Recipes

Elizabeth Andoh

Elizabeth Andoh was born in New York, but has made Japan her home since 1967. A graduate of the Yanagihara School of Classical Japanese Cuisine, Elizabeth is the author of four books on Japanese cooking, including two International Association Culinary Professionals award winners, AN OCEAN OF FLAVOR and WASHOKU: Recipes from the Japanese home kitchen. She was Gourmet’s Japan correspondent for more than three decades and was a regular contributor to the New York Times travel section for many years. Andoh lectures internationally on Japanese food and culture and directs A Taste of Culture, a culinary program based in Tokyo and Oska.

Two years ago I heard Elizabeth on a PBS radio interview. I knew very little about her, then, except that I listened and liked her approach to cooking and ingredients. I have long been a fan of Japanese cooking. Having lived in California for twenty five years, I was quite exposed to good Japanese food, especially the kind served in sushi bars, but also the general fare of quality Japanese restaurants. After hearing Elizabeth speak, I decided to email her and ask if she had a recipe she would share for Hamachi Kama (braised yellowfin or bluefin tuna jaw,) my all time favorite Japanese dish. It is presented in a variety of culinary styles at Pacific Coast Japanese restaurants; a dish that is at once tender, tasty and succulent, as close to perfectly cooked chicken breast meat as fish can be, but with the extra-special flavor only fish enjoy. This dish enhanced by lemon juice is really spectacular. The enjoyment of picking the meat from the bones is akin to eating tender-young lobster, right off the boat.  A recipe for cooking this fish, assuming you could get a good sized, yellow or bluefin tuna head from a fish monger, is equally as hard to find. It seems to be a specialty known to only a few.

To my amazement, she telephoned from Tokyo and we enjoyed an hour-long conversation about Japanese cooking. She explained her current work on a cookbook entitled Kansha, celebrating the traditions of Japanese vegan and vegetarian cooking, and asked if I would join her Advisory Council as a tester of recipes she invented and methods she developed. I would receive monthly packets of information to be tested for: (1) availability of ingredients in my geographic area; (2) ease of comprehension; (3) ease of preparation; then report back cooking results and photographs of my efforts.

I was quite intrigued. Frankly, I threw myself into the program, going whole hog, purchasing the finest ingredients I could find and following instructions to the letter. This went on for more than a year until other obligations overtook my time to the point that I could only watch the progress of the cookbook as it might come in Elizabeth’s informative monthly newsletters  (http://www.tasteofculture.com/).

Udon Noodles and Veggie-Radish dishes cooked and photographed by yours truly in my kitchen.

The project, for me, has lain dormant for the last year as my life changed dramatically and I began my new life as a traveling blogger/writer/photographer/cooking artist. Yesterday, a package arrived at my PO Box from Ten Speed Press in Berkeley California. The contents, to my delight, revealed not only the Kansha cookbook but it was signed, with appreciation, to William Francis Ahearn …..  AND… my name is first in the list Advisory Council acknowledgements (never mind that my last name begins with ”A.”)

This journey is one of a very different kind; one that Elizabeth made, surely, but her kindness opened doors for me I never expected. To have one’s efforts appreciated by the author is so encouraging. Kansha, the Japanese word for thanks-gratitude, reminds us of all that we have in our lives for which we are grateful. I am grateful this Thanksgiving to be inspired by Elizabeth Andoh. Kansha.

Being a cook or a writer or a photographer equally requires vision: a sense of what flavors result when certain tastes and textures come together, the right ingredients, and the finished dish in your mind’s eye. These combined start the salivary glands humming: alerting all of the senses, inspiring creativity in a tasty recipe, a great paragraph or a memorable photographic image. (more…)

Good eats, easy and delicious recipe for two twice!

Find at Japanese Market.

This is a one pot dish that is excellent for camping especially, if you have a propane camp stove. It can be served in a bowl or a plastic container. There were eight thighs in the store package. I par-boiled all eight and froze in two packages of 4. Par-boil all boneless chicken thighs by pouring boiling water over them (enough to cover meat completely;)  then cover the pan and let stand for 15 minutes. This par-boiling method brings the chicken to tender done-ness on the outside but still slightly pink on the inside.
When I go camping I freeze the par-boiled chicken ready to prepare the final recipe at camp.

NOTE: Somen noodles are made from organic wheat. These noodles don’t require a separate cooking, or oil or salt. Just add them to the pan in the last 3-4 minutes of cook time. Versatile and delicious. Find them in a Japanese or International Market.

INGREDIENTS: (Makes two meals for two, save 1/2 in storage container)

Four tablespoons of Virgin Olive Oil
(Mine is Piggly Wiggly brand on sale at the Edisto market)

1/4  green pepper, chopped

1/2 zucchini, cut in quarters long ways then sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1-28 oz can Contadina whole tomatoes & liquid

4 medium size garlic cloves, minced

dash of fresh ground black pepper

dash of salt

2 whole medium bay leaves

tablespoon or a little less of chopped dry tarragon leaves or oregano

just a dash of crushed red pepper (only a featherlight dusting now)

3-4 boneless chicken thighs—par-boiled and sliced in 1/4 inch slices
(You could substitute shrimp for chicken or par-boiled swamp turtle meat if you can catch one)

1/2 clutch or bale of Somen Japanese noodles
(What do you call that little tied bundle in the package?)

PREPARATION:

>Begin by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil to an 11 inch fry pan. (Any pan large enough to hold a batch of spaghetti sauce.) Add the chopped onions, green pepper, minced garlic and zucchini.

>Saute for eight minutes on medium to high heat (don’t burn the butter) until the onions become translucent. If needed add the other two tablespoons of olive oil to keep the saute from sticking to the pan.

>Open the can of whole skinless tomatoes, add to the saute, cut-up each tomato as added. Add some of the can juice and then crush the cut-up tomatoes with a fork or potato masher. Let this mixture heat through and begin to simmer.

>While simmering lightly, add the bay leaves, salt, tarragon or oregano, and ground pepper.

>Add the sliced chicken and the rest of the tomato liquid to the simmering mixture.

>Finally add the bale of Somen noodles. Cover the pan and let simmer for another three to four minutes.

>If desired add just a pinch of crushed red pepper, enough to give the dish zest but not enough to make it peppery hot unless you prefer it that way.

> Serve with torn bread to slurp-up the sauce.

I suppose you could call this a “sidebar”. That’s newspaper jargon for an interesting little tidbit of information.

Like a Timex watch: It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!"

I don’t want to start pitching products on this blog but I think it is worthwhile for people who read my blog and know how dedicated to RemarkableJourneys I am: especially the ones who picnic or camp or attend sports events need to know about a really great product that has made my Journey Remarkable. Sometime back in the late eighties or early nineties, I don’t recall exactly when but we were camping a lot, we purchased a Koolatron Portable Refrigerator.  Made in Canada. I also don’t recall where we bought it (maybe Camping World, I think). This little gem has been my part-time travel refrigerator for close to 25  years of travel across North America. Now that I am a full-time traveler it has been all I need to keep items that need to be cool: fresh and edible for days. It keeps warm items warm as well—just with a turn of the cord.

For years, when we weren’t traveling the Koolatron went right back into the box it came in and was stored away in the garage until the next trip or group event.

Everything stay really fresh and crisp.

As Desi would say: “Lemme ‘splain”. This is not a cooler—it is a camping refrigerator and food warmer. This handy dandy portable “fridgeeator” that plugs into any car 12v power outlet, with it’s very long cord it can even be kept in your car trunk: the cord can come inside the car through the split rear seat opening many cars have these days.

When its time to stop at any place with 110v household current it simply plugs into an outlet in a motel room or whatever source and runs on 110v. It comes with a handy converter.

The only time in all these years that it failed me, it wasn’t the fault of the Koolatron it was operator error. One night away out in the redwood forest, I left it plugged into the car battery overnight while I slept in my tent. That is what you call user dumb-stuff.

So if you are in the market look these guys up. Just remember I’ve had this little beauty for a long, long time. And since the first January this year I have used it constantly as the only refrigerator in my little 1958 trailer.

Luciee at Van Hook National Forest Campground in far western North Carolina

I washed the Koolatron out today, cleaned it up a little bit and it still looks brand new. Just love it. Thanks Koolatron!

http://www.koolatron.com/koolatron-corporate/koolatron-corporate.html

ON THE ROAD Last week I wandered about a bit in the Hatteras area. Despite the arctic cold wind, the sun was warming to my bones. Meandering through many small towns I observed the emergency actions taken by homeowners to defray the cold. Blankets on car engines with a night light, clear plastic stapled over windows, and hay bales around red brick foundations. A house banner—you know, those little flags people hang out on small flag poles to charm passersby— simply announced the arctic weather with a graphic of an old pair of ice skates. Gees Louise! They must have dug deep to find that one in the attic!

Bustling along through the back roads I came upon a tiny wharf. Moored to it was a mysterious, ancient looking vessel. Unsure what the name of this small village might be—It wasn’t on the map— I stopped to have a look see. A seaman standing beside a burning barrel offered a mug, I no-thanked him with a fond “had to give it up!”

“Looking for fresh fish said I.” He reached into a separate barrel and pulled out a lovely sea trout and said “two guineas…. to you suh!”

I pulled out two Clara Bartons and laid them on his open palm, he tossed ‘em and caught em’ replied “Fair enough!” and I had some fresh trout for my dinner!

A great winter recipe, delicious from my home repetoir, improvised for cooking in my tiny trailer kitchen, with an electric toaster-oven.

Sea Trout Papaya with Stuffed Zucchini.

INGREDIENTS:

One Trout 2 1/4 lbs, gut and fillet
One Zucchini (8″) cut in half long ways with the interior meat spooned out leaving about a 1/8± sidewall
1/3 cup chopped Sweet Onion
Papaya  (very ripe, i.e.: soft not squishy, orangey color outside)
1/2 cup Stove Top stuffing
Hot boiling water
Parmegiana Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped celery
One Lemon
Dash of Pepper
1 heaping tablespoon of fresh grated ginger
butter

PREPARATION:

Fish: Wash the trout, fillet with sharp knife by cutting meat along side the spine downward toward the belly. Take care not to cut the rib bones but be guided along the bones in one long cut the length of the fish above the ribcage saving* just the meat. See photos below.

Fillet stages: The second side is a little more difficult.

*The fish carcass can make an excellent soup. Place it in a pan of warm water and set aside.
Sea Trout Soup recipe soon!

Make a three fold cooking sheet of aluminum foil curling the edges to prevent spilling. Place the meat skin-side down on the foil. Drizzle the juice of half a lemon on top and set aside to marinate.

Stuffing: Put the teapot on and boil some water
Chop up 1/2 cup of skinned and deseeded papaya meat in a small bowl then add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a a dash of the fresh grated ginger, set aside to marinate.

In a sauce pan melt a tablespoon of butter (don’t burn it):

Then saute:

1/3 cup coarse chopped sweet onion
meat of the squash coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
When the onion is transparent add the dry Stove Top stuffing to the saute mix and about a half cup of boiling water until the mixture
is a little softer/creamier than bird stuffing.  Turn down heat to low low.
Stir in two tablespoons of grated Parmegiana cheese, the rest of the ginger
and two tablespoons of the papaya
Blend together gently.

Place the hollowed out squash shells in a small baking dish or some folded foil, fill the squash cavities with the stuffing. Grate some Parmegiana cheese on top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the squash shell is soft and the stuffing is browned.

Zucchini and fish ready to cook.

It is a little tricky to time this but the the Zucchini will be done in about 45 minutes.  Then you keep it warm with an aluminum foil cover while you cook the fish. In the toaster-oven the fish cook best when baked for 10 then top broiled for 5 min. Check the fish for flaky soft with a fork, no pink. Garnishh with parsley if you have it, a slice of lemon and sprinkle some marinated Papaya on the fish for serving.

Mana from heaven, this is delicious believe me.