I made a vow to myself last fall: No whining on the blog about the weather this winter. Besides the fact that it’s, uh, whining, professionally speaking it’s just lazy — certainly there are more interesting angles for writing about beef stew than Baby it’s Cold Outside. (Though I have to say, that was a pretty good post…and a pretty great recipe.) Well, anyway, as anyone who lives in the Northeast knows, my vow has been extremely easy to keep: We celebrated Christmas on a 70-degree day; the girls didn’t break out their parkas until January 1; and Saturday is the first time this winter that we are expecting some real snow. I can’t even believe it’s winter-hating me saying this, but I cannot wait.When I hear the phrase “expecting up to a foot,” I immediately think “It’s a good day for a project.” As in a kitchen project. As in the opposite of the make-it-to-get-it-done kind of cooking mindset that we’re locked into all week. Anyone who has read Dinner: The Playbook might recognize these as recipes that Keep The Spark Alive.

Andy Ricker’s Real Deal Pad Thai Maya Kamal’s Chicken with Green Chilies and Tamarind There’s also homemade sushi, pictured way up top (exact instructions coming soon to a blog near you), and Homemade Fettuccini with Leeks and Bacon, which you can find on page 228 of Dinner: A Love Story. But here’s the thing, there has been a lot of snow in the past few years, which means this particular rotation in my house is threatening to run its course. And so I ask: What about you? Have you guys had any triumphs in the Project Cooking category? I’d love to hear about them — preferably in time to shop before the storm hits. The fussier, the fancier, the more complicated the better. Thanks in advance and stay warm! April 15th, 2009    •  by Bethia    •   5 Comments » I love sushi, but eating good sushi out can be expensive and supermarket sushi is usually disappointing. My friends Margaux and Tim got me started on making sushi at home and I was surprised by how good it was. 

While I am certainly no expert, it isn’t as daunting as I thought and we have had fun experimenting. Luckily there is a great Japanese supermarket in Columbus Tensuke Market, so procuring the necessary ingredients can be done in one stop. Tensuke Market is an inexhaustible source of wacky and wonderful Japanese ingredients. sushi grade tuna portlandI find it impossible to spend less than half an hour reading the english translations and wondering what on earth things are and how to use them. sushi grade fish market denverOur current addiction is furikake, a mix of seaweed, sesame seeds and bonito flakes, that you can eat on fish, eggs, rice or just off the palm of your hand.sushi online bestellen zehlendorf

Start with some sushi grade fish (unless you just want to make vegetarian sushi). Pictured above are tuna, salmon and tilapia. Make your sushi rice, making sure that you have time to cool it before you need it. Alton Brown’s method has proved to be a winner. Assemble your ingredients (nori sheets, vegetables, wasabi) and equipment (sushi rolling mat, very sharp knife, cutting board, water). mori sushi menu egyptWe pretty much improvised, but there are plenty of resources online if you want more advice on how to make sushi rolls. yo sushi menu dubaiAdmittedly there is quite an investment in ingredients the first time but the nori, rice, soy sauce etc will last you for several sushi making attempts.jiro dreams of sushi sparknotes

Add accompaniments such as soy sauce, wasabi, seaweed salad, miso soup and pickled ginger. The hardcore can even experiment with homemade pickled ginger.heaven in a bowl So a long time ago…in what seems like a part of Atlanta far, far away….my dear friend Susy invited me to have lunch with her at a sushi place near her office. sushi magdeburg online bestellenThe building she works in…it feels like it might as well be in Tennessee, folks. It's a true testament to our friendship that I drove out to meet Susy that first time – I felt like I needed to pack a lunch. We end up at this inauspicious shopping center restaurant called Wasabi House. I first ate "spicy tuna chirashi" there and, well, I've never eaten anything else there. It's the most amazing combination of tastes and textures: the toothsome rice with a splash of vinegar, fresh tuna, creamy avocado and Japanese mayo…all tied together with the hot streak of Sriracha sauce.

You take your chopsticks and sort of…smoosh it all together and eat it. At first bite, lots of eye-rolls and audible "mmmm"s start. Her lunchtime trips are jealousy-inducing. These days, I don't have time to get back to Wasabi House as much as I would like…so I've made a go at making this dish at home. The key is the freshest sushi grade tuna and ripe avocado. You can riff the rest of the dish as long as those two things are solid. Add more mayo and less heat. Amp up the Sriracha and minimize the mayo. Adding some crunch – I added radish sprouts but things like wasabi peas – might be fun and add a little dimension. The joy of this dish is that it comes together in the time it takes to cook rice – do your cutting and dicing while the rice is cooling and then assemble. Spicy Tuna & Avocado Chirashi – makes 2 entree sized rice bowls 6 ounces very fresh sushi grade tuna, cut into small dice 1 large ripe avocado, diced 1/2 cup short grain sushi rice (truthfully, you can use whatever white rice you have on hand)

1 tsp. sushi vinegar – here is a recipe for an easy substitute 4 tablespoons Japanese or good quality basic mayonnaise (I use Kewpie mayo) 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce small handful crisp radish sprouts – to garnish – For the rice: Cook the rice according to the appropriate directions for the type of rice you're using. As usual, Alton Brown has a great standard procedure for cooking sushi rice, including the addition of the sushi vinegar or substitute. Allow your rice to cool to room temperature before proceeding with the assembly of the chirashi bowls. -While your rice is cooling, dice your sushi tuna and avocado. You need not worry about each size being perfectly cut – it's all getting mixed up anyway. Place half of your cooked, room temperature rice into two serving bowls. Top each bowl with half of your diced tuna and avocado. Drizzle each bowl with the Japanese mayo and a dose of Sriracha sauce. Sprinkle with radish sprouts or whichever extra garnish you choose.