Tag Archives: レシピ

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/68)

October 19, 2009 dragonlife 4 Comments

BENTO-09-10-19a

We are witnessing a very mild, if not hot Autumn in Shizuoka which promises to be long and pleasant.
This also means more access to local vegetables and local food in general!

BENTO-09-10-19b

Acually, the rice part was only part local.
The Missus steamed the rice with chopped konbu/seaweed.
It is certainly more practical than steaming it with a large piece of konbu as the seaweed itself is not only edible but add great taste to the rice.
This time she mixed in canned smoked oysters (this is the “unocal” part).

BENTO-09-10-19c

After keeping two whole oysters for the topping, she vut the rest small enough and add chopped boiled string beans and sesame seeds before mixing the lot together.

BENTO-09-10-19d

The main box was a combination of veg, meat and eggs.

BENTO-09-10-19e

The Missus placed them on a bed of lettuce, cress and thin slices of apple with cut plum tomato.
The tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette contained cut and fried pimetoes and was seasoned with a little Thai sweet and hot sauce.

BENTO-09-10-19f

The meat part was represented by thin pork slices rolled around thin enoki mushrooms and srting beans fried Japanese style.

Good variety and very tasty, I must admit!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Chicken Sandwich (with a twist)

October 16, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

SANDWICH-1

The Missus usually prepares only sandwiches as bento/lunch boxes on Fridays before I leave for University because I have to eat them aboard the train.
Accordingly they have to be kept simple and as a general rule are not really worthy writing about.

SANDWICH-2

But today’s sandwiches were a bit more sophisticated than usual.
Why? you may ask. Well, Friday is my night out, but for once I invited the Dragon out (we normally eat out on Thursdays9, which might explain the quality of today’s “Train bento”!

SANDWICH-3

Breads are available in an almost infinite range these days in Japan.
The bread used for these sandwiches are similar to pita bread but square and pre-cut.
Once toasted, they offer a crispy thin surface while the outside is soft and tender.
They are easier to hold, making them very practical to eat on the train where the contents tend to spill out.

SANDWICH-4

As for the contents, the Missus fried chicken “sasami/fillets” in karaage style with spice mix added.
She added lettuce, cress and French pickles for a great combination.

I can assure you I wolfed them down in a jiffy!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/67)

October 13, 2009 dragonlife 4 Comments

BENTO-09-10-13a

After a long week-end (yesterday was a national holiday) spent cricket-umpiring and visiting all kinds of museums in Mishima City (where I found an organic restaurant), it was back to usual today.

BENTO-09-10-13b

A Japanese home-style bento with a few twists!

BENTO-09-10-13c

The rice itself is a Missus’ specialty. She had simmered finely cut mushrooms with thinly cut aburaage (fried tofu pouches) the night before. She heated them again in their soup before adding and mixing them (with some of the soup) with the freshly steamed rice.

BENTO-09-10-13d

The garnish came into two disntinct parts:

BENTO-09-10-13e

Pork belly sliced from a large block and fried with yuzu koshio. She fried okra, scallions and red soft piments in the juices.

BENTO-09-10-13f

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, plum tomatoes and mitsuba/trefoil and sesame seeds salad.

BENTO-09-10-13g

For dessert Asian pear/Nashi and Square persimmons/Jirou Kaki (originally raised in Shizuoka Prefecture!)

Plentiful, tasty and healthy! I must say the Missus was in a fairly good mood today!LOL

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/66):The Day After Bento

October 10, 2009 dragonlife 4 Comments

BENTO-09-10-10a

Today’s bento was definitely “The Day After Bento”!
Invited as I was lats night by a student of mine, I only managed cycling back home at 2 a.m. to wake up at 7 a.m. and go to work an hour later with a “slight” hangover….

BENTO-09-10-10b

A Working Man’s Lunch!

BENTO-09-10-10c

The double decker sandwiches were actually pretty big:
The first tier was mainly egg sandwich, a Missus’ favourite.
The second tier was a bit more sophisticated with home-made chicken ham, British chutney, French pickles and mustard.

BENTO-09-10-10d

Big salad, too, most it made with local ingredients: shreddedcabbage, leaf vegetables,　plum tomatoes, green asparaguses and black olives.

Grapes for dessert. All in all, it proved lighter than it looked!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/65): Typhoon No 18 Bento

October 7, 2009 dragonlife Leave a comment

BENTO-09-10-07a

A big typhoon being upon us, Number 18, I had no recourse but to give up on going back home for lunch and “ordered” the Missu to concoct me a quick and healthy bento.

BENTO-09-10-07b

It was very healthy indeed!
She boiled udon and cooled them under cold running clear water.
She topped it with home-made chicken ham, boiled eggs, cress, finely cut cucumber, sliced radish, pieces of shiso/perilla leaves and cut plum tomatoes.

BENTO-09-10-07c

Side view of the bento!

BENTO-09-10-07d

Soup/dressing I added to the lot later at the office!

BENTO-09-10-07e

Asian pears/Nashi and plums are still in season!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

French Cuisine: Young Cod and Lentils

October 6, 2009 dragonlife 4 Comments

CABILLAUD-LENTILS

Young cod or “Cabillaud” in French is one of those white-fleshed fish which are so easy to prepare and do not require complicated recipes!

Here is a recipe which will make you sound like an accomplished chef:
Paves de Cabillaud aux Lentilles/Young Cod Steaks and Lentils!

INGREDIENTS: for 6 persons

-6 large pieces of cod fillets, 150 g each
-Puy green lentils: 500 g
-Bacon or Pancetta: 6 very thin slices
-Carrot: 1
-Onion: 1
-Olive oil (EVO): 4 tablespoons
-Xeres vinegar: 1 tablespoon
-Bouquet garni (if unavailable, make your own with fresh of dried rosemary, thyme, sage, etc)
-Salt: to taste
-Black pepper, freshly groungd: to taste

RECIPE:

-Peel the carrot and onion. Slice the onion very thin and cut the carrot into small dices. Drop the sliced onion and carrot dices and lentils into a large pan and cover (a little higher than the whole level) with cold water (containing as little calcium as possible=soft water). Add the bouquet garni. Bring to boil. Set the heat as to simmer the vegetables for 45 minutes.

-10 minutes before the vegetables are cooked fry the bacon slices on a large non-stick frypan until golden. Take excess fat off by laying them on a kitchen paper sheet.
In the same frypan heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Lay the cod on the rypan and fry on high fire for 2 minutes on each side. Turn the heat low. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and let cook for 5 more minutes on a low fire.

-Drain the lentils. Pour them on a serving dish.
Prepare a vinaigrette with salt, pepper, Xeres vinegar and the remaining olive oil. Pour it onto the lentils. Mix. Place the the bacon slices and cod onto the lentils and serve at once.

-If you serve them individually, keep six plates warm. Place each cod fillet on a bed of lentils and a slice of bacon. Sprinkle the fish with a little freshly chopped Italian parsley and just a little olive oil. Place a sprig of Italian parsley on the whole for the fnal touch.

Serve a good Beaujolais with it (not Beaujolais Nouveau, for people’s sake! LOL)

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cheese: Kyodo Gakui Shintoku Nojyo

October 6, 2009 dragonlife Leave a comment

CHEESE-JAPAN-2

This is the second set of cheese made by Kyodo Gakui Tokunojyou in Hokkaido Island I found In Lavigne, Shizuoka City.

hok-cheese-2

I have already introduced other cheeses from the same company (see above picturse).
They iincluded Sasa no Yuki, a Camembert style wrapped in a small bamboo leaf, Koban, Sakura and Raclette

CHEESE-JAPAN-1

These two cheeses seem to complete the whole series from that particular company.

CHEESE-JAPAN-3

This one is simply called “Camembert-type”, and it is very near the French product, the more for it that it ismade with raw cow’s milk.
Actually it is the Sasa no Yuki minus the bamboo leaf!
Well-matured and soft, it can be matured a longer time.

CHEESE-JAPAN-4

The last one, a hard type cheese also made with raw cow’s milk is called “Lera He Mental”, obviously inspired by Emmental and Comte cheeses. Surprisingly strong in characteristic, it makes for a great snack with wine and bread. Can definitely be used in somewhat extravagant cooking!

Another discovery!

Kyodo Gakui Shintoku Nojyo
081-0038 Hokkaido, Kamikawa Gun, Shintoku Machi, Jishintoku, 9-1
(081-0038 北海道上川郡新得町字新得９－１)
Tel.: (81)(0)156-69-5600

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/64)

October 6, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

BENTO-09-10-06a

Onecould call today’s bento “Another Typhoon Bento”, as after almost 12 weeks of drought the rain is back with a vengeance! The notion of typhoon notwithstanding, the weather pattern are absolutely identical to that of the rainy season/tsuyu in June/July!

BENTO-09-10-06b

The beno the Missus prepared his morning was a very classi one, reminiscent of what children and students can expect from their mothers.

BENTO-09-10-06d

After she had steamed the rice, she mixed still hot with rice vinegar and other ingredients including white sesame seeds to make it sushi rice.
She fried minced chicken with finely cut mushrooms in a comparitively sweet sauce before covering half the rice with it.
She covere the other other with Japanese-style scrambled eggs and separated both with some freshly cut mitubs/trefoil making for an appetizing and colourful dish.

BENTO-09-10-06c

The salad consisted of shredded vegetables, smoked salmon, plum tomatoes, French pickles and black olives. I seasoned the lot with dressing kept in my fridge at work.

For dessert grape jelly.
Very healthy indeed!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cuisine: Karei no Karaage/Whole deep-fried Flounder

September 29, 2009 dragonlife 8 Comments

KAREI-KARAAGE-1

Here continues the mini-series on easy Japanese fish recipes:

Karei no Karaage/Whole deep-fried Flounder!
Have a look at the flounder pic below!

INGREDIENTS:

-Flounders: 1 per person
-salt: to taste
-Black pepper: To taste
-Cornstarch

RECIPE:

KAREI-KARAAGE-2

-Take scales off the fish. Take out innards. Clean the fish under running cold clear water. Dry off with kitchen paper.

KAREI-KARAAGE-3

-make a incision under the gills and take these out cleanly. Sprinkle with salt and let rest for 10 minutes.

KAREI-KARAAGE-4

-Wipe water and salt off the fish. Make a cross section cut along the skin as in picture. Season with salt and pepper and leave inside fridge for a while to let the fish suck in the seasoning.

KAREI-KARAAGE-5

-Sprinkle both sides of the fish with cornstarch (enough to cover the fish as “thinly” as possible)

KAREI-KARAAGE-6

-Heat the oil to 160~170 degrees Celsius. Drop the fish in the oil.

KAREI-KARAAGE-7

-When the fish has attained a nice colour and that the tail and fins have become crispy, finish the cooking by raising the temperature of the oil for a little while.

– KAREI-KARAAGE-8

-Take off excess oil on a piece of kitchen paper.
Apart of the bones around the eyes, not only the flesh, but the bones, fins and tail can be eaten!

NOTE:

Take care not to start the deep-frying at too high a temperature, otherwise the fish will “burn out”!

KAREI-FLOUNDER

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cuisine: Mebaru no Nitsuke/Stewed Rockfish

September 29, 2009 dragonlife 3 Comments

MEBARU-1

I found a bunch of simple fish recipes in my notes and thought that the faster I published them the better.
So after yesterday’s Simmered Turbot, here is a similar recipe for “mebaru” or Rockfish. a very popular fish here in Shizuoka and elsewhere!
Have a look at the pic of the fish at the end of this posting!

INGREDIENTS:

-Mebaru/Rockfish: 1 whole
-Water: 75 ml
-Soy sauce, Japanese Sake, Mirin/Sweet sake: 1 tablespoon each
-Sugar: 1 teaspoon
-Ginger, grated: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Dress the fish (take out the gills and innards.

-Wash the fish in running clear cold water. Dry it off with a piece of kitchen paper.
In a large pan, drop water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Mix well. Heat just before boiling point. Lay the fish inside.

-Bring the fire down to low-medium. Keep spooning “juices/soup” over the fish as it cooks.

-Cook until soup is reduced to one third.

-Check the taste of the soup halfway. If too astringent add sugar or mirin.

-The juices/soup having reached a slightly sirupy state, add the grated ginger. It is better to add it at the last minute, otherwise the taste will disappear.

-Consider the size of the fish as regards the ingredients for the soup/stock. It will be ok to double the ingredients quantity anyway.

NOTE:
Youmay increase the quantity of ginger and sugar. If the fish does not seem to be absolutely fresh increase the amount of sake and decrease accordingly the amount of water.

MEBARU-ROCKFISH

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/64)

September 29, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

BENTO-09-09-29a

Today’s was also a “Working Man’s Bento”, and the Missus, grumpy as she was (rain outside and so on) certainly couldn’t help pointing it out (she is working, too…)!

BENTO-09-09-29b

It was pretty voluminous, too. I wonder why the Missus is always complaining b\about my bulging waist,…

BENTO-09-09-29c

Not only did she steam the rice this morning (complaining I was just lounging around,…) but she also deep-fried fresh Tonkatsu made with pork fillets. Tender and succulent. She topped the tonkatsu with sauce that helped give flavour to the rice, too. The same was underlaid with some shredded cabbage and white sesame seeds.

BENTO-09-09-29d

The salad part was the same as yesterday: potato, cucumber and egg salad with plum tomatoes on a bed of lettuce.

BENTO-09-09-29e

The dessert was the same as yesterday, too, but I’m not to complain as I love those Asian pears/”nashi” and ripe plums, both seasonal and so sweet and juicy!

Did I mention before that the grumpier the Missus, the better?

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Think Twice
Mangantayon
Hapabento
Tokyo Terrace
Sally’s Kitchen

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cuisine: Karei no Nitsuke/Simmered Turbot

September 28, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

KAREI-RECIPE-1

Karei/Turbot or halibut is a cheap and very popular fish in Japan, especially cooked, steamed, simmered or deep-fried.
Here is a very easy recipe found in many homes and izakayas:

Karei no Nitsuke/Simmered Turbot!

INGREDIENTS: For 3 “slices”

-Turbot/Halibut: 3 large cuts
-Soy sauce: 130 ml
-Sugar: 2 tablepsoons
-Mirin/sweet sake: 4 tablespoons
-Japanese sake: 4 tablespoons
-Miso paste: 1 tablespoon
-Garlic, grated: half a tablespoon
-Ginger, grated: Half a tablespoon

RECIPE:

KAREI-RECIPE-2

-In a large pan drop soy sauce, miso paste, sugar, mirin and sake, and bring slowly to boil.

KAREI-RECIPE-3

-Add fish and bring slowly to boil.

KAREI-RECIPE-4

-Add grated garlic and ginger and cook on a low-medium fire until fish is almost cooked.

KAREI-RECIPE-5

-Cover the fish with foil paper and simmer for 5 more minutes. Take care not burn anything.

KAREI-RECIPE-6

-Discard foil paper and keep spooning the juices over the fish util it has reached a nice brown colour and reduced to a nice texture.

KAREI-RECIPE-7

-Serve at once with some lettuce or greens. The fish and the sauce should have a shiny aspect.

The juices might look a bit dark, but that is when it’s at its best. Cooking time is difficult to determine exactly, but make sure nothing “burns”.
Great with plain steamed rice.

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/63)

September 28, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

BENTO-09-09-28a

I would call today’s bento/box lunch the “Working Man Bento”!
Simple, hearty and healthy!

BENTO-09-09-28b

Three large o-nigiri/rice balls made of freshly steames rice mixed later with umeboshi/Japanese pickled plums and aka shiso/red perilla leaves furikake/seasoning and wrappe inside large green shiso leaves (the latter are also caleed “ooba/large leaves”)

BENTO-09-09-28c

Meat garnish was chicken and mushrooms fried in tomato sauce, slightly spicy-style. Actually the Missus made a whole batch of these. I can expect to have some more for dinner!

BENTO-09-09-28d

The “salad” consisted of a bed of shredded veg topped with cress and plum tomatoes and a potato, cucumber and egg salad.

BENTO-09-09-28e

The seasonal dessert was fresh (and peeled) figs!

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cuisine: Buta Miso Tsuke/Miso-pickled Pork

September 25, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

BUTA-MISO-1

The Japanese use miso not only for soup or seasoning but also to preserve other foods, eggs, fish and meat in particular
I would like to introduce here a very easy and tasty recipe to preserve and season pork:
Miso-pickled pork!

INGREDIENTS: For 4 persons

-Pork: 4 large slices of 100g each with as little fat as possible
-Miso: 400 g
-Sugar: 80 g
-Mirin/Sweet sake: 3 tablespoons
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon
-Ginger: grated, half a tablespoon

RECIPE:

BUTA-MISO-2

-In a separate bowl drop miso, sugar, mirin, Japanese sake and grated ginger.
Mix well.

BUTA-MISO-3

-In a large recipient drop half of the miso mix, spread all over the bottom and insides of the recipient and flatten it with a spatula.

BUTA-MISO-4

-After having placed the pork slices in one single layer, lay a piece of gauze all over the meat (wet the gauze with clean water and press all water out of cloth). Pour the remaining miso mix over the gauze.

BUTA-MISO-5

-Spread the miso evenly.

BUTA-MISO-6

-Cover with cellophane paper and leave inside refrigerator for 24 hours.

BUTA-MISO-7

-The pork will attain a certain transparency upon pickling.

BUTA-MISO-8

-Fry slowly on a frypan. Take care not to burn the miso!

ANOTHER DISH SAMPLE:
BUTA-MISO-1a

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

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Japanese Cuisine: Tamago Miso Tsuke/Miso-pickled Egg Yolk

September 24, 2009 dragonlife 8 Comments

TAMAGO-MISO-1

Eggs are one single ingredient used all over the World (except for the glacial caps mybe!), and people have come up with infinite ways of preserving them.
Tamago Miso Tsuke/卵黄味噌漬け is a popular way in Japan to preserve egg yolk in miso.
I decided to publish this very simple recipe as it could become useful for a tasty decoration!

INGREDIENTS:

-Raw eggs: 2
-Japanese sake: half a tablespoon
-Miso: 50 g
-Sugar: half a tablespoon

RECIPE:

TAMAGO-MISO-2

-Mix miso, Japanese sake and sugar well.

TAMAGO-MISO-3

-Line two cups (narrow bottom and wide top) with gauze cloth (first clean it in cold clean water and press out all water). Pour half of the miso mix on each.

TAMAGO-MISO-4

-Wash the egg and wipe it clean of water. Use it to fashion a “bed” inside the miso.

TAMAGO-MISO-5

-Break the egg and separate yolk from white. Drop the Egg yolk (only!) inside the miso bed. Cover with cellophane paper and leave inside the refrigeartor for 2 days.

TAMAGO-MISO-6

-After the first two days take the cup out and turn the egg yolk over delicately with a spoon. Leave in the fridge for three~four more days.
It should be ready by then!
It can be safely preserved inside a tightly closed tupperware inside the fridge for up to ten days!