (5 cm) long and 1/2 in (5 mm) thick; substitute with vacuum-packed boiled whole bamboo shoot
1 teaspoon natural sea salt
1/3 cup (90 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 cup (200 g) Japanese rice (see page 260 for washing instructions)
3/4 cup (200 ml) water
2 tablespoons Korean virgin sesame oil
The most popular way of serving bamboo shoot is to cook it with rice or braise it with seaweed. As you will notice throughout this book, we have borrowed many ideas and ingredients from Korean cuisine, and the stone pot is one of the most important of these, along with aromatic Korean virgin sesame oil. Although we cook many of our flavored rice dishes, as well as plain rice, in a stone pot—it cooks excellent rice and produces a nice crunchy crust— any heavy-bottomed enameled pot will do the trick.
1 Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over low heat and sauté the red chili. Add the bamboo shoot batons and increase heat to high. Add the salt and continue to sauté until the bamboo shoot baton is slightly browned. Stir continuously with a wooden spatula to prevent the shoots burning on the bottom of the pan.
2 When the bamboo shoot batons are slightly browned, add bonito stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until most of the liquid is reduced. Add the sesame seeds, check for seasoning, and set aside to cool.
3 Place the washed rice and water in a stone pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. When it reaches a rolling boil, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Then return to high heat for 5 minutes. This develops a delicious crunchy crust at the bottom of the pot. If you do not own a stone pot, cook the rice following the instructions on page 260. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then heat over high heat for a further 5 minutes.
4 Open the lid and slowly drizzle sesame oil around the inside wall of the pot. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then add the sautéed bamboo shoot. Carry the stone pot to the table—be sure to wear thick oven gloves and use a stand or mat. to protect the table as the pot becomes extremely hot.
5 Stir the rice at the table and divide into individual rice bowls. Make sure that every bowl gets some of the deliciously pungent crunchy crust and some bamboo shoot batons.
Deep-fried bamboo shoots with dried bonito flakes
Takenoko no tosa age
Serves 4
1 egg
6-in (15-cm) takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots) (for preparation see page 253); substitute with vacuum-packed boiled whole bamboo shoot
2 tablespoons bai niku (salted plum paste)
1 1/2 cups (15 g) kezuri bushi (dried bonito flakes)
6 cups (1 1/2 liters) vegetable oil
8 kinome (young sansho leaves), to garnish
Zukushi is to indulge in one ingredient to prepare a full-course meal consisting entirely of that one food item. If you are fortunate enough to have access to fresh bamboo shoots, try preparing a full-course meal using bamboo shoots and prepare this dish for one of the courses.
1 Beat the egg in a bowl large enough for dipping the bamboo shoot slices.
2 Slice the bamboo shoot lengthwise into 4 wedges. Make a lengthwise incision on the thick part of the wedge, about 1/2 in (1 cm) deep. Using a knife, spread the salted plum paste into this incision.
3 Put the bonito shavings in a saucepan over low heat and crumple them with your hands so they dry further and break into fine pieces. Place in a flat container large enough to roll the bamboo shoot slices.
4 Pour the vegetable oil in a saucepan and heat to 325°F (160°C). Dip the bamboo shoot wedges into the egg and coat evenly. Next, coat each wedge evenly with the bonito shavings, then carefully slip into the oil and deep-fry. Turn the bamboo shoots occasionally so that they are fried evenly. When nicely browned, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Gently shake above the pan to remove any excess oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh kinome leaves.
Bamboo shoot sashimi
Takenoko no sashimi
Serves 4
4 teaspoons sake
8 teaspoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
6-in (15-cm) takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots) (for preparation see page 253)
2 sprigs kinome (young sansho leaves), to garnish
1 teaspoon fresh wasabi, grated, substitute with frozen fresh or tube wasabi
Koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce), to accompany wasabi
The name of this recipe says sashimi but, in fact, the bamboo shoo" is not served raw. It is referred to as sashimi because this dish can only be made if you have freshly dug bamboo shoots, hence in the same context as having immaculately fresh seafood. The sweet flavor and crunchy texture is indescribable.
1 Pour sake into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat to boil off the alcohol content. Cool and combine with soy sauce. Set aside.
2 Slice the bamboo shoot length-wise into thin slices, about 3/4 in (2 cm) thick. Arrange on a serving platter and garnish with fresh kinome sprigs. Place the grated wasabi on the platter and serve with soy sauce in a separate dish.
Bamboo shoots braised with seaweed
Takenoko no wakame ni
Serves 4
12-in (30-cm) takenoko (fresh bamboo shoots, for preparation see page 253), substitute with vacuum-packed boiled whole bamboo shoot
3 cups (750 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
1/3 cup (90 ml) sake
1/3 cup (90 ml) mirin
1/3 cup (90 ml) usukuchi shoyu (light soy sauce)
2 teaspoons natural sea salt
10 oz (300 g) fresh wakame seaweed, substitute with dried wakame (reconstituted in cold water for several minutes) or salt preserved wakame (soaked in cold water for 1 hour)
This recipe is the most traditional and the most popular way to enjoy the spring delicacy, bamboo shoot. Although there is no real substitute for the delicate aroma and crunchy texture of fresh bamboo shoots, you may use vacuum-packed boiled whole bamboo shoots, sold in Japanese grocery stores, if the fresh variety is hard to come by.
1 Slice the top half of the bamboo shoot lengthwise into 6 wedges. Slice the tougher bottom half across in 3/4-in (2-cm) slices or, if the shoot is very thick, slice the round slices across in half to form semicircles.
2 Place the round (or semicircular) slices, bonito stock, and seasonings in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the bamboo shoot is slightly colored. Add the bamboo shoot wedges and simmer for another 1 hour.
3 Blanch the wakame briefly, drain, and place in the center of a serving bowl. Arrange the bamboo shoots on top and pour on some of the cooking liquid. Serve immediately.
Spring mountain vegetable tempura
Sansai no tempura
Serves 4
8 taranome (angelica tree shoots), about 3 oz (80 g)
8 urui (hosta shoots), about 1 oz (30 g)
8 nobiru (red garlic), about 1 oz (30 g)
8 fukinoto (unopened buds of Japanese butterbur), about 2 oz (65 g)
8 young green tea leaves
8 kogomi (fiddleheads), about 1 1/2 oz (50 g)
8 koshiabura (unopened buds of the L. acanthopanax sciadophylloides tree), about 1 oz (30 g)
4 cups (1 liter) vegetable oil
1 cup (100 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, for dusting
Natural sea salt to taste
Batter
1 egg yolk
2 cups (500 ml) iced water
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted and chilled
Like bamboo shoots, sansai or mountain vegetables are a spring favorite, although some sansai are eaten in the fall. Many varieties of sansai are now cultivated but their flavor cannot compare to that of the wild varieties plucked from the mountain side, which have a distinct bitter taste (time is of essence though as these fresh vegetables become increasingly bitter as they oxidize). Although it is difficult to find sansai outside of Japan and Korea, you may substitute other bitter greens and vegetables such as dandelion, mustard, endives, scallion, and so forth. As tempura is time-consuming to fry, and tastes best when freshly deep-fried, many Japanese families make tempura at the dining table over a halogen tabletop range, or a portable gas stove.
1 Remove any browned or discolored sections from the vegetables.
2 To prepare the batter, beat the egg yolk thoroughly with the iced water. Add the chilled flour. Stir briefly with thick chopsticks, but do not mix to a smooth batter, as tempura batter should always contain lumps of flour. Place the bowl with the batter over a larger bowl filled with iced water to keep the batter cold.
3 Pour the vegetable oil into a saucepan until it reaches 6 in (15 cm) in depth and heat to 325°F (160°C). Spread flour for dusting in a baking pan or a flat, shallow container. Lightly dust each vegetable with a coating of flour.
4 Carefully dip in the batter and deep-fry. Turn the vegetables occasionally so that they are evenly fried. Once lightly browned and they float quickly to the surface when pushed down with chopsticks, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Gently shake above the pan to remove any excess oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with some natural sea salt.
Spring starters
Haru no otoshi
Braised sea bream roe
(Tai ko no fukume ni)
1-in (2 1/2-cm) ginger, peeled
1/2 cup (120 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
2 teaspoons usukuchi shoyu (light soy sauce)
2 teaspoons mirin
Pinch natural sea salt
3 oz (80 g) tal ko (sea bream roe)
(prepare 1 day in advance)
1 Thinly slice the ginger, then cut these slices into needle thin slivers.
2 Combine the ginger, stock, light soy sauce, mirin, and salt in a low dish.
3 Cut the sea bream roe across into 4 or 5 pieces and blanch in boiling water; they will "bloom " and become fluffy. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and place in the combined broth. Leave to marinate for 1 day before serving.
Welsh onion salad
(Jako negi salada)
4 teaspoons ponzu sauce (see page 57)
4 teaspoons Korean virgin sesame oil
4 teaspoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
1/3 oz (10 g) jako (baby air-cured anchovies)
20 stalks fugu negi (welsh or ciboule onion), substitute with green stalks of thin scallions (spring onions)
1 Cut the welsh onions or scallions into 1 1/4-in (3-cm) lengths.
2 Combine the ponzu sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce to make the dressing.
3 Toss the welsh onions or scallions with the dressing, arrange in a small bowl, and garnish with baby anchovies.
As with all the starters for each season, the individual dishes can be substituted or improvised using leftover dishes or food materials. These starters are titbits that should be beautifully presented to start the conversation before dinner. The presentation is borrowed from the Buddhist monk's dining table in Korea. For the remaining spring starter recipes, see page 71.
Blanched Japanese butterbur
(Fuki no fukume ni)
2 fuki (stalks Japanese butterbur), substitute with celery
3 pinches natural sea salt
2 teaspoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
2 teaspoons mirin
(prepare 1 day in advance)
1 Rub the butterbur with salt until it becomes more pliable.
2 Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, then add the butterbur and boil, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water. Peel off the thin outer skin.
3 Combine the butterbur, sea salt, soy sauce, bonito stock, and mirin in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. When it reaches a boil, remove from heat and leave aside to cool. Cut the butterbur into 2-in (5-cm) pieces, then return to the broth and soak for 1 day before serving.
Blanched water dropwort
(Sen no ni oroshi)
1/2 cup (120 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
2 teaspoons usukuchi shoyu (light soy sauce)
2 teaspoons mirin
Pinch natural sea salt
Few drops Korean virgin sesame oil
5 oz (150 g) seri (water dropwort), substitute with watercress, washed
(prepare 2-3 hours in advance)
1 Bring some salted water to a boil in a saucepan and briefly blanch the dropwort ; then refresh in iced water. Cut across into 1-in (2 1/2-cm) lengths.
2 Combine the stock, light soy sauce, mirin, salt, and sesame oil in a small bowl and add the water dropwort. Marinate 2-3 hours before serving.
Rape Shoots Dressed with Mustard
(Nano Hana No Kamshi Ae)
10 stalks rape shoots (nano hana) substitute with broccoli
1/3 oz (10 g) powdered Japanese mustard (wagarashi ko)
2 teaspoons soy sauce (koikuchi)
2 tablespoons bonito stock
2 teaspoons mirin
1 Wash the rape shoots thoroughly.
2 Boil some water with salt in a saucepan, blanch the rape shoots until tender and refresh in ice water. Cut crosswise into about 4 sections.
3 Combine all the ingredients to make the dressing.
4 Toss the rape shoots with the dressing. Adjust the amount of mustard depending upon how spicy you like it.
Green and lavender tofu squares
Masu dofu
Serves 4
Green tofu
2/3 cup (150 ml) green soymilk (see page 255)
1 teaspoon nigari (bittern), see Note
Lavender tofu
2/3 cup (150 ml) black soymilk (see page 255)
1 teaspoon nigari (bittern), see Note
Condiments
2 2/3 oz (80 g) naga negi (long welsh onion), cut in thin slivers and refreshed in cold water (see page 251), substitute with white part of scallion (spring onion)
1 1/3 oz (40 g) shiso (perilla) leaves, cut in thin slivers and refreshed in cold water (see page 251)
Koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
4 masu or square wooden boxes (83 x 83 x 57 mm)
Tofu is undoubtedly one of the most representative dishes of Shunju. Our tofu is made daily—soymilk is curdled with nigari (bittern)—in different ware unique to each of our five restaurants; in this case in masu (traditional square, wooden measuring cups). We had discovered a delicious handmade tofu in Kyoto, but despite the availability of (costly) refrigerated transportation, there was simply no comparison to the taste of freshly made and delivered tofu. The only answer to our dilemma was the usual Shunju spirit of "whatever is unavailable, we make or find ourselves," hence our latest tofu recipe using soy milk extracted from green and black soybeans.
1 Prepare the basic soymilk by following steps 1 through 8 on page 254, substituting green and then black soybeans for the regular soybeans. The soymilk recipe on page 254 yields more than is needed for this dish, so either make more for a large dinner, or make only one color at a time.
2 Pour the soymilk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden or bamboo spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do it, to prevent the milk from burning.
3 When the soymilk reaches 140°F (60°C), pour it into the bamboo container, add nigari and stir quickly. Remove the spoon once the soymilk starts to coagulate. Chill in the refrigerator.
4 Place the refreshed welsh onion and shiso leaf slivers in a small dish and serve with the soy sauce as a condiment.
Note: Nigari (bittern) is the coagulent used to make tofu. Traditionally, it is made from the residue (magnesium chloride) of the salt-making process but, today, chemical coagulents are usually used. Natural (and artificial) nigari is available from Japanese grocery stores or you can make your own by boiling down 3 quarts (3 liters) of seawater over high heat for about 2 hours until salt crystals start to appear. When the crystals start to gather into larger crystals, the liquid on the top is the nigari. This method will yield about 4 1/2 tablespoons nigari. Cool in the pot, then scoop the surface of the settled nigari, and pour through a fine sieve lined with paper towel or cheese cloth. If you do not live by the ocean, dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons Epsom salts in 1 cup (250 ml) water and use about one-third of this solution.
Green bean soymilk yuba
Ryokuto nama yuba
Serves 4
Pinch natural sea salt
13 1/2 oz (420 g) endomame (shelled green peas), substitute with edamame (podded green soybeans) or soramame (fava/broad beans)
5 cups (1 1/4 liters) homemade soymilk (see page 254)
2 tablespoons fresh wasabi, substitute with frozen fresh or tube wasabi
Koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
Yuba, a famous Kyoto delicacy is the film that forms on the surface when soymilk is heated, somewhat akin to the film which form son the surface of heated milk. This film absorbs the majority of the protein contained in soymilk and, at over 52 percent, is the richest source of protein known to exist. Nearly all fresh yuba is produced in Kyoto but due to its labor intensive method of production and the high refrigerated transportation costs, it tends to be very expensive. At Shunju, we are able to make our own yuba because of the abundant amount of soymilk that we extract for our home-made tofu. In this recipe, we have made our own green version with a green bean pureé. It will keep refrigerated for one day.
1 Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the shelled green peas until tender. Drain.
2 Transfer the peas to a blender and add one-quarter of the soymilk. Blend until the peas are finely ground. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve and mash any remaining bits. Pour scant 1/2 cup (100 ml) of this green soymilk into a flat non-reactive container (such as tupperware) and set aside.
3 Pour the rest of the green soymilk mixture and the remaining plain soymilk into a pot and heat over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pot, to prevent it from burning. When it reaches 176°F (80°C), remove from the heat and wait for the yuba to form on the surface. You can leave it and check on it from time to time. (See page 254.)
4 Lift the film out carefully with chopsticks and soak in the reserved green soymilk. Make sure that the surface of the film is completely coated to prevent it from drying out. Heat the soymilk again and repeat this procedure until no more yuba forms. Discard remaining soymilk.
5 Cover the yuba soaking in the green soymilk with plastic wrap or a lid, and chill in the refrigerator. Serve chilled with freshly grated wasabi and soy sauce (see page 255).
Sea bream salad
Tai no kaisen salada
Serves 1
1/2 kyuri (Japanese cucumber), about 1 1/2 oz (20 g); substitute with English cucumber
1/2 small carrot about 2/3 oz (20 g)
3/4-oz (20-g) naga negi (long welsh onion), substitute with white part of scallion (spring onion)
2 1/4 oz (70 g) radish
6 1/2 oz (200 g) sea bream
1 egg/lightly beaten
Oil for preparing omelet
Salad dressing
1 /2 clove garlic
Pinch minced ginger
3/4 oz (20 g) naga negi (long welsh onion), substitute with white part of scallion (spring onion)
1 heaped tablespoon kochujang (Korean red chili paste), or to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pinch natural sea salt
3 tablespoons ponzu sauce (available bottled, or see recipe below)
Ponzu sauce
5 tablespoons sake
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) fresh or bottled kabosu juice (a kind of citrus, L. citrus sphaerocarpa), substitute with fresh lemon juice
1 handful kezuri bushi (dried bonito flakes)
2 sudachi (small acidic citrus fruit), halved, substitute with lemons
4 x 7-in (10 x 18-cm) sheet konbu (kelp), gently wiped clean (leaving the flavorful white powder on the konbu)
Tangy and light, this refreshing dish is perfect for spring. If you live in Japan, be sure to ask for tennen dal (wild sea bream). Although it is more expensive than the normal farmed sea bream (tai), you will taste the difference. You can substitute sea bream with other firm-fleshed white fish, just make sure the fish is absolutely fresh. You can determine the freshness of fish by the firmness of its flesh, the sheen of its scales and eyes, the firm adherence of the scales, and by the bright red color of its gills or the translucent, shimmering color of its flesh.
1 To prepare the salad dressing, mince together the garlic, ginger, and naga negi, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in the remaining dressing ingredients. Set aside.
2 Slice the cucumber, carrot, and naga negi into needle-thin slivers and refresh in cold water (see page 251). Cut the radish into paper-thin slices and refresh this too in cold water.
3 Prepare the sea bream into a three-section fillet (see page 244) and sogi giri cut (see page 247). Place the sea bream on your cutting board skin side up, the thinner side closer to you. Slice into 3/4-in (1 1/2-cm) thick slices by slicing on a diagonal slant. Arrange slices in a circular pattern on the dish.
4 Pour the egg into a lightly oiled skillet and make a very thin omelet. Remove from the skillet, cool, then roll and slice into needle-thin slivers.
5 Lightly toss the vegetable slivers together and pile high on top of the sea bream slices and garnish with the egg slivers.
6 Pour the dressing on the salad just before serving.
Ponzu sauce
1 In a saucepan, bring sake to a boil over high heat to burn off the alcohol. Remove from heat and cool.
2 In a sealable container, or a wide-mouthed bottle, large enough to accommodate all the liquid, pour the soy sauce and kabosu juice and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled sake, bonito flakes, and konbu. Squeeze the liquid from the sudachi into the container, then add in the squeezed fruit.
3 Let the sauce rest in a cool place or in the refrigerator overnight. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. This recipe yields abut 3 cups (800 ml) ponzu sauce and will keep for 2 months refrigerated.
Clam and udo salad
Aoyagi to udo no aemono
Serves 4
1 stalk udo, about 1 lb (500 g), substitute with white asparagus
2 teaspoons su (rice vinegar)
8 sashimi-quality akagai (fresh hen clams), about 3 oz (80 g), shelled, rinsed, and sliced lengthwise into 3 pieces
8 shiso (peri 11 a) leaves
1 oz (25 g) menegi (welsh onion sprouts), substitute with chives
Salad dressing
4 teaspoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
1 tablespoon fresh wasabi, substitute with frozen fresh or tube wasabi
8 teaspoons vegetable oil
Like all other shellfish except abalone, aoyagi —or hen clam—is a spring delicacy. It is blanched briefly, then tossed in a simple dressing with another spring delicacy, udo, a stalk plant somewhat similar in taste and fragrance to white asparagus. Wild udo belongs to the category of sansai, or spring mountain vegetables, but the udo used in this recipe is the cultivated variety, possessing a milder flavor which does not overpower the shellfish. Because it is grown in the dark, it has a snow-white color.
1 Cut the udo into 1 1/2-in (4-cm) lengths and peel. Slice each piece in half lengthwise, then each half lengthwise into thin slices, and finally the thin slices into matchstick slivers. Soak in some water with vinegar added to remove the acid.
2 To make the dressing, combine the soy sauce, wasabi, and vegetable oil. Set aside.
3 Blanch the clams in hot water, about 190°F (80°C), and refresh in iced water.
4 Toss the clams and udo with the dressing, divide into 8 portions, and arrange each portion on a shiso leaf. Garnish with menegi or chives.
Sea eel braised with spring burdock root
Anago to shin gobo ni
Serves 4
11 oz (320 g) sashimi-quality anago (fillet of conger eel), substitute with other eel or any firm-fleshed white fish (but not with braised eel commonly found in Japanese grocery stores)
6 1/2 oz (200 g) burdock root, soaked in water with a little vinegar
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (for preparation see page 248)
2 tablespoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
3 1/2 tablespoons mirin
Ginger juice, obtained by peeling, grating, and squeezing ginger
This is a wonderfully light braised spring dish. The burdock root is rich in dietary fiber and vitamins but it is bitter and should always be soaked in water with vinegar before using. The shavings should just be lightly braised so that they retain their crunchy texture. Anago, conger eel, is quite rich in fat and compliments the burdock root well.
1 Place the eel on a cutting board above the sink, skin side up, and pour boiling water evenly over it. Remove any slime from the skin by running the spine (the blunt side) of a knife over the skin.
2 Wash and peel the burdock root by scrubbing it, then shave it (as you would sharpen a pencil) with a knife, turning it slowly until you have shaved the entire root. Soak the shavings in water for 10 minutes, then drain and reserve.
3 In a saucepan large enough to fit the eel, bring the stock, soy sauce, and mirin to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the eel (if the eel is too long, cut it in half), and simmer for 5 minutes.
4 Remove the eel carefully so that it does not break. Cut across into bitesize pieces. Arrange in serving bowl, pile the braised burdock root on top, add the ginger juice to the remaining liquid, and slowly pour on top. Serve immediately.
Grilled fava beans and new onions
Yaki soramame to shin tamanegi
Serves 4
8 soramame (fava/broad beans) in their pods
Natural sea salt
3 new onions, about 10 oz (300 g) each
In Japan, fava (broad) beans, or soramame (literally "heavenly beans"), are an important spring vegetable. They are normally boiled in salt water out of their pods, but at Shunju, where charcoal grilling is an important method of cooking, we have discovered that these beans are delicious grilled in their pods. The heat is trapped and, consequently, the beans are steamed to perfection inside their pods. The same holds true for the sweet new onions which also arrive in spring.
1 Soak the fava beans in their pods in water for a few minutes, then sprinkle them liberally with salt.
2 Remove any wilted outer skins from the onion but be sure to leave the rest of the skin intact.
3 Grill the beans and onions on a charcoal grill or broil under an oven grill until their skin is charred and they are soft to touch, or are easily pierced with a skewer. You should grill the onions first as they take longer to cook.
4 Alternatively, bake the beans and onions in a 350°F (180°C, gas 4) oven, 10 minutes for the onions, and about 5 minutes for the beans.
5 Serve piping hot with some sea salt on the side, or with the spicy miso dip (see page 94).
Ark shell sashimi with grated Japanese yam and vinegar
Aka gai no tororo jitate
Serves 4
1/4 cup (60 ml) su (rice vinegar)
2 tablespoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons mirin
12 sashimi-quality aka gai (ark shells)
Natural sea salt
8 nano hana (rape shoots), substitute with broccoli, blanched in salted water and refreshed
6 1/2 oz (200 g) yamato imo (Japanese yam), peeled and grated (optional)
Sliver-cut kizami non (laver), substitute with normal nori (laver) torn with your fingers (optional)
7 teaspoons (10 g) fresh wasabi, substitute with frozen fresh or tube wasabi
Ark shells, also known as blood clams due to their red flesh, can grow up to 5 in (12 cm) in diameter. As with all other shellfish—with the exception of abalone—they are considered a spring delicacy. You might have seen your sushi chef slap one onto his cutting board and watch it curl up. This procedure is to determine its freshness. Omit the Japanese yam if it is not available or if you are not fond of its slippery texture.
1 Bring the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and mirin to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and cool. Chill in refrigerator when completely cooled.
2 Place ark shells in a bowl and gently rub them with some natural sea salt. Rinse them under running water, pat dry with paper towel, and slice in half. Take the thinner half, make an incision in its thicker portion, and slap it onto a cutting board. This makes it open up into a shape resembling a hand.
3 Make a Crosshatch pattern on the remaining half by scoring it with diagonal lines using a very sharp knife, then turning it and scoring diagonally across the lines already made.
4 Spoon the grated yam into the bottom of a serving bowl, arrange ark shells and rape shoots on top, then pour the chilled sauce on top. Garnish with the laver slivers and grated wasabi if desired.
Halfbeak sashimi layered with salted plum sauce
Sayori no bai niku kasane zukuri
Serves 4
1/2 shiro uri (Oriental pickling melon), substitute with Western cucumber
2 sashimi-quality sayori (halfbeak fish), substitute with any firm-fleshed white fish
2 sheets white konbu (white dried kelp), substitute with oboro konbu (shaved, presoaked kelp), or omit
1 heaped tablespoon bai niku (salted plum paste)
Salt
Koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
Fresh wasabi, substitute with frozen fresh or tube wasabi
Sayori, or halfbeak, is a very long and lean white fish—similar in appearance to gar—which is in season in spring. Here, the fish is layered with salted plum paste. You may substitute halfbeak with other firm-fleshed white fish but make sure the fish is absolutely fresh. The bone garnish may be omitted if you dislike the way it looks but it's full of calcium, delicious, and has a crunchy texture.
1 Cut the pickling melon in half lengthwise and discard the seeds. Lightly sprinkle with salt and set aside.
2 Fillet one fish into three sections (see page 244), ensuring that the backbone is removed with the head and tail attached. Fillet the second fish into five sections (see page 246), removing the backbone but this time discarding the head and tail. Sprinkle the removed backbones with salt and air-dry for 3 hours.
3 Wrap and tie the first backbone (with the attached head and tail) around a flame-proof circular object, such as a round cookie cutter. The other backbone should be left flat. Grill both backbones over low heat on a charcoal grill or gently broil them under an oven grill.
5 Using tweezers, remove any fine bones from the two-section fillet, taking care not to break the flesh. Place the fillet, skin side up, on a cutting board and remove the skin from the head side by pulling it off with your fingers. Spread plum paste on the inner side of the fillet and sandwich the white konbu. Transfer to a flat container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6 Remove the skin from the four-section fillet in the same way. Refrigerate.
7 Cut the sandwiched fillets across into 3 equal slices, stack them into a single pile, and slice across into strips about 5 mm thick.
8 Place the gourd on a serving platter and arrange two-thirds of the sandwiched fish strips in the gourd with the cross-section facing forward.
9 Place a piece of white konbu on the serving dish, with the circular backbone on top. Arrange the remaining sandwiched strips on the plate and place the remaining backbone on top. Arrange the five-section fillets next to the circular bone. These fillets can be eaten with soy sauce and wasabi.
Sesame-coated green asparagus
Grin asupara no goma yaki
Serves 4
12 green asparagus (medium width), washed thoroughly, lower stalk snapped off, outer skin peeled if necessary
12 paper-thin pork slices (about 7 in by 3 in), long enough to spiral wrap the asparagus, substitute with bacon or prosciutto (if too thin, you may use two slices of pork to wrap the asparagus)
Natural sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1 cup (100 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
5 oz (150 g) white sesame seeds
2 eggs, beaten thoroughly
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 teaspoons (20 g) wagarashi ko (powdered Japanese mustard) mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons hot water to form a smooth paste
1/4 cup (60 ml) koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
Asparagus is not a traditional Japanese vegetable but is now being cultivated in Hokkaido in the northern part of Japan. This recipe brings a variety of flavors and textures to the sometimes bland asparagus. The crunchy sesame coating is mouth-watering and can, of course, be prepared without pork if you wish.
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, gas 4).
2 Wrap the asparagus tightly with the pork by starting at the lower end and spiraling up to the tips. Squeeze in your hands so that the pork adheres well. Season the wrapped asparagus with salt and pepper.
3 Spread the flour and sesame separately in flat, shallow containers. Beat the eggs thoroughly and pour into a third flat container that can fit the length of the asparagus. Roll the asparagus in the flour, pat off any excess, dip it in the egg, and finally roll it in the sesame seeds to coat evenly. When the sesame coating has firmed, transfer to an oiled baking sheet.
4 Bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes. If the stalks are very long, slice in half crosswise. Serve immediately, with the mustard and soy sauce in small dishes on the side.
Crab crisps
Kani senbei
Serves 4
1/2 cup (100 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (70 g) king or snow crabmeat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup (20 g) dried breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
Pinch natural sea salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch white pepper
4 spring roll wrappers
This is one of our popular nibble foods, which we serve in the bar as well as in the restaurant. It makes an excellent accompaniment to a glass of wine. The crab topping can be prepared ahead of time but spread it only on the spring roll wrappers and bake just before serving.
1 Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C, gas 3).
2 Soften the cream cheese in a bowl with a spatula, and stir in the crab-meat and mayonnaise.
3 Mix in the dried breadcrumbs, soy sauce, salt, cayenne, and white pepper.
4 Place a spring roll wrapper on a cutting board and spread the crab/cream cheese mixture evenly with a rubber spatula.
5 Put the spring roll sheets on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly browned and crispy. Watch and turn carefully.
6 Serve on a flat bamboo basket lined with hanshi (Japanese writing paper; refer to Glossary).
Spring starters
Haru no otoshi
(from page 50)
Udo Dressed with Plum Sauce
(Udo no Bainiku Ae)
125 g udo, cannot be substituted
10 ml su (rice vinegar)
5 g bainiku (sieved flesh of salted plum), available at Japanese grocery stores
or can easily be made by sieving the salt preserved ume boshi.
5 g fresh wasabi
can be substituted with frozen wasabi
1 Peel udo with a vegetable peeler. Cut in half and soak in some water with the vinegar to remove the acid.
2 Combine all the ingredients to make the dressing.
3 Slice into 5 cm lengths, slice the piece in half lengthwise and slice the halves lengthwise into thin slices. Toss with the dressing.
Herb Marinated Sea Bream Sashimi
(Tai no Koso Marine)
40 g sashimi quality sea bream fillet
2 g natural sea salt
one pinch sugar
30 ml virgin olive oil
3 g lemon grass, can be substituted with any fresh herb of your choice
1 Prepare the sea bream into san mai oroshi cut (see page 244). Remove the skin.
2 Mix the salt and sugar well.
3 Sprinkle the filleted sea bream with the salt and sugar mixture. Let rest for 30 minutes.
4 Rinse the salt of the sea bream, pat dry and place in a dish with the olive oil and lemon grass. Marinate for 3 hours.
5 Remove the sea bream from the olive oil and slice into sogi giri cut (see page 247).
Miso-pickled cream cheese
Kurimu chiizu no miso zuke
Serves 4
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
3 1/2 oz (100 g) moromi miso (a soft, brown spread of salt-pickled vegetable mixed with unfiltered soy sauce and miso), see Note
5 oz (125 g) cream cheese (any generic variety of cream cheese, e.g. Philadelphia, rather than marscapone, works better in this recipe as it is firmer and retains its shape for easier slicing)
1 baguette (French bread), cut crosswise into 16 slices and baked until brown and crispy
Chinmi are unusual and luxurious delicacies that are often eaten together with sake. Some of these choice food items, such as exquisite sea animals or fermented seafood innards, can be a little too exotic for younger Japanese, and non-Japanese, palates. This recipe for miso-pickled cream cheese was developed for just this reason and is perfect with a chilled glass of your favorite sake. The inspiration for this tasty snack came from a local delicacy of Kumamoto Prefecture, tofu pickled in miso. The miso-pickled cream cheese must be prepared a week in advance.
1 In a small bowl, combine the mirin, soy sauce, garlic, and moromi miso until well mixed.
2 In a Tupperware container that comfortably fits the cream cheese, spread half of the miso mixture. Wrap the cream cheese in a cheese cloth or kitchen paper and place on top of the miso mixture. Now spread the remaining half of the mixture on top so that the cream cheese is completely covered. Refrigerate for 1 week.
3 Remove the cream cheese from the miso pickling medium and slice into 16 slices. Let it return to room temperature and serve each slice on a piece of bread.
Note : Moromi miso is available from Japanese grocery stores but if you are unable to locate any, use aka miso (red miso) softened with some mirin.
Sake-steamed clams
Hamaguri no saka mushi
Serves 4
40 unopened clams, about 10 oz (300 g), thoroughly rinsed under running water
2/3 oz (20 g) naga negi (long welsh onion), substitute with white part of scallion (spring onion), finely chopped
1/4 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) sake
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1 taka no tsume (dried hot red chili)
4 teaspoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
1 handful (5 g) fugu negi (welsh or ciboule onion stalks), substitute with green stalks of thin scallions (spring onions), finely chopped
Hamaguri, which belong to the group of venus clams, are gathered throughout Japan from winter through spring. They are delicious grilled in their shell on a charcoal fire or steamed in sake. We have added red chili to spice up the traditional recipe, and be sure to drink the delicious broth! Hamaguri can be substituted with any kind of hard clams.
1 Place all the ingredients, except for soy sauce and chopped fugu negi, in a saucepan and heat covered over high heat for 5 minutes.
2 Open the lid to check if all the clams have opened. If not, heat for a few more minutes. When all the clams have opened, stir in the soy sauce. Discard any clams that do not open.
3 Place the opened clams in a serving bowl with the broth, and garnish with chopped fugu negi.
Char-grilled Maezawa beef
Maezaw a gyu no kinome miso yaki
Serves 4
4 1/2 tablespoons sake
4 1/2 tablespoons mirin
4 teaspoons sugar
13 oz (400 g) saikyo miso (a sweet white miso from Kyoto), substitute with shiro miso (white miso)
6 1/2 oz (200 g) shiro miso (white miso)
13 oz (400 g) kinome (young sansho leaves), ground in a mortar and pestle (leave some whole to garnish)
12 oz (360 g) Maezawa beef tenderloin or sirloin
2 pinches natural sea salt
2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
Although Kobe beef is the most famous marbled beef from Japan, many other regions produce equally wonderful, if not better, meat such as Maezawa beef, Yonezawa, and Iga. Kinome, or young prickly ash leaf, is mixed with sweet miso as a flavoring for Maezawa beef in this recipe.
1 Bring sake and mirin to a boil in a saucepan boil for 1 minute to burn off the alcohol content.
2 Place both types of miso in a separate saucepan and heat over low heat, then pour in the sake, mirin, and sugar, stirring with a wooden spatula to prevent it burning. Remove from the heat and cool.
3 Stir the ground kinome into the cooled miso, mixing well to form a paste.
4 Skewer the beef with four skewers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the beef is warmed to room temperature, grill over charcoal or broil under an oven grill. Spread the paste on the browned side and grill briefly to brown, then grill the other side to your liking.
5 Slice the beef into 4 serving slices and arrange on a platter garnished with fresh kinome leaves.
Spanish mackerel grilled with citrus sauce
Sawara no yuzu fumi yaki
Serves 4
1 cup plain sugar syrup
1/2 cup water
4 kinkan (kumquats)
6 1/2 tablespoons koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)
6 1/2 tablespoons mirin
6 1/2 tablespoons sake
Zest from 1/2 yuzu (Japanese citron), substitute with 1 lemon, grated
4 fillets Spanish mackerel, about 4 oz (120 g) each, cut in three-section fillet (see page 244)
8 kogomi (fiddleheads), total about 2 oz (60 g), blanched in salted water, then refreshed in cold water (optional)
Sawara, or Spanish mackerel, is caught in the Inland Sea from April to June and makes excellent grilled fish. In Kyoto, it is cured in sweet saikyo miso for one day and grilled. We have marinated it with yuzu, a fragrant Japanese citrus fruit.
1 Put 1 cup plain sugar syrup and 1/2 cup water, and the whole kumquats, in a small saucepan, and bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
2 Place soy sauce, mirin, and sake in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
3 Add grated citron zest to the cooled sauce and pour over the fish, then leave to marinate for 3 or 4 hours.
4 Remove the mackerel from the marinade, skewer each slice with 2 metal or bamboo skewers (soaked in water), and grill on a charcoal grill or broil under an oven grill, taking care not to burn the fish.
5 When nicely browned on both sides and thoroughly grilled, arrange each fillet on a serving platter and garnish with poached kumquats and blanched fiddleheads.
Sea bream rice
Tai meshi
Serves 4
2 cups (440 g) Japanese rice, washed (see page 261 for washing instructions)
2 3/4 cups (700 ml) katsuo dashi (bonito stock) (see page 248)
1/2-in (5 g) very young ginger, peeled, cut into fine slivers and refreshed in water
4 teaspoons usukuchi shoyu (light soy sauce)
4 teaspoons mirin
1 small sea bream, about 10 oz (300 g), scaled, gutted, washed, and patted dry
10 kinome (young sansho) leaves
