Tag Archives: 刺身

Lobster: Basic Sashimi Preparation/Langouste : PRéparation standard de sashimi

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To answer Christina’s question (visit her great blog at Lobster Queen!) who asked if a lobster could be eaten raw, here is the basic recipe for preparing it.
Note that lobsters are fine, but spiny lobsters are best, especially small/medium specimens!

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The lobster should be still alive before you start proceeding.
First clean the live lobster under running clear cold water.
Note that live lobsters are very “lively”!

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Use a short and sharp wide blade knife.
Maintaining the lobster securely in one hand, stab the lobster with the knife point deeply just behind the head at a slant forward.

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You should be able to easily twist the tail away from the head.

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Put the head aside (will come onto the plate later).

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Turn tail over and cut bewteen soft underbelly part and hard shell part.

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Cut along both sides.

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You should be able to easily pull out the underbelly shell. If you have problems pulling it out, insert a spoon between the shell and the flesh.
Should come out easily then.

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Pull the flesh out the shell.
Peel off the thin brown skin and discard.

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First cut tail flesh lengthwise through the middle.
Take innards out and discard.
Ten cut the flesh across into one bite size (small size by European/American standards!).

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Drop into iced water and clean off the sticky juices. As the flesh will turn white if you leave it in the water too long, this process should not last more than 1 minute!

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Take water off in kitchen paper.

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Using the shell (cleaned in cold running water and wiped), arrange sashimi as above. Very easy!
You will find out that the flesh is sweet.
A little wasabi and soy sauce (ponzu is even better) is all you need!

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On nous demande souvent si la langouste peut se déguster cru, et voici la réponse avec une recette simple !

Les homards sont utilisables pour cette recette mais les langoustes seront préférées, de petite/moyenne taille de préférence.

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La langouste doit être vivante avant de commencer le processus. D’abord commencer par laver l’animal sous de l’eau propre coulante en continu. Attention car les langoutes vivantes sont très vivaces et frétillants.

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Utilisez une lame courte et bien aiguisée et faites en sorte de bien stabiliser le homard quand vous le tenez de l’autre main, poignardez derrière la tête, celle-ci incliné vers l’avant (voir les photos).

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Avec un mouvement de torsion vous devriez être en mesure de séparer les deux morceaux.

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Mettez la tête de côté (elle servira de décoration !)

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Retournez la queue et coupez entre la partie charnue et molle et la partie dure de la carapace.

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Tranchez de tout le long.

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Vous devriez pouvoir ensuite retirer toute la carapace de la queue. Si jamais cela coinçait quelque part, s’aide d’une cuillère en la mettant entre la chair et la carapace devrait faire sortir tout ce beau monde !

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Sortez la chair, et retirer la pellicule marron et récupérez le précieux aliment 🙂

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Ensuite coupez la chair de la queue comme sur la photo dans le sens de la longueur, retirez les impuretés à l’intérieur.

Ensuite coupez les morceaux de manière à ce que cela puisse faire une bouchée…japonaise (donc petite pour les gourmands que nous sommes).

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Mettez le tout dans de l’eau gelée et nettoyez ensuite tout ce qui pourrait avoir une texture un peu collante. Comme la chair va devenir blanche si vous la laissez dans l’eau trop longtemps, tout doit être fait en une minute maximum.

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Posez le tout sur un sopalin pour absorber l’eau.

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Utiliser la carapace lavée vous permettra de présenter les choses ainsi, c’est relativement facile et en envoie plein les mirettes.

La chair obtenue est sucrée. Un peu de wasabi et de sauce soja ou ponzu permet de varier les goûts !

Bon appétit !

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Sushi Gastronomy at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (July 2012)!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake

Time had finally come last night when we both agreed that a visit to our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Sushi Ko/すし幸 had been long overdue and that we ought to sample Chef. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太’s creations!

Now did we sample this time?

With our first drink (beer) were served a “o-tooshi/お通し/light food served with the first drink consisting of boiled shirasu/シラス/sardine whiting, a true specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture!

O-tsukuri/御造り/sashimi plate!

Suzuki/鱸/Seabass for the Suruga Bay lying against a shiso/紫蘇/perilla leaf finely cut daikon/大根・Japanese radish and myoga/茗荷/myoga ginger.
Note that the fresh wasabi is grated from roots cultivated in Utogi, Shizuoka City, the birthplace of wasabi!

King salmon/キングサーモン with perilla flowers, shiso leaf and agar agar threads.

A Sushi Ko Restaurant specialty: pon kara maguro/ポン辛鮪/tuna dices deep-fried and served with chopped red onion, ponzu and momiji oroshi/紅葉下ろし/Grated daikon with chili powder.

A must at any sushi restaurant worth its salt: Zuke/着け/Marinated tuna nigiri!

After the beer, whereas the Missus ordered wine, I asked for a great local sake, shosetsu/正雪/a honjyozo/本醸造 brewed by Kanzawagawa Brewery/神沢は和酒造 in Yui/由比/, Shimizu Ku/清水区, Shizuoka City/静岡市!

Kinmedai aburi/金目鯛炙り/seared Splendid Alfonsino caught off the Izu Peninsula/伊豆半島! Another famous fish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Kinki/キンキ/Broadbanded Thornyhead nigiri!

Finley sliced Tsubugai/螺貝/whelk (small variety) marinated in fresh wasabi!

Amaebi/甘海老/Sweet shrimps and Hotategai/帆立貝/Scallop nigiri!

It is not all about fish, Sushi Ko also serves some beautifully cooked morsels!
Geso Karaage/下そ唐揚げ/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

Sushi Ko can also devise sushi exclusively for vegetarians and vegans such as the above manganji tougarashi/万願寺唐辛子/sweet long green chili pepper seasoned with yuzu koshio/柚子小塩/lime pickled in salt or ume/梅/Pickled Japanese plum as nigiri!

Gunkan/軍艦/”Mothership nigiri containing yama imo/山芋/Long Japanese yam with uzura tamago/鶉卵/quail egg and a little Tuna!

A favorite of mine: Tachiuo aburi/太刀魚炙り/seared scabbard fish from the Suruga Bay as a nigiri!

A favorite sushi roll all over Japan: Negi Toro maki/葱トロ巻/finely chopped tuna and leek roll!

Another vegan morsel: Shiso Ume Natto maki/紫蘇梅納豆巻/perilla leaf, pickled Japanese plum and fermented beans roll!

Another vegan morsel: Menegi Nigiri/芽葱握り/leek sprouts nigiri topped with ume!

We finished this grand dinner with an extravagant “dessert consisting of two different kinds of ko-donburi/小丼 (also called ko bachi/小鉢)/sushi served in small bowls: ikura/イクラ(did you know that this particular word is Russian, not Japanese?)? Salmon roe and Murasaki uni/紫海栗/violet sea urchin!

Did you enjoy the pictures?
We certainly enjoyed the food! LOL

To be continued…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

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Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Sashimi: Konbujime Hirame/Sole Marinated in Seaweed

The Missus prepared this tasty sashimi dish as an appetizer for my first cup of Japanese sake last night.
The concept is pretty easy and can be reproduced anywhere!

First get enoug konbu/昆布/dry seaweed and brush them with rice vinegar. Wait until they have softened. Drain them if necessary but don’t wipe them.

Rub rice vinegar over both sides of the fish. Cut the fish into one-bite-sized slices (or marinate it whole, but the fish will be ready faster this way) and “sandwich” them between the seaweed pieces.
Leave in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Serve them on the seaweed if you are in a hurry, or more artistically with a little wasabi dressing (or any dressing of your liking, or as it is) and chopped thin leeks.

The seaweed can be used in soup or finely chopped and mixed in steamed rice later!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
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Sashimi: Shizuoka Local Fish at Uosei in Heda, Izu Peninsula

Just came from another visit in Izu Peninsula!
This time another two and half hours car trip took us to Heda, a harbor part of Numazu City at the Western top of Izu Peninsula across from Mount Fuji.

Although a small harbor, Heda is well-known for one seafood I’ll introduce later!
We were not very fortunate today as the skies were overcast. By fine weather you can admire Mount Fuji in its full splendor just through the narrow gullet leading to the harbor waters.

No, this was not freshly caught from the sea!
Izu Peninsula is celebrated for its dried fish/himono/干物!

Here is the place we chose to have lunch.
Can you see the big crab?

The speciality I was talking about: Takaashigani/Long-Legged Crabb/高足蟹!

For a closer view.
These are small to medium-sized specimens.
Takaashigani is the largest crab in the world and it is caught only in Suruga Bay!

Now, this is the real size.
The pincers’s full length is over 1 metre each!

As we came there for work, we skipped the Takaashigani Lunch Set, which simply too big and opted for two different local sashimi lunch sets!

I chose the above: Amaebi/Sweet Shrimps/甘エビ, maguro/tuna/鮪, ika/cuttlefish/烏賊, and aji/hose mackerel/鯵.

My friend chose the single fish sashimi lunch set featuring horse mackerel!

For a side view!
There is need to say that the fish was freshe than anywhere else!
I was about to forget: and so delicious!

Moreover, Heda is worth a visit for its touristic charm!
Can you see the “torii/鳥居” in the distance?
A torii is a gate found at the entry of Shinto Shrine.

Beautiful, isn’t it?
This the torii of a Shrine called “Murokuchi”
The Shrine is there for the safety and prosperity of the local fishermen and households!

Do visit after a nice walk along the small beach or through the pine grove!

UOSEI
410-3402 Shizuoka ken, Numazu City, Heda, 580
Tel.: 0558-94-2114/0558-94-2598
Open from lunch to dinner

Access: Train & Bus= change trains at Mishima JR Station and go to Shuzenji. Get off at Shuzenji Station and take a bus to Heda.
By boat: Take a bus from Numazu JR Station to Numazu harbor and board one of the regular ships.
By Car Ferry: Board at Shimizu harbor and land at Doi, then drive to Heda.

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Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Shizuoka Marine Products at Sushi Ko: Seabream and Cuttlefish

Left: Tennen Madai/天然真鯛/Wild Red Seabream
Right: Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid

Last night I had another occasion to visit my favorite Sushi Restaurant Sushi Ko in Aoba Koen/青葉公園/”Green Leaves Park” in Shizuoka City.
I go through many of my own traditional enquiries before choosing my morsels, and one of them is to find out what is on the “sashimi menu of the day”!

This was when I noticed two items labeled “Tennen/天然, meaning “natural/wild” from Shizuoka Prefecture, more precisly from the Suruga Bay:

Madai/真鯛/Red Seabream (English information, Japanese information)

The fish is not only served as sashimi, but being very fresh (actually alive in a tank at Sushi Ko!), it is also served with its skin in aburi/炙り/grilled style!
The flesh is extremely tender and almost sweet. No wonder it is so prized in Japan!

Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid (English information, Japanese information)

Sushi Ko serves it in strips that have been indented at regular spaces for an easier bite and for a better exposure to taste.
The cuttlefish is in fact easy to chew and very tasty!

Notice the edible perilla/shiso/紫蘇 flowers and grated wasabi from Shizuoka, too!

Sushi Ko
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Iwate Prefecture Specialties 3: Spiny Lobster

As previously mentioned, I’ve just spent a nice holiday away from it all in Iwate Prefecture in the North/Tohoku Part of Japan, in Morioka more precisley!

Although Iwate Prefecture does not have as long a seashore as in Shizuoka, it’s nonetheless noted for its fish and crustaceans, especially spiny lobsters/Ise Ebi/伊勢海老!

The above sashimi dish was served to us for dinner at our hotel in Shizukuishi, a noted area for skiing and hotsprings.

The spiny lobster is estremely fresh of course and its raw meat is very sweet, a real morsel here in Japan.
The fish are maguro/tuna toro and sanma/Pacific Saury.

A great extravagant combination!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope; Jacqueline Church; The Foodonymph (in Dubai!); Alchemy, Simple Ingredients, magical Food (in Ireland!); Curious Foodie; Mr. Foodie (London/UK)

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Iwate Prefecture Specialties 2: Sanma/Pacific Saury

Sanma O-tsukuri: plate of Pacific Saury sashimi

As previously mentioned, I’ve just spent a nice holiday away from it all in Iwate Prefecture in the North/Tohoku Part of Japan, in Morioka more precisley!

Although Iwate Prefecture does not have as long a seashore as in Shizuoka, it’s nonetheless noted for its fisheries, especially sanma/Pacific saury!

As it comes absolutely fresh in that Prefecture, it is best savored raw in season (right now) when it is “fat”.
We ate the above in a great little izakaya in Morioka City.
The fish was cut in almost paper-thin slices and served with lime, grated ginger, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper and finely chopped thin leeks to be dipped into soy sauce.
A must for sashimi officionados!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope; Jacqueline Church; The Foodonymph (in Dubai!); Alchemy, Simple Ingredients, magical Food (in Ireland!); Curious Foodie; Mr. Foodie (London/UK)

Please check the new postings at:
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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Kohada/Gizzard Shad

Kohada/コハダ、or “small skin” actually is not the Japanese name of gizzard shad, but a generic name for the small fish as sashimi or sushi.
The real Japanese name for gizzard shad is konoshiro/コノシロ, and even the same fish goes by other names depending on its size:
-Up to 5 cm: shinko/シンコ
-Around 10 cm: kohada/コハダ
-More than 15 cm: konoshiro/コノシロ

Although the mainfishing/angling season is around November~December, it can be found in good sushi restaurants all year round.
This said, in July, it will be the small shinko season.

Choose fresh specimens. Fish with reddish eyes and flaking scales should be avoided.
The fish is particularly popular pickled in salt and vinegar before being served either as sashimi or sushi, as the smell emanating form the grilled fish is too strong for many.

Kohada maki, with no rice, is an interesting morsel for people wishing to savour it alone with a great drink.

But it is most popular as sushi!
The small size of the fish allows for all kinds of combinations, but the fun, and the skill, reside in the “shallow cutting” practicd by many chefs for best taste.

The cutting techniques are almost infinite.
I hope that the following pictures will give an idea of what to expect, or create!

Will publish the recipe to prepare the fish soon!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Sushi Restaurant: Yoshimizu

Chef Mamoru Yoshimuzu at work

Service: excellent, professional and friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to slight expensive. Good value.
Strong points: Edomae-style sushi. Good sake and drinks.
no-smoking-logoentirely non-smoking!

Thanks to a bunch of new friends, I had the occasion last night to pay my first visit to an excellent Sushi Restauarant called Yoshimizu in Shizuoka City.
It proved a good idea to have gone there with friends as there is little chance to find a seat if you haven’t made a reservation.
The oyakata prepares only enough to be served to guests with reservations every evening!

Visiting a new restaurant with new friends can be a problem when taking pictures as you do not have the time, nor the best of lightings!
At least no smoke is interfering as it is an entirely non-smoking establishement, a rare case for a sushi restaurant!

The above is an appetizer combination of Aji Namuro/Pike Mackerel Tartare and Surumeika Meshi/Rivce stuffed briled squid-cuttle fish.

All the morsels are served on/in minoyaki earthenware.
The sushi style is uncompromisingly edomae-style (Tokyo style) by an oyakata/chef who also spent 3 years in London before opening his restaurants 5 years ago.

Isaki

Whenever possible the fish and seafood are local such as the above isaki.
There is no menu to choose from because one is serve a menu set depending on the day’s avaibility.
As for drinks, there is enough to please everywhere, including some great sake from Shizuoka Prefecture and elsewhere.

Mirugai.

The service is very professional but friendly.
All questions and queries will be answered with plenty of details.

Seitoro: Toro from the back of a minami maguro/southern tuna.
The fact that the place seats only 10 guests means that everyone is sitting at a counter in full view of the chef’s work!

Aka Ika: red squid seasoned with Himalaya salt and sesame seeds.
No small saucer is provided as all mrseld come -preseasoned by the chef. No need for extra soy sauce or wasabi!

Kinjiso leaves and ikura/salmon roe.
Before starting serving the chef will chef if you have any problems and ny food (in my case I can’t stand mentaiko) and will take good note (on his notebook!) to make sure you pleased and satisfied!

Kuruma ebi, boiled and seasoned.

Sagoshi/Young Sawara/Spanish Mackerel.

Anago sho/conger eel, so soft!

Megochi/Young kochi

Tamagoyaki (made with shrimp paste)!

Alright, I will have to go there again very soon, and on my own , for better pics!

Sushi Yoshimizu/鮨よし水
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Showa-cho, 4-8, Rumankan 4F
Tel.: 054-253-3889
Opening hours: 17:30~24:00 (mon., Tues, Wed.); 17:30~02:00 (Fri., Sat.); 17:30~22:30 (Sun. and National Holidays)
Closed on Thursdays and on Mondays after National Holidays.
Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope

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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Kurosoi/Black Rock Fish

Kurosoi/クロソイ/Black Rock Fish-Schlegel’s Black Rockfish (Latin name: Sebastes schlegelii Hilgendorf,1880) is a rock fish/scorpion Fish variety even rarer than Ainame/アイナメ/Fat Greening for the simple reason that it is one of those fish great not only for its taste but for its angling challenge!

Also known as Kurosui and Kurokara (and many local names), it is caught south of the Hokkaido Island along rocky coasts as well as off the Korean Peninsula and China.
Great efforts are presently spent on the possibility of raising them either by semi-natural methods or completely raised from egg to adult state in human-controlled environment.
Its flesh can be appreciated in any form of gastronomy, raw or cooked.

Sashimi plate.

Rare as sushi! (two on the left!)

Slow-cooked as Japanese-style aquapazza!

Its head, tail, fins and bones can be turned into a succulent Japanese-style miso bouillabaisse with other seafood!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope

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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Ainame/Fat Greening

Ainame/アイナメ/Hexagrammos otakii or Fat Greening is a truly Japanese seasonal fish, which has become a rarity as it lives only around the Japanese archipelago along rocky shores in water comparatively high in salt (some are also found around the Korean Peninsula).
Luckily enough it has been raised successfully in the Western part of Shizuoka Prefecture for the last few years.
Its rarity is caused by its popularity with anglers and its very fine taste.
A cousin of the rock fish, it is called many other names such as Aburako, Aburame and when young, Kujime.
The best season is in may and June. As it lay eggs in Winter, the taste loses its appeal.

It is a real morsel to be enjoyed in many ways:

As sashimi, even its skin is edible!

It makes for superb sushi nigiri!

Like any great white-fleshed fish, you must sample it in karaage/deep-fried!

The same karaage can be then marinated!

Another great way to enjoy it is to cook it as Japanese nimono, either slowly simmered or steamed and served with a soy sauce, sake and mirin sauce!

Of course it makes for a supreme delicacy “poele” in French or Italian gastronomy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope

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Sushi Restaurant: Dinner at Sushi Ko (Shizuoka City, ’10/04/22)

Take-away Sashimi Tray!

As promised, here is the full photograph report of pur dinner at Sushi Ko the other day.
Some pics are fuzzy, pressed for time as I was by the missus!
Sorry!

The Man In Charge: Mr. Oda!

Generous serving of Shosetsu sake (Shizuoka City, Yui)!

Like in any good sushi restaurants one can have a good look at their ware in glass displays!

The sashimi we ordered for the day!

Katsuo/鰹 or bonito (from Shizuoka Prefecture!).

Kinmedai/金目鯛 or Splendid alfonsino (from Shizuoka Prefecture!)

Served with chopped leeks and grated ginger.

The next sake: Junmai ginjo by Fujinishiki Brewery (Shibakawa Cho), rice milled down to 55%. Priveate label for Sushi KO!

Japanese-style tako/蛸 octopus Carpaccio plate!

Anago/穴子 or conger eel tempura.

Maguro zuke/鮪付け or marinated tuna

Botan ebi/牡丹海老 or large sweet prawn

Hotate/帆立 or scallop

Hirame/平目 or sole. Seasoned with lemon juice and salt only!

The deep-fried heads of the botan ebi!

Kujira/鯨 or whale

Vegan sushi tray! Menegi/芽葱 or thin leeks sprouts, Himesoba/姫蕎麦 or buckwheat sprouts, Mitsuba/三つ葉 or trefoil and Kawairedaikon/かわいれ大根 or daikon sprouts (lightly boiled) with umeboshi!

Hamaguri/蛤 or large clams. Unusual as they are quite a work to do for little profit!

Pirikara Hotate Futomaki/ピリ辛帆立太巻 or Spicy Scallops thick roll, one of Mr. Oda’s specialties!

Anago/穴子 or conger eel

Shiso, Nattou to Umeboshi Maki/紫蘇納豆梅干巻 or sushi roll with perilla leaves, fermented soy beans and pickled Japanese plum. Vegan!

Sakura Ebi Gunkan/桜海老軍艦 or fresh cherry shrimps. Only available in Shizuoka (cheap) unless you want to pay a helluva money in Tokyo!

Ikura Ko Donburi/イクラ小丼 or small bowl of salmon roe.

Nameko Jiru/なめこ汁 or nameko mushrooms miso soup

And Shizuoka Green Tea to finish!

SUSHI KO
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours: 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Bento Boutique, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento. Island Vittles, Skewer It!

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Horse Meat Sashimi at Tomii

Horse meat has been a favourite of the Japanese (and only the French and the Tatars!). They call it “Sakura” as it is reminiscent of the colour of cherry blossoms!
The best quality is produced in Kagoshima Prefecture in the Island of Kyushu.

It is usually served in very thin sashimi/carpaccio-style slices.

In sushi restaurants, it will usually be frozen for easier cutting, but Tomii beig a high-quality restaurant they avoid frezzing which might add water to the meat.
It is very sweet and tender, and a very special morsel.

It is always served with two types of seasoning at Tomii:
Soy sauce (light variety) with freshly grated ginger, or the same soy sauce with grated garlic. Both are complemented with very finely chopped fresh thin leek!

To be enjoyed with a great sake or shochu!

TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Bento Boutique, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento

Please check the new postings at:
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Japanese Seasonal Fish: Torafugu/Tiger Puffer

Torafugu or Tiger Puffer is one of more than a 100 hundred varieties of edible Puffer Fish or Globe Fish, but Tiger Puffer is by a great distance the most popular variety in Japan!

It is also known in Japanese as Honfugu/本河豚 or Oofugu/大河豚.
The main season is Winter and a little later for other regions.
It is caught on both sides of Japan especially in Central and East Japan.
It is a specialty in Hamamatsu in our Shizuoka Prefecture.

11,000 tonnes are caught yearly around Japan.
It is bred in Japan to the tune of 4,700 tonnes.
13,000 tonnes are mainly imported from China and South Korea.

In Japan, although it can be bought already dressed, one needs a special license to cut it, serve it, or sell it as the innards contain a violently lethal poison, although cheap fugu (not torafugu) does not always contain such toxin!

Cheap fugu can be eaten raw as sashimi all over Japan.

But more expensive torafugu sashimi is served as a piece of art!

As sashimi, it is best avoured with leeks, lemon, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper and ponzu!

As sushi, it can be served fairly plain.

Or aburi/炙り, lightly seared on one side!

Or more artistically with sansho and herbs!

Or even with its skin as the latter is edible!

It can also be served as gunkan seasoned with its own liver: a true delicacy!

Shirako/白子 or male spem sacs are also a delicay!

Torafugu can anturally be cooked, especially the bony parts full of meat but difficult to cut. My favourite is karaage/唐揚, deep-fried!

It is also very popular in cold weather a nabe/鍋 in Japan,

and in South Korea!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Bento Boutique, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento. Island Vittles, Skewer It!

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Korean Cuisine: Home-Made Gochujang

Gochujang is a savory and pungent fermented Korean condiment. Traditionally, it has been naturally fermented over years in large earthen pots outdoors, more often on an elevated stone platform, called jangdokdae (장독대) in the backyard.
It has been made at home in Korea since the 16th century, after chili peppers were first introduced. The making of gochujang at home began tapering off when commercial production started in the early 1970s and came into the mass market. Now, homemade gochujang can hardly be found.

Not only the Koreans, but the Japanese use it a lot when they make their own-style Korean food!

Here is a simple home-made recipe that should help everyone control the ingredients.
And it has the merit to be vegan/vegetarian!

INGREDIENTS:

-Water: 270 ml/cc
-Brown sugar/cane sugar: 250 g
-Miso: 300 g (try use more than 1 kind!)
-Korean Chili pepper powder: 100 g
-Salt: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake or Korean soju: 1 teaspoon
-Rice vinegar: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Pour water in a large enough pan. Add sugar. Heat until all brown sugar is dissolved.

-Add miso. try and use a combination of a few miso pastes. It will add to the taste. Keep heating, stirring with a wooden spatula all the time until mixture is smooth.

-Once most of the water has disappeared, add Korean Chili pepper powder. Mix well. Keep heating and slowly stirring untl water has disappeared and big bubbles start bursting at the surface.

-Switch off fire. Let cool until about 25~30 degrees Celsius temperature (your own skin temperature!). Add salt, sake/soju and rice vinegar. Stir well. This last step at this temperature will insure that all yeasts are killed and will prevent further fermentation.

-Secure inside a vessel and leave inside the fridge. Can be kept for a whole year inside the fridge.

USAGE SUGGESTION:

Korean-Style Fish Carpaccio

Mix some gochujang with red miso, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, Japanese sake or Korean soju and sesame oil. Stir the lot well and pour over a plate of sliced fish such as pike mackerel/saurel!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Bento Boutique, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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