Dining in--Minneapolis/St. Paul cookbook

NEGIMAKI Beef Roll Yo cup Japanese soy sauce Ya pound New York strip Ye cup mirin beef, sliced paper thin 2 tablespoons sugar 1 bunch green onions 1. Preheat broiler. To make a basting sauce, combine the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Set aside. 2. Cut the beef slices into 6-inch by 2-inch strips. Wash and trim the green onions. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Place several pieces at the base of each beef strip and roll tightly. Secure with toothpicks. 3. Lay the rolls on a broiler rack; baste generously with the sauce. Place under preheated broiler and broil about 2 minutes, basting again after the first minute. The beef should be tender but not overcooked. 4. Remove from broiler; cool slightly and take out toothpicks. Cut each roll in two and serve on a plate. Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine used for cooking. If it is unavailable, substitute with a mixture of one part sugar to two parts sherry. Japanese cuisine emphasizes the natural flavor of fresh ingredients, even when food is broiled. We usually have several appetizers, some cold, some hot. In Japan, the cold ones are the most popular. OTOSHI Fish Balls 2 cups vegetable oil 1 egg (approximately) Y, cupcornstarch 5 mushrooms, finely chopped (approximately) Salt 1 carrot, finely chopped ¥4 pound ground cod Dash of saké 1. Heat the oil in a skillet until sizzling hot (360°). 2. Combine the mushrooms, carrot, cod, egg, and the cornstarch to bind. Season to taste with salt and add the saké. Shape into 1-inch balls and deep-fry in the hot oil about 3 minutes until done. Remove with slotted spoon and drain. Arrange on a platter and serve hot. In Japan, the traditional foods never change; here our service is also traditional, starting with a hot towel. CHAWAN MUSHI Steamed Egg Custard 6 small fresh shrimp, shelled Salt and deveined 4 cups dashi, at room 6 scallops temperature (preferably Y% chicken breast, skinned Nomoto brand) 5 mushrooms, finely chopped 3 eggs, beaten 2 bamboo shoots, finely chopped 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. Parboil the shrimp and the scallops about 30 seconds. Cut the chicken and the parboiled shrimp and scallops into -inch pieces. Lightly season the mushrooms and bamboo shoots with salt. Set aside. 3. Gradually drizzle the dashi into the beaten eggs; mix slightly but do not beat. Strain. 4. Place equal portions of the shrimp, scallops, chicken, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots in six custard cups. Add the custard mixture. Place in a baking pan filled with water to a level of 1 inch. Steam in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Serve warm. Instant dashi, a variation of the basic soup stock made from dried bonito shavings, is available at Japanese food markets. SASHIMI Raw Fish Fillet 1 pound fresh tuna, cut Wasabi in sashimi fillets 1 cup Japanese soy sauce Ys pound fresh halibut, cut in sashimi fillets 1. Using a very sharp knife, slice the fillets into 2-inch strips. Cut the strips %-inch thick to form a row of rectangular or domino-shaped slices. Layer the slices on a chilled serving dish. Set aside. 2. Mix about % teaspoon of the wasabi with the soy sauce. Taste and add more wasabi, if desired; place in saucers for dipping. Serve with the sashimi. Note: Wasabi, a stinging hot, green horseradish root, is virtually impossible to find in the United States. It is available in Oriental markets, however, in tubes of paste or tins of powder. To reconstitute the powder, put about a teaspoon of powder in a bowl and add a little tepid water. Add more powder or water as needed to forma thick paste. Mix until smooth, cover, and let stand about 10 minutes. Wasabi grows like gingerroot. In Japan if it’s fresh, that’s a first class restaurant, but that’s rare to find. A powdered form will work. Use the freshest fish available. Cut it sharply and take care to display it neatly on the dish.