Appetizers; one with Shad Roe 酒のつまみ

Those are two sets of appetizers I made on different evening. One unusual one is a variation of the nagaimo-tarako gellee 長芋とたらこのジェル寄せ. Instead of “tarako” cod roe, I used shad roe since it was in the freezer and getting old. I made several dishes from shad roe including American classic of cooked with bacon.  In the picture #1, from left to right; 1. nagaimo-shad roe gelee 長芋とシャドロウのジェル寄せ, 2. Wakame and cucumber in miso dressing 和布と胡瓜の酢味噌あえ, 3. picked herring (from a jar) topped with yogurt dip, 4. daikon “namasu”  in sweet vinegar 大根なます, and 5. daikon kimpira 大根の金平.

Nothing particulary new but two may deserve some notes:

1. Nagaimo-shad roe gelee: 
Japanese tarako is slat marinated but not cooked. I used tarako without further cooking for this dish. 
Since Shad roe is not slated or cooked, i modified my recipe. I first removed the roe from the sacs and  marinated in  the equal mixture of x4 concentrated Japanese noodle soup and mirin for several hours in the refrigerator (good amount of the marinade get absorbed). 
After draining the excess marinade, I cooked the roe in the frying pan with melted butter in low heat until the color changes (or cooked). Let it cooled down and use it like tarako. 

I used 1 cup of Japanese broth with 3/4 envelope of unflavored gelatin. Seasoned with splashes of dark sesame oil and tabasco or sriracha. For the nagaimo layer,  I seasoned with small amount of sushi vinegar.

2. Daikon Kimpira:
I had the last of a good daikon from Suzuki Farm. I peeled (a bit thickly) and cooked with a pinch of raw rice grains (which can be used in simmered dishes such as oden. I cut the peels with skin in match stick and made kimpira with daikon green (from daikon from Weee we just got) and fried “abura-age” tofu.

In the picture #2, i served the nagaimo-shad roe gelee (top center), kelp salmon roll 鮭の昆布巻き (left lower) and salmon nanban 鮭の南蛮漬け (right lower).