Sushi

427.  Sushi is such a delight.  It is savory flavors coming together on your pallet exploding with surprising nuances. Salty, smooth, cold, crunchy, textures popping with spicy, tangy, toasted, yummy experiences.  Some would say "fishy" too but, that depends on the seafood that you use.  Of course, raw fish is involved but the health factor far outweighs the off-putting thought of "raw fish".  Once I tried sushi,  I always walk away satisfied.

We have our favorite rolls and favorite restaurants that serve sushi, but, I decided to make sushi at home.  I purchased a sushi kit, which you can find them at William Sonoma online here.  And, it comes with instructions that are so easy to follow.

I purchased fresh water salmon and sliced it paper thin, toasted sesame seeds, sliced an avocado, julienned cucumber, sautéed shrimp and cut it into chunks, cream cheese pieces, mango sliced thin, coated onion slices with egg and flour and fried them in hot oil till crispy.  I also found black caviar and made sticky rice.

And then we started the process.  It took a couple tries accomplishing the rolling and tucking skill, but, we each gave it a go.

We also made spicy mayo and pickled ginger, my recipe here.  And who could forget wasabi!!  

What a pleasant surprise and we ate sushi for hours.  Some rolls were with seaweed outside and others with seaweed inside and rice on the outside which was tricky.

I also made nigiri with the extra salmon, shmear of wasabi and rice.  More reasons to say yum!

What a great experience and delightful dinner!  So, no, it was not expert quality but it satisfied.  I will leave that to the masters!

If you web search "Sushi" you will be amazed how many recipes, hints, tutorials and videos you will find. My favorite go-to is on PBS and my rice turns out perfect every time.  PBS Sushi Watch Here

"I've been making sushi for 38 years, and I'm still learning.  You have to consider the size and color of the ingredients, how much salt and vinegar to use and how the seasons affect the fattiness of the fish."

~ Masaharu Morimoto

Sushi Bowl

412.  My daughter shared a wonderful twist on sushi.  She took a variety of the components, that can be endless, and created a "Sushi Bowl".  Yes! And the experience was all there, crunchy, spicy, soft, pickled, brain-freezing, delightful, fishy, salty, peanuty.  If you devour sushi, you know all the feels and flavors. 

 Sometimes, when I am at a sushi bar, the special rolls can be so large, I cannot fit them in my mouth in one bite.  It can be a very embarrassing moment when the item you are placing in your mouth is considerably larger than your actual mouth as you carefully hold this delicacy with two thin pieces of bamboo.  And to deconstruct a roll is so wrong!  You must taste the whole piece to experience the flavor bomb the sushi chef has constructed.   So, having all the flavors I love piled high to take smaller bites of enjoyment.  It was a delight!

Take a brief moment and search "Sushi Bowl" image in your browser and you will be surprised how many

 exist.  Here is my recipe:

This meal was so spectacular and gave me all the feels of sushi.  If you are adventurous and want to take a shot at creating your own sushi bowl, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

I also had made my own pickled ginger.  It was either sold out or not available in the markets visited.

Here is my recipe for pickled ginger: Pickled Ginger Recipe

I am excited for you to try this recipe.  It will make you happy, I promise!

"Sushi is something very exclusive.  It is not like a McDonald's, a hot dog or a french fry,  It is very high-class cooking in Japan."

~ Nobu Matsuhisa

Dill Pickles

 279.  Dill Pickles are the subject for the day.  This summer has been perfect for gardens with hot nights, humid air and weekly rainfall.  It has been delightful to watch the cucumbers climb and grow.  Daily I've been picking cucumbers from the vine.  So much so, I've decided to make Dill Pickles.  This is the uncooked method and relies on fermentation.

I did some research and found a great recipe from Alton Brown on Food Network.  You can find his recipe here:  Alton Brown's Dill Pickles

Dill Pickles

5 1/2 oz pickling salt, approximately 1/2 cup (may use Kosher Salt)
1 gallon filtered water
3 lbs pickling cucumbers, 4 to 6 inches long
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pinch red pepper flakes, (original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 large bunch dill

Combine the salt and water in a pitcher and stir until the salt has dissolved.

Rinse the cucumbers throughly and snip off the blossom end stem. Set aside.
Wash and rinse throughly a large crock pot for pickling.

Place the peppercorns, pepper flakes, garlic, dill seed and fresh dill into 1-2 gallon crock.  

Add the cucumbers to the crock on top of the aromatics.

Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers in order to completely cover.

  Pour the remaining water into a 1- gallon ziptop plastic bag and seal.  Place the bag on top of the pickles making sure that all of them are completely submerged in the brine.  (I didn't need to do this step because my crock has a shoulder that holds the pickles down and keeps them from floating up.)

Set in a cool, dry place.

Check the crock after 3 days.  Fermentation has begun if you see bubbles rising to the top of the crock. After this, check the crock daily and skim off any scum that forms.  If scum forms on the plastic bag, rinse it off and return to the top of the crock.

The fermentation is complete when the pickles taste sour and the bubbles have stopped rising; this should take approximately 6 to 7 days.  Once this happens, cover the crock loosely and place in the refrigerator for 3 days skimming daily or as needed.  Store for up to 2 months in the frig, skimming as needed.  If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be discarded. 

So, here is my process...
This is Day #1  Just after I poured the brine mixture over the cucumbers.

 Day #2  The smell is intoxicatingly delicious with the smell of garlic and dill.  The spices have bloomed and risen to the top.

 Day #3  The scum is beginning to form slightly on the top of the brine.  I have also started to notice tiny bubbles beginning to float to the surface.

I ran a knife across the top so you could see the white scum.

 Plastic wrap is perfect for collecting the scum.  I placed it on the surface of the brine and the scum collected onto the plastic.

Day #4 The scum has really developed and the pickles are becoming buoyant.

Day #5  The scum continues to form and the pickles are rising and falling in the brine.

Day #6  There are continual bubbles rising to the surface

At this point I am frustrated with Blogger!  

Day #7 The Bubbles have stopped rising to the top and the brine is completely still.  So, the day arrived to taste the
pickles!!  We sliced one and each took a bite.  Wow!!  They are delicious, just very spicy. I  checked the recipe and realized the red pepper flakes brought so much heat.  The directions to use 1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes is just too much, unless of course you like spicy pickles.

Delicious and ready for the fridge.

"I say grace.  I'm a big believer in grace.  I happen to believe in a God that made all the food and so I'm pretty grateful for that and I thank Him for that.  But I'm also thankful for the people that put the food on the table."

~Alton Brown

Mizeria Polish Cucumber Salad

258. A side dish is the special part of a meal that provides the added enjoyment to the main event. How would a Hot Pastrami sandwich taste without that kosher dill pickle or crispy coleslaw? Or, what would roasted turkey do alone without smooth, buttery, whipped, mashed potatoes covered in gravy? These sides provide the framework, the balance to enhance the whole eating experience.

One favorite side is Mizeria, a Polish Cucumber Salad. My mother would make this salad often to accompany pork, seafood or sausage dishes. It was a labor intensive task, but oh so worth the time and effort.

Though some cut the cucumbers with a mandolin, my mother would patiently shave each cucumber slice with her little peeler and chopped the fresh dill perfectly with her little paring knife.

Mizeria Polish Cucumber Salad

1 large cucumber, (option with or without seeds, your preference) thinly sliced

1/2 of a granny smith green apple, thinly sliced (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup small onion, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon small chopped fresh dill

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Thinly slice the cucumber paper thin. It is not necessary to maintain full slices but half slices work just fine. Place the cucumber in a small colander to drain liquid or simply squeeze the liquid gently from the slices. Place cucumber slices in a bowl.

Thinly slice the apple, paper thin and add to the cucumber. Add sour cream, onion, dill, salt and pepper. Stir all together till sour cream is dispersed evenly. Chill for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: The longer this salad sits, the wetter it becomes. Serve directly after quick chill.

This is a lovely and delicious salad enjoyed any time of the year.

"It's the sense of what family is at the dinner table. It was the joy of knowing mother was in the kitchen making our favorite dish. I wish more people would do this and recall the joy of life.

~Chef Paul Prudhomme