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Hamachi Kama - Yellowfin Tuna collar

One of the most delightful dishes that one orders in a Japanese restaurant is virtually unknown to many. Once discarded in the past - as only few appreciated that unattractive part of the fish, it has risen as one of the food discoveries in the continual education or reeducation of the Western palate. It is so savory -  rich in Omega 3 oils - another new discovery of the 20th century, many claiming positive health benefits if taken consistently. Grilled over hot coals with just a few sprinklings of salt and pepper brings about the savory goodness of this less known flesh.

To what is he referring to, one might ask..... Well its none other than the hamachi kama - the once unappreciated part of the tuna. Everyone knows that there are only two pieces of the collar which makes it much desired but most importantly because of its sweet delicate flavor....Splash some lemon juice and you're good to go...a nice bowl of steamed rice with go very well with this dish. Take note - steamed rice only - since fried rice will tend to reduce the impact of the taste of the fish.

Some Japanese menus will not show it but if you ask your sushi chef or server they will have one on reserve in the freezer - for that special customer that frequents the place. But you will never know until you ask - most often they will allow you to have it since you asked. Most will cost around $7 - $9 a piece but should one spot one on the menu and its $12 - dont order it. Why you might ask? While its a great tasting menu item - one shouldnt pay more than $10 for it. The meat while succulent is not plentiful - how much meat can one get from the collar? I think $9 is a good price to pay - that's it!

So if I have piqued your curiosity and your favorite sushi place does not offer it or has run out by the time you order one - since they get fish delivery once or twice a week and their share of the collar has long been consumed - what does a hungry sushi hunter do?

There are a few places to go in the San Francisco Bay Area - one of which is my favorite and located in downtown San Mateo. Why a favorite of mine - you might ask? Because of its reputation for freshness and for decades has served Japanese food lovers like yours truly.
Suruki Supermarket at 71 E 4th Ave San Mateo. This is where I can get ingredients for those impromptu parties, you know who you are , you know what I mean. There's alway fresh fresh fish for sushi - albacore, maguro, hamachi, mackarel, snapper and even octopus. Suruki also has angkimo - one of my favorite Japanese delicacy - monkfish liver and uni - sea urchin roe.
Hamachi kama is available fresh - usually two small parts in a package - costs around $6.
Call ahead and they can reserve them for you and they're open 7 days a week.

Japantown groceries stores located on Post Street will also carry the hamachi kama..call ahead.



How to cook it?
As I stated - salt and pepper grilled over coals - if you cant barbecue - use the oven but be prepared to fan your smoke alarm as it could generate smoke enough to trigger it.
Just long enough to form a light brown crust around the edges but dont over cook it. As with any kind of fish - it cooks quickly. Take off the heat and splash some fresh lemon juice and you're in hamachi heaven - hamachi kama heaven that is.

Noma - Chef Rene Redzepi

Chef Rene Redzepi a renowned chef and now even more acclaimed since his restaurant NOMA was listed as the top restaurant among the 50 best in the world. Knocking off El Bulli from its prestigious position which it occupied for several years. This too was where Chef Redzepi trained to hone his culinary skills, plus training in French Laundry - considered one of the best in world. Which by the way is located in my neck of the woods. With those under his belt, Chef Redzepi is considered a culinary provocateur - a title coined by several prominent chefs and food writers.

Why provacateur?
He incorporates the culinary wizardry of Chef Adria with that of Thomas Keller and the result is Redzepi's own style of cuisine.  Keller likes to bring the earth to the table while Adria likes the Star Wars futuristic approach. Combine it and you have a revolution of some sorts - extreme perhaps, one might say, but definitely difference. Simplistic but complex - confused?  I was at first when I first encountered his cuisine. Yes, I was one of the few that was lucky enough to try his cooking.

Call it luck, divine providence perhaps but blessed none the less, it was a chance encounter with this wonderful chef's cooking. It was on a Thursday (two weeks ago) when I happen to check on my favorite food destination Mission Street Food (Thursdays and Saturdays) then spotted the menu. it was an homage to this great chef's cooking...their attempt to replicate the NOMA menu...hmmm I said, this is a good opportunity to show Erika my sweetie who has been told of MSF's offerings and gourmet chefs from all over the world.

Being the daughter of a chef  that likes to experiment is not an easy life - Erika has been one of my testers, food critic and guinea pig of my cooking. So I said, lets try this chef's cooking tonight - unbeknownst to us what the chef's pedigree was at the time.


So off we went, parking was a breeze on Mission Street SF.  Our last minute reservation was accepted (quite rarely due to the demand) I wondered why then it dawned on me - it was April 15 - you and I know what this drop dead date is. While folks were waiting in line to have their tax preparers complete their returns ( I spotted one across the street from the resto) we got seated right away.

A cursory glance of the menu and my mind went to engage lock and load - get ready taste buds, you're in for a treat tonight.  I always encourage my daughter to make the decision on what she thinks might be good for the evening. Erika decided to go with the sea urchin, cucumber, frozen cream, dill granita appetizer ($9)  over the other appetizer which was cod roe. (I thought whew thank God - good choice, I cant imagine anything more fishy than cod roe!) Second appetizer -mackerel crudo, grilled daikon, horseradish snow - $8

For the main course we went with spot prawn, seawater and parsley emulsion - ($13) and skate, ramps, vegetable stems, mussel sauce - ($13) - I ordered the gray album for my drink and Erika went with water. (Gray Album is a combination -  16 oz of Boddingtons, 16oz of Old English) yummo!

Oh I forgot to mention - while all this was happening, my youngest Alyssa was a silent observer and unwilling participant to all this. For her that night - heaven was burgers and fries and none of these.

Before I continue - ever wonder why the prices are so inexpensive? Proceeds are donated to charity, the organizers take over a Chinese Restaurant on Thursdays and Saturdays and convert it into a semi decent destination. But expect to be served on french fries containers and thick plates, paper cups - keep the costs down so Institutions like St Martin de Porres can get more $$.

I asked our very accommodating waiter and also of the hostess if I could take pictures. Not like they had a choice since I was going to sneak a photo or two if they declined. But gracious they were and even encouraged me by setting up the dishes for the right angle when they arrived.


The first appetizer - Sea urchin

speckles of cream - frozen ala El Bulli - with granita of dill - artfully scraped into small beads, emulsified black olives, cucumber slices and dill... this was a great presentation and an explosion of flavors when the frozen bits of cream and  the cold dill granita melted by the heat of the tongue hit the tender sea urchin roe. Wow!




Next the Mackarel - one of my favorite sashimi choices - saba as the Japanese call it -

the cream was still present - frozen bits, very subtle, this time using horseradish, his version instead of the wasabe. Truly one of my favorite type of fusion cooking. East/West combination - who would have thought - mackarel sashimi in horseradish cream frozen ala El Bulli served with grilled daikon. The daikon was uncannily sweet, perhaps due to it being grilled then shaved thin. Fantastic, very simple presentation but complex taste. Delightful to say the least..... definitely an inspiration for my next recipe collection

Spot Prawn

This dish was served on a hot rock - not quite sizzling as I expected. It was more for aesthetic reasons that I could imagine and not to cook the prawns. But they were semi cooked - not overly done, enough heat was applied but still sweet-the meat tender and one can discern the sea from it. Yes, the head was sucked to enjoy the juices, as Anthony Bourdain likes it....the parsley sauce? I didnt get it but gave it a nice contrast to the prawns. Imagine the earthiness of the parsley reduction blending with the sea flavors...its okay but nothing spectacular to me... still a good dish

Skate
Now this is a revelation - Chef Rene likes to use Nordic ingredients in his cooking. While skate will always be one of the best kind of fish ever - the mussel reduction was a WOW factor... The emulsion gave the skate prominence, brought out the sweetness of the fish without overwhelming it. Accompanying the dish were earthy veggies, again a Thomas Keller influence one can assume - the ramps were fresh and the grilled young asparagus stalks were also very flavorful.

So that was my only encounter with the Chef's cuisine in this somewhat "guest" appearance and who is now #1 in the world.


Oh by the way, I promise to update my blog more frequently so hope you enjoy my upcoming reviews as this one.
Be well

The morning after - how to make turkey magic with leftovers

What do you do the morning after? Nothing to do with what your think it is. I am referring to left over Thanksgiving turkey. If you were like me, we had almost half a turkey untouched, so this noon I was contemplating on how to turn this huge mass of meat into another feast. I checked the fridge - some red bell peppers were in the crisper, half a quart of half-half which I use for my coffee, and about half a chorizo - which was left over from the paella I made yesterday. Spotted in the freezer were some peas as well. Next destination was the pantry - aha - a can of cream of mushroom soup. When I turned I glanced over and saw a bottle of white wine. So put them all together and you have the makings of a pastel style dish.

So far this is what I had:
chorizo de bilbao
red bell pepper
onions
garlic
peas
white wine
half and half
cream of mushroom soup
leftover turkey of course

In a hot skillet use some good virgin oil olive, saute the garlic, onions and red bell pepper. When the vegetables were soft add the chorizo,some white wine and simmer for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol.  Slowly add the half and half along with the cream of mushroom soup. 

Add enough water so the sauce is not thick. Simmer over low heat until the turkey is tender - about 12 minutes. Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick. A minute or so before the end of cooking add the peas - stir until incorporated into the dish.








Serve over a nice cup of hot rice or toast

Enjoy!!

Turducken - what is it

This the season when most turkeys fear most - the day of Thanksgiving. I am speaking of the two legged feathered kind and not who you might be thinking of. Most Americans will have the bird as the main feature of attraction in their Thanksgiving table. Some offer suggestions on various ways of cooking the bird - most prefer the roasting and basting method, others have taken the more perilous route of deep frying while some have used the stuffing method. No not the bread stuffing chestnut and celery type of stuffing but one of Turducken.

What is a Turducken? It is a linguistic blend as Wikipedia would describe the word. It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is stuffed inside a turkey. Both chicken and duck are totally deboned while the turkey is prepared partially deboned - maybe to hold the two other birds without falling apart.

While unverified, Paul Prudhomme the creole chef claims to have originated this dish. One can tell from the ingredients commonly used that it could have its humble beginnings in the South. Quite similar to the Filipino's embutido but to proportions of the American way of food consumption.

Imagine stuffing a small hen inside a duck while sausage is the stuffing of the chicken. Quick tasty but beware should the dish be presented to you. Its high in caloric content and so is its fat/cholesterol.

One can order the bird already cooked ready to be served from various online stores. The average is roughly $85 for a 15 lb bird some served with sides that come as a welcome accompaniment to the dish.

As this Thanksgiving day approaches, I wish one and all a blessed holiday and Happy Thanksgiving to all

Spinach Banana Blossom Cheese Dip

This recipe is a deviation from the more popular Spinach Artichoke Dip - made from artichoke hearts and spinach leaves blanched before it is used.
One day, I was enjoying a nice bowl of Kare-kare - a Filipino dish made of several types of meat in a sauce of peanut butter base. It is served with native vegetables like eggplant, string beans and banana blossom. While partaking of kare-kare one day, I took bite of banana blossom, then recognized a familiar texture and taste.
It didnt come to me immediately where I had experienced this flavor until I had an afternoon pika-pika in a resto one day after work. One of my buddies ordered a spinach artichoke dip to go with our favorite beer - Stella Artois- that it hit me. This was the texture!
So what I have done is replace the expensive and sometimes difficult to find (in Manila) ingredient - artichoke hearts. Instead, what I used is the canned variety of banana blossoms which come plentiful here in San Francisco and costs about a third of what it might cost ($0.99)if using artichoke. Canned banana blossoms come soaked in brine which seem to remove the bitter taste of the fresh variety and without the sap.
The vegetable also is very tender and the same (not almost but the same) texture as artichoke when chopped. If one is using the fresh vegetable, i suggest boiling it in acidulated water by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar. Replace the water at least twice to ensure that the blossoms come clean without the bitter taste.
I have used bechamel sauce to extend the recipe - using less of the cheese but still providing that great creamy sauce.
Ingredients:
Banana blossoms - cooked until tender and chopped
Bunch of spinach - cooked until wilted and chopped
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
1/2 block of cream cheese (room temperature) beaten
1/4 cup of sour cream
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
dash nutmeg - (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Taste the sauce, it should have a nice nutty flavor

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg if using, and set aside until ready to use.

Combine the vegetables, sour cream, with half of the parmesan cheese, then layer into a heat proof dish. Alternate the vegetables, cheese and bechamel ending with a layer of bechamel topped with parmesan. I would add a sparse spoonful of breadcrumbs and knobs of butter to give it a nice crust.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes but check at around 20 minutes. When a nice brown crust forms on top, the dish is done
Serve with crusty bread!
I guarantee that no one will know the difference if you used banana blossom in place of artichokes. In fact I found folks were delighted that banana blossoms were prepared in such a gourmet way.
Let me know how it goes by emailing me or adding a comment to the thread.

Chicken, Corn and Crab soup with Quail Eggs

On cold rainy days, one looks to their favorite comfort foods. One of mine is the classic Chinese soup which can easily be prepared quite quickly. Start with a few slices of ginger, three or four green onions and one chicken thigh. Boil in water until the meat is tender - approximately 15-20 minutes. Then add cream style corn - preferably the unsweetened one. If one is not available, what I use are frozen whole kernels and chop the kernels finely while still frozen. I add this to the chicken while boiling it, giving the corn time to impart its flavor to the stock. When the chicken is tender, take off the bone and pull the meat into shreds. Add another half cup of corn, about two tablespoons of wanton soup powder,crab meat - I use the canned ones which have been picked of shells and comparable in quality, beaten egg,and quail eggs. To thicken the soup, I use 1/2 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water. I add this to the boiling soup until slightly thickened. Splash with sesame oil before serving.
Total Cost to feed 5 adults with second servings - $5.00
Canned crab - Caravelle brand from Thailand - $0.99 which one can purchase from any Asian store