Pea, Ricotta ad Mint Gazpacho えんどう豆、リコッタチーズとミントのガスパッチョ

We are having very hot and humid weather with customary severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. When my wife saw the recipe for nice fresh green pea gazpacho on the Washington Post website, she had to make it. We happened to have mint growing in our herb garden. We also had all the other ingredients except parsley so we made this without the parsley. This is a refreshing rich gazpacho with the peas (we used frozen baby peas) imparting a somewhat grassy taste which was not unpleasant. We topped it with our favorite Spanish extra-version olive oil. (Shown as the darker green in the pic).

Ingredients:
4 mini-cucumbers, seeds removed and cut into cubes (14 ounces total)
Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
2 cups frozen baby green peas
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup water (we used chicken broth)
(We omitted parsely)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 clove garlic
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Directions:
Prepare the peas. Since they were frozen we simply thawed them in a bowl with some hot water. In a Vitamix, combine the cucumber, avocado, peas, ricotta, scallions, water, chopped mint, lemon juice and garlic and puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and blend again, just to incorporate. Taste, and add more lemon juice, as needed.

We served this in a small bowl. The puree had a thick consistency which made us think of a pea smoothy. We made it a bit more soup-like with the addition of milk (or cream) and a drizzle of oil.  The pea and avocado flavors dominated. As mentioned the overall flavor was a bit grassy but it tasted more fresh than unpleasant. A great way to eat your veggies in the hot humid summer. 

Kyoto Izakaya in Kyoto Station Area Part 2 京都駅駅付近付近の居酒屋 パート2

2. Yakitori Tsujiya 焼き鳥つじや

京都市下京区塩小路西洞院西入ル北不動堂町522-9

5229 Kita-fudoudoucho, Shimokyou-Ku
Kyoto

For reservation 075-341-1819, credit card accepted, Probably smoking allowed
Ordering by QR code (You need a smart phone with internet access)

As I was writing this up, I looked on the internet for information about this place. The TSUJIYA GROOVE is the holding company. Judging from their web site, they run two separate but similar chains. One is “Yakitori Tsujiya 焼き鳥つじや” with one store which is where we went. Another is “Sumi-bi Kushiyaki Tsujiya 炭火串焼つじや” with 4 stores. The difference between these two chains is uncertain to me based on their write-ups. Both serve chicken on skewers grilled using a charcoal fire.  Judging from the pictures, the latter appears to be in at the higher end of the price spectrum.

This was a low-key yakitori place. We were lucky we could make the reservation. Although we were 5 minutes late, they kept our seats at the corner of the counter just next to the “yakiba 焼き場” where yakitori is grilled. So we had a good view of how the grilling was taking place. They gave me a slip with a  “QR code” printed on it and asked that I order through their web site. Luckily, I had my iphone connected to a portable hot spot. We ordered sake from their recommendation and ordered the usual suspects of yakitori dishes; chicken thigh, liver, tuskune, wings, negima etc. Meanwhile the place was packed. A number of people came to the door but were turned away including some foreign tourists. (Japanese refer to these customers as “inbounds”. This is where I saw the head waitress use an internet translation program to communicate the “lack of space” and expected “long-time wait” to the foreign “inbounds” who came to the door.)

The yakitori was very good. It had a nice highly pronounced charcoal flavor. All the dishes were pretty good but we really liked the liver and ordered seconds. We ordered more sake and other dishes and our “shime 〆” ending dish was a grilled rice ball.

During our stay, people started coming down from the second floor where, I understand, they have tables for big parties. But the people kept coming, coming, coming in a steady flow. Finally, I asked how many people they could accommodate on the second floor. They laughed and said “many”.

This was really good experience with excellent yakitori.


3. Irodori 京の四季いろどり

京都府京都市下京区東塩小路町577 大将軍ビル3階

Daishougun Bldg 3F
Higashi-shiokouji-cho 577
Shimokyo-ku, Kyoto

For reservation 075-343-9266, Credit card accepted, No smoking

The day I called for a reservation they said none was available so I asked for one the next day. They had seats for two at the counter.  The place was just across from the station/our hotel.  This is run by a company which also runs grilled meat “Yakiniku 焼肉” restaurants (two) and pachinko parlors (two) but only one “Irodori”. The place appeared quite large. Our counter was quite spacious and guests were seated quite far apart. This counter may have been used as a sushi-bar at one time but the cold case was empty.  A sliding door inside the counter connected to a large kitchen.  Noise and laughter wafted and there appeared to be many tables and rooms which we could not see.

They offered a Kyoto local sake tasting. We chose 6 between the two of us. This was a good move.

Among the 6 we tasted the one third from the right called “Ine-mankai 伊根満開” meaning “Full bloom in Ine” really stood out. This is because of its “rose wine” color and its amazing taste. We wanted to know what produced this unusual color and since I had my phone I quickly looked it up on the internet. I found out this was brewed from “ancient red rice 古代米” by a woman “touji 杜氏” brew master at the sake brewery “Mukai shuzo 向井酒造” . This. brewery is located in “Ine-cho 伊根町”. Since the flavor was so specially memorable we chose it as our starter sake.

As usual, we ordered assorted sashimi. A middle aged man who must have been the sushi chef, brought the sashimi plate. It had obligatory “Tai” perch which we had else where and tended to be sinewy/chewy but not this one. Nicely soft with much more flavor. I asked if it had been aged and the chef said when he tested it he determined it was too firm so he aged it for a few days. Some sashimi fish especially white fish can be improved in texture and flavor by aging. We had some other dishes including roasted duck breast. All were quite good. Although it lacked the usual Izakaya atmosphere, the sake and food as well service were great.  We will definitely go back.

Vinegar Cured Mackerel Sushi with Shiro-ita Kelp バッテラ

“Battera バッテラ” is a type of molded sushi or “oshizushi 押し寿司” popular in the Osaka 大阪 region. It is made from vinegar cured mackerel or “shime-saba しめ鯖” and specially prepared kelp called “shiro-ita konbu 白板昆布” (more description later). I posted molded sushi using vinegar cured mackerel and smoked salmon but I did not have shiro-ita konbu, at that time. Later I found a product where the shime-saba was covered with shaven kelp. Using this, I made sushi similar to “oshizushi” called “bo-zushi 棒鮨” without using a mold. We were quite satisfied with this version. Then, I found “shiro-ita konbu” listed on the website called “Japanese Taste”. This company sells authentic Japanese items including groceries. So, I bought the konbu to make a more authentic battera but again I did not use the mold.  (I was just a bit lazy. I would have had to find the mold and then soak it in water before I could use it). In the serving picture, you see the mackerel is covered with a thin layer of kelp. On the left most side I included sushi rice wrapped with “shiro-ika konbu”. They were good but I am not sure the konbu made a big difference in taste. I served this with cucumber and nappa cabbage asazuke 浅漬け and vinegar cured lotus root “su-renkon 酢レンコン.

Ingredients:

1 package of vinegar cured mackerel or shime-saba, thawed

One strip of “shiro-ita konbu 白板昆布 (#4)” about the same size as the mackerel

About 1/2 cup (or enough to make one roll of sushi) of sushi rice

Directions:

Season the kelp as per the package instructions (simmer in the mixture of dashi broth, soy sauce, sake and sugar, but the more standard seasoning uses sweet vinegar)

Remove the thin skin from the mackerel (#1)

Place the mackerel, skin side down on a silicon sushi mat (or plastic wrap on the top of a bamboo sushi mat), make a cylinder of sushi rice on the top and form a tight cylinder using the sushi mat (#2)

Place the seasoned kelp and form again (#3)

Wrap it in plastic wrap to let it settle for 5-20 minutes before slicing

A bit about “Shiro-ita konbu (#4)” and “oboro konbu おぼろ昆布 (#5)”.

“Shiro-ita  konbu” is the center part of kelp after the surface has been removed as “oboro-konbu” by shaving off the surface of the kelp making very thin strands. The package shown in #5 states this is hand-shaven showing the illustration of a guy shaving the kelp. This shaven kelp can be added to soup or udon noodles with broth. It does add some umami flavor but the texture is a bit “slimy”. So, I don’t know which is the main product and which is the byproduct “shiro-ikta conbu” or “oboro konbu” or vise versa.

From “Japanese Taste” I also got dried gourd peel or “kanpyo 干瓢” (which I have not been able to get for some time. The only kind available was pre-seasoned and could not be used as a tie for kelp roll). I also got “Hidaka Kelp 日高昆布”.  “Hidaka” is a place in Hokkaido famous for producing a good quality eating (as opposed to broth making) kelp.

Kyoto Izakaya in Kyoto Station area part 1 京都駅付近の居酒屋 パート1

We spent 3 nights in Kyoto. As usual, we stayed at our favorite hotel Granvia Kyoto グランビア京都 with a north and Kyoto tower view room. This means we went to 3 izakayas during our stay. In the past, we went to izakayas in other areas but this time, we limited ourselves to izakaya near the station including our favorite “Kurakura”.

1. Kurakura 蔵倉

京都市下京区飴屋町244木村ビル

Kimura-bldg
Ameya-machi 244, Shimokyou-ku
Kyoto

For reservation: 075-351-0347, credit card accepted, smoking allowed

Although I posted about this izakaya previously,  I did not mention the origin and meaning of the name “Kurakura”. The name “Kurakura” is a double entendre; this izakaya is housed in a renovated “warehouse” or “kura” in Japanese. “Kura” can be written in kanji 漢字 as “倉” or “蔵”. Although both kanji sound the same, “倉” is a grain/food warehouse and “蔵” is where family treasures are kept. So, the name of this izakaya is “蔵倉”  covering both kinds of warehouses. But “kurakura くらくら” written in phonetic letters also means “dizzy” or “state of being enchanted”. Appropriate for the state of inebriation. 

As you can see in the picture, this place is quite recessed from the narrow alley and the majority of the front appears to be a garage (I am not sure to whom this garage belongs). Then you had to walk narrow passageway on the left to the entrance of this izakaya.

Although we made a reservation, the place was not crowded and remained that way while we were there. Besides not being as crowded as the last few times we visited, the owner/master appeared to have delegated his position to the young chef who appeared to be in charge while the owner hung back out of the way. The young chef was in the center and front of the cooking area and when we asked for a dish, he was the one who repeated the order in a loud commanding voice. Another change was the absence of the owner’s (we presumed) wife/casher/sake sommelier. 

We had decent sake and food including sashimi and fried taro “satoimo 里芋 ” but, at this point, nothing  else sticks out in our minds. We liked when the old guy was in charge and his wife recommended many wonderful sakes.

Topping of Katsu-Don カツ丼のあたま

A few days ago, I made “tonkatsu トンカツ” or pork cutlets from frozen pork chops we had in the freezer. I made much more than we could finish in one evening meal. To use up the left-over tonkatsu, I made katsu-don or “katsu-don-no-atama カツ丼の頭 which was the katsu-don pork topping without the rice base. (We were not hungry enough to eat the addition of rice). Japanese refer to this dish as katsu-don head. Since I used left-over tonkatsu which was heated up in the toaster oven, I did not simmer the tonkatsu in a broth or add the egg on the top. Instead, I simmered sliced onion in seasoned broth and when the onion was cooked, I added a beaten egg and cooked until most of the egg was cooked but some was still uncooked (I used a pasteurized egg). I added salt broth soaked snap peas スナップ豌豆の塩びたし for color. Then, I placed the sliced tonkatsu on top. Without rice, this was a perfect sized dish for us that evening.

Ingredients:
Tonkatsu (pork cutlet sliced) (Either freshly cooked or left overs heated in the toaster oven.)
1/2 small onion, sliced
Green beans or snap peas (cooked) for garnish
One egg, beaten (I used a pasteurized egg)

Cooking liquid (the amount is somewhat arbitrary, you can make it to your liking, either sweet or salty by adjusting the sugar and soysauce)
1/3 cup Japanese dashi broth (I made it with the usual dashi packs)
1tbs mirin
2 tbs soysauce
1 tbs sugar


Directions:
In a small frying pan, add the onion and the cooking liquid and simmer for a few minutes or until the onion is cooked. Pour in the beaten egg, cover with a lid and cook until the egg is just set (to your liking, runny or more set). Add the greens and slide the entire contents onto a shallow bowl/plate. Add the slices of ton-katsu on top.

The topping of katsu-don is considered perfect as drinking snack. For us if we make “Katsu-don”, we usually divide one serving into two.