Friday, September 28, 2007
FPF, goes east….far east!
My Asian readers will want to snicker to themselves quietly. Just keep in mind…I’m doing my best and I have to drive an hour and a half to get even the most rudimentary ingredients for a meal like this. Our konbinis don’t sell no seaweed.
This is the sort of food I prefer to eat. Even though I’m known for my artery clogging recipes and sinful jaunts into the world of Southern cusine…I’m actually much happier with a bowl of miso soup or some ramen, some white rice and sashimi. Even if I have to make long trips into K-town to the Asian grocery to get a few very basic things like sushi nori, kombu and miso.
So, last week, Friend Scott was down in the dumps and he’s told me he enjoyed sushi so I decided to prepare a Japanese meal. Hmmmm…what to fix to fill up a six foot nine guy?
Shabu-Shabu, (しゃぶしゃぶ) of course! I’m not going to trouble you with my interpretation of Shabu-Shabu…but will refer you to Food Network’s excellent rendition of it. I will also refrain from offering my recipe for chicken fried tofu. Shabu Shabu restaurants are very popular in Japan and are often owned and operated by retired Sumo wrestlers. Thus…perfect food for my six-foot nine buddy. Filling…yet fun!
All you need in a small crock or fondu pot to put in the middle of your table to swish the thinly sliced beef in the boiling broth. It’s really a fun dining experience.
I also prepared a plate of sushi. I wasn’t sure exactly how experienced Scott was with it so I kept it rather simple. But Scott is fairly experienced with it…so maybe an excursion to an actual sushi bar is called for.
We were a bit amused when a brightly colored sign was posted down at the rafting canteen down in Hartford announcing that they now had fresh sushi. I won’t even buy fish in town so there was no way I was going to try sushi down the mountain. I usually get fish at the Shrimp Dock in Knoxville when I go to my monthly doctors’ appointments at UT.
My Japanese menu was as follows:
Sushi Tuna Rolls and Salmon
Vegetables and Kombu with Ramen
Shabu Shabu
White Rice
Typically, as a Southern cook, I prepared way too much. But it was a big hit!
I guess, what I'm suggesting...is it's okay to be adventuresome with food. Don't be afraid to try new things...It's part of what's wonderful in life.
Looks great, you know me a sushi.
No nato? You remember what nato is? It’s the fermented soy bean. It’s that’s stuff that looks like it has melted cheese on it? I ain’t, it’s the slim from the fermentation. It’s that stuff that smells like a trash can left out in the sun for a week. I’d order it anyway to be weird. The chef would always ask, “How you know nato?” I’d ask, “You eat nato?” They’d respond, “Gnaaaaa, I don’t eat that shit.”
Another weird thing, I always ask the chef to crack a raw quail egg and drop in my Sapporo beer. I liked watching it at the bottom of the glass. I always had something to look forward to when I finished the last swallow. One day at a sushi bar in San Francisco, I asked the chef to drop an egg in my beer. He said, “No, way, I’m not doing that.” I asked, “Why not?” Now mind you, I’m from the school of “the customer is always right.” He responded, “Because it’s stupid.” I never did THAT again. I’ll take weird over stupid any day.
Anyway, your pics made me hungry!