Spam Musubi Fiasco

So at THE STORE on Sat. we were supposed to have a Spam musubi making class.

No one came!!

Felt bad for the person who organized the whole thing, so I ended up creating a few Spam musubi for demonstration purposes.

I guess they should have had Mar/Com promote the class a bit more. Ya'think?

Father's Day Dinner!

Missed a few days...so we'll catch up!

Made Black Bean Clams and En Papillote Kinki Rockfish.

Both are great, and can be easily done at home.

For the Kinki -
Basically salt and white pepper the fish to taste.
Put fish on a bed of julliened fresh ginger and scallions.
Add a little Michiu (Chinese cooking wine) and tightly seal in a pouch made of aluminum foil

Place on a cookie sheet to catch any leaks and bake about 20 (give or take depending on size of your Rockfish)

Once the pouch puffs up a bit, the fish is most likely done. Cut open with knife taking care to avoid the released steam.

Enjoy!

This can be done with any number of white, sweeter flakey fish.

Sometimes you just feel like a little fried food for dinner

...and tonight these were the 2 likely suspects.  Ebi fry: What can I say?
Take 'em out of the package, drop into heated oil, and they're ready to eat in less than 5 minutes.  Sure beats the 3-step breading process (flour, egg, panko) - and the dirtying of dishes!

The same goes for the croquettes.  Think, one big poofy tater tot!!!
Into the same oil they go, and a few minutes later, <voila!> it's DINNER.

We're starting up!!

Well here we go! Finally up and running. So we decided to make our first post somewhat related to
"who we are" and explain the header. Kasuzuke is a traditional Japanese dish made by pickling fish or vegetables in sake lees, known as sake-kasu. Sake kasu is the rice mash used in sake production.

In this case we are referring to a popular dish, Gindara Kasuzuke, translated: Black Cod Kasuzuke.
Most recipes for making the marinade are similar, but the best I've found and tried is below.

INGREDIENTS
1-2 lbs. Fish Fillets - Black Cod, Salmon (FRESH!!) Snapper or Chilean Sea Bass. I like SKIN ON, BUT SCALED!!
1/2 cup Sake Kasu
2 Tbsp. Sake
3 Tbsp. Mirin (Sweet Cooking Sake)
1/4 cup Warm (room temp) Water
3 Tbsp. Brown sugar

1/4 Tbsp. ground fresh ginger (OPTIONAL)
or
2 Tbsp. White Miso Paste (OPTIONAL)

This will coat well about 1.5 lbs (680 gms) fish. I suggest playing around with the brown sugar in case you like it a little less sweet (or more sweet depending on your taste). If you use regular white sugar, cut the amount by 1/2 or else you'll make fish candy.

DIRECTIONS
With your fish, gently salt and let sit at least 1 hour. Overnight in a sealed container is best. Pat fish dry before applying the Kasu mixture.

Start by mixing the Sake, Mirin, and Brown Sugar. Lightly stir to get the sugar to start dissolving in the liquid. 

Add the Sake Kasu and mix.

Add the water last, mixing a little at a time, to blend the paste into a consistency much like paper mache paste. 

Apply to fish with a spatula or spoon. Be generous with your marinade!! I like to put fillets in Plastic Ziplock baggies and get as much air out as I can. I leave them in the back of the fridge for 2-3 days. I've also frozen them this way as well.

COOKING
Kasuzuke is best broiled or grilled. If you are grilling, make sure you have a fish wire or basket, otherwise you might have bits falling into the fire!

I start usually in the oven or toaster oven, skin side up. I'll let that brown, to caramelize a little, and then flip to the meat side up.
I'll finish that way, checking on the fish until golden or a nice color has developed and check for cooking completion.

If the fish is not quite cooked, I'll close the oven and leave in for 5 to 7 minutes checking to see if the meat flakes well.

That's it! Take that out and eat!!