Nimono-Japanese Root Vegetables

Nimono is a great cool weather Japanese root vegetable dish.There are several variations of nimono. This is my favorite. I use satoimo ( taro root), gobou (burdock root), renkon (lotus root), dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu (a type of dried seaweed), carrots, and konyaku, which can be described as a yam starch gelatin, adding a unique texture to the vegetables. All ingredients can be found at a Japanese market, or other East Asian market.


Ingredients:

1 medium sized lotus root, peeled and sliced in 1/4 in slices and halved.

6 taro roots (satoimo) peeled and cut in half or thirds

1 long burdock root, peeled and sliced in about 1/2 inch pieces.

1 package of konyaku, sliced 1/2" in by 1.

Make  dashi by using either hondashi (instant dashi) or use the following recipe:
4 cups of water
1 2 x3 piece of Kombu
katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) stuffed into a small steeping bag.
Heat water, while water is getting hot, add the piece of kombu. When the water starts to boil, turn it to  low for about three minutes. Remove the kombu and turn off the heat. Add the steeping bag filled with katsuobushi. Let it steep for about five to seven minutes. Remove from the water and your dashi is done.

Mix all the ingredients in a pot.  I use a wok. Add the dashi until it barely covers the vegetables. Add to the dashi 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of mirin (sweet sake for cooking), and three tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes or so, until all vegetables are tender, but not overcooked.

Turn off heat and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Eat warm or cool, refrigerate and heat before serving. Nimono can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, but it is best eaten within 24 hours.

Cooking Ribs the Easy Way!

Pork ribs are tricky because if you are not careful, they are easy to burn on the outside while still being undercooked on the inside. To avoid this, the solution is simple- parboil your ribs, cooking them completely first, set aside, and then season with a dry rub or BBQ sauce and set them on the grill. Once you achieve that perfect color, you can take them off the grill and serve them without ever worrying about your ribs being undercooked.

#1 Put Ribs in a Roasting pan filled with water. add about half cup of vinegar. Turn both burners to medium heat.

#2 Parboil for 20 minutes- turning once after 10 minutes.

#3 After 20 minutes-drain water to remove scum.

#4 Fill pan with fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer on medium heat for another 20 minutes-turning once after 10 minutes.

#5 Remove from heat and let cool.

#6 Season with your favorite sauce or dry rub spice. I always add a little liquid smoke for that added BBQ flavor

#7 Season fully cooked ribs with dry rub and liquid smoke. Refrigerate after applying dry rub if making a few hours ahead.

#8 Place on the grill, turning every five or ten minutes on medium heat. Be careful not to burn.

#10 Ribs are done!

#10 Serve with sausage or other meats!

Grilling Fish High in Omega 3- Secrets We Can Learn from the Japanese!

Before you turn your nose up at these fish grilling suggestions, just read the following:

Secret #1: Eating fish instead of red meat lowers the risk of heart attacks.

The hikarimono, or shiny fishes (mackerel, Spanish mackerel, sardine, Pacific Saury) contain the highest amounts of EPA and DHA omega3 fats. These fishes are also high in vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant.

Secret #2: Soy products help reduce heart disease and high blood pressure and are a great source of protein.

Tofu and soy products are also staples in the Japanese diet. Considering that saturated fats from meat and dairy products increase cholesterol, it is encouraging to know that foods derived from plants such as soy actually have the opposite effect. Soybeans provide adequate protein without the saturated fat and cholesterol of meats and high-fat dairy. Soy sauce and tofu are a few examples of soy Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Secret # 3 Fish is Brain Food! Feed your Brain! We’ve heard that one for a long time, but many people may not realize how true that adage is. When I was young I heard that but never really thought about what it meant. I’m still not sure exactly what the original reasoning was, but as we learn more about the human body, and the effects of our diet on our health, that old saying sounds more and more important. Fish  really is brain food. And fish is also heart food. And much more. (ref: http://ichibanmorganhill.com/sushi_benefits.php)

Some fish are more abundant in Omega 3 fatty acids than others. High contents of fish oil are found in such fish as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, sanma, or halibut.  Fresh mackerel, herring, and sardines are uncommon in American cuisine. Specialty or organic stores, such as Whole Foods will seasonally offer fresh sardines, and fresh or fresh frozen mackerel can be found in many Asian supermarkets. Sanma, which is known as Pacific saury in English, is commonly found in Japanese and Korean cuisine. They can be found fresh frozen in many Japanese markets. Sanma is also very high in omega 3.

Due to the risk of mercury levels in tuna, it is better to concentrate on the smaller  fish, such as mackerel, sanma, trout, sardines and salmon, where the threat of mercury ingestion is virtually non-existent Once you develop a taste for grilling and/or smoking these fish, you will find yourself going back for more!

Whole fresh Mackerel (1.5 lbs)

Fresh Frozen Thawed Sanma (Pacific Saury)

Cleaned and Butterflied Mackerel

Cleaned and Butterflied Sanma

Overnight Marinade (for four whole fish, butterflied.

1 cup of soy sauce

½ cup of mirin (sweet cooking sake)

3 cloves of minced garlic

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp of Chinese chili garlic paste

1 tsp of sesame seeds

Set aside some of the marinade for a dipping sauce to use when serving  the fish.

Marinade

To Grill/Smoke the Fish

1.Clean fish by removing the head and entrails.

2.Butterfly the fish.

3.Add marinade. Let sit overnight.

4.To grill, use charcoals or mesquite, and add soaked hickory wood chips that will give a nice smoky flavor. Make sure that coals are not too hot, or fish skin will stick to the grate.

5.If possible, make room for a  a small pan of water with liquid smoke below the fish away from the coals, to keep the fish from drying out. This way, the coals will not be directly under the fish.

6.Add the fish to the grill, close the lid, and let grill/smoke for about 25-30  minutes, checking regularly to ensure that fish does not dry out or burn.

7. When fish are done, place them on a plate, and eat with chopsticks, The bones in the fish, especially the mackerel and sanma, will remove easily.

Griller/Smoker

Grill/Smoking Mackerel and Sanma

Mackerel and Sanma Ready to Eat!

Adding Marinade to Grilled Mackerel

Smoked Salmon

Grilled Fresh Sardines

 Serving Suggestion- When following the Dukan Diet, a perfect meal for an all protein day is grilled fish and hiyayako, as shown above.

Chicken Cacciatore with Italian Peppers

This Dukan-inspired cacciatore uses a minimal amount of olive oil. It is a two-step process, since the chicken in this cacciatore is roasted separately from the peppers.

Ingredients:

8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs

2 lbs of sweet red Italian peppers

1 large yellow or white onion, sliced

6 large fresh tomatoes

3 cloves of finely minced garlic

 salt, pepper, crushed chili 

Step 1: Remove the skin from eight chicken thighs, and trim all  fat from the meat.  Marinate the thighs overnight, if possible,  in a mixture of fresh garlic, parsley, rosemary, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and one cup of wine. If not possible, then marinate at least three our four hours.

Step 2: Preheat the over to 375 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil and add the chicken thighs. Add some, but not all of the wine marinade. Roast for about 45 minutes or until completely done, without overcooking.

Step 3: While the chicken is roasting, clean the Italian peppers by cutting them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and then cut them in about 1 1/2 in pieces.

Step 4: in an electric wok or frying pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and when hot enough, add the minced garlic, being careful not to burn it. Then add the peppers and onions, and saute on medium, adding a teaspoon of crushed chili peppers, or more if you like your peppers spicier.

Step 5: While the peppers and onions begin to saute, remove the skins on the six tomatoes by placing them in a pot of boiling water for two to three minutes. Remove from the water when the skins begin to crack, peel the skins and remove the tomato cores, cut the tomatoes in wedges, and add them to the peppers and onions. Let peppers, onion, and tomatoes simmer for about 20-30 minutes until peppers are soft and cooked.

Step 6. Remove the chicken from the over when done. Please peppers in a dish and set the roasted chicken over it.

Dukan Inspired Tuna Deviled Eggs

This is a variation of the stuffed deviled egg, but it is low in fat and void of sugar. Just take a can of tuna and add 1 heaping teaspoon of nonfat Greek yogurt, dill relish, and a little salt and pepper. Use three hard boiled egg whites, but only one yolk (and that is optional,, not necessary). Mix the tuna ingredients and stuff into the egg white halves.  This is a great meal for the meat days of Dukan!

Making Healthy Italian Sausage Without the Casing

Have you ever wished you had a sausage making machine and the know how to make a healthier sausage than what you get at the market, which is usually around 25-30% fat? Well, here is a way that you can do it. I have made sausage as a hobby for years, at home and abroad, with and without my Hobart and casings.

Low Fat   Spicy Italian Sausage Recipe

• 2 ½ lbs of chicken thighs boned with skin and fat removed and cut into 1 in chunks
• 2 ½ lbs of lean pork (use the “pork shoulder “tri tip” cut. It has very little fat on the outside that must be trimmed off)
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp of anise seed
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicier)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of white or black pepper
• 1/2 cup of white wine optional 

Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes or more (or overnight, if you prefer and have the time. The longer it has for the flavors to blend, the better the sausage.)

Line a"makisu" (bamboo sushi mat) with plastic, and put a handful of the sausage mixture on the plastic covering the makisu.

 Wrap the sausage in the plastic, and roll the mat the same way you would make a California roll using the plastic. Make sure to seal (fold in) the ends so that the sausage does not come out.

 Place the sausage links in hot (almost boiling water) on a pan on your stove. Poach the sausage in the hot water for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice to make sure they are cooked thoroughly.

 To brown them, put the sausages in a skillet with a little olive oil, turning on all sides until brown.
Each them as you would eat any Italian sausage, but with the assurance that they are healthier (much lower in fat) than any sausage of its kind in the market! 




Serving Suggestion: The Dukanini! (Breadless Panini)

The "Dukanini" enjoys all of the pleasures of a panini, but in true Dukan form, completely avoids the refined carbohydrates of bread and high fat content of market-grade sausage. Making your own sausage allows you to eat healthier and still savor those flavors typically associated with high fat, high carb foods.

 In the picture above, this Dukanini starts off with a couple of tablespoons of spicy homemade pasta sauce (see lasagna recipe), grilled onions (which use only 1 tbsp of olive oil for three onions), and spicy mustard on the side (totally optional, since the sauce alone is enough to send this sausage flying through your taste buds!)

PASTEL DE CHOCLO (Chile)

Pastel de choclo is a dish made of fresh ground corn (choclo) with basil. It is traditionally served in a paila (an earthenware bowl). Commonly mixed in with the choclo is minced beef, chicken, black olives, onions and slices of hard boiled eggs. Pastel de choclo in one form or another is popular throughout all of South America, but especially popular in Chile.

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1.5 pounds of finely chopped/minced beef
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped black olives (or kalamata)
• 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup roasted or grilled chicken tenders or thighs (boneless), but in slices

Preparation:

1. Sauté the onions in the vegetable or olive oil until soft and translucent, 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is crumbled and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup milk. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until corn is blended and appears creamy (but too creamy).
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a pan, and add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the corn mixture. Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk and simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped basil and remove from heat.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Drain the liquid from the browned beef mixture. Place the minced beef mixture in the bottom of a 3-4 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs over the beef, then layer the chicken on top.
7. Spread the corn mixture over the top of the casserole so that it covers the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the powdered sugar on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the corn mixture is golden brown.
9. If you want it slightly browned on top, then put it under the broiler for about 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot or warm.

As shown in the picture above, you can make the pastel de choclo a day ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake at a later time.

Italian Sausage and Pepper Panini

Panini are Italian sandwiches which are pressed in a hot iron before being served. There are literally hundreds of Panini recipes, but the one I like, especially during the hot summer days of California's central valley is made with my homemade spicy Italian sausage, roasted Italian sweet peppers, eggplant, melted provolone, and red sauce served on a toasted ciabatta roll. 

To make these panini, I cook my fresh spicy Italian sausage in a red sauce. Since I use a very low fat ratio in my sausage, there is no worry about the sausage fat in the sauce.  However, if you have to use a fattier store-bought sausage, then I would recommend that you parboil the sausage in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then add the links to the sauce.  You can use your favorite sauce, but if you do not have one, you can use this one. The hot Italian sausage will give this sauce an extra kick, when  used on pizzas or pasta.

Quick Pasta Sauce

2 small cans of tomato sauce

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsps of olive oil (enough to sauté the garlic and onions)

Dash of oregano

Dash of thyme (optional)

Dash of allspice (optional)

Dash of Crushed Chili (optional)

Salt to taste

Sauté the garlic (be sure no to burn it). Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Add the oregano, thyme, and allspice (If you don’t have thyme and allspice, you don’t need to run to the store to buy some. Just use oregano-which every home should have!) Blend the spices into the onion and garlic. Then add the tomato sauce. Increase the heat for a few minutes until it begins to pop. (Sauce doesn’t boil, it pops).Then add the crushed chili, cover, and let simmer for about five to ten  minutes. Be sure not to burn the sauce. Turn it to medium low and stir it a couple of times.

To assemble  the panini, first lightly toast the inside of a ciabatta roll. Add red sauce to each side of the bread, then and a slice of eggplant and  the cooked sausage over it. On the other side, add the roasted Italian peppers.

Add a slice of provolone on top of the peppers and on top of the sausage.,then broil until cheese melts and begins to bubble to a golden brown.

  If you have a panini  or George Foreman grill, place the  panini inside the grill and lightly toast the outside of the bread. Cut in half and serve hot.