Japanese Dinner

Hosts: John and Monique

Appetizers:
Sushi Plate
.          Spicy Tuna and Cucumber Sushi Roll
        Food network - Emeril's Inside Out Spicy Tuna Roll with Special
Sauce
        We sprinkled with flying fish roe once cut.
.          Smoked Salmon and Jicama Maki Sushi Roll (no raw fish)
        This wound up not really being the recipe but instead smoked
salmon, cream cheese, scallions, and cucumber. Once cut we sprinkled
with white and black sesame seeds.
.          California Sushi Roll (crab meat, avocado, cucumber - no raw
fish)
        Not really a recipe either, just the cooked crab, avocado,
cucumber, and scallions. Sprinkled with black sesame seeds once cut.
.          Salmon Nigiri

        Served with pickled ginger and a mix of soy sauce and wasabi.

            Wine: Dale and Jean
                Ohyama "Ginsuika" Sake Junmai Ginjo
                2006 Singing Gruner Veltliner Laurenz and Sophie
Salad:
     Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables with Yuzu-Sweet Onion Salad
             Wine: Doug and Peggy
                2006 Coteaux du Languedoc    Hugues Beaulieu
Soup
 
Food network - Hearty Shiitake Mushroom and Miso Soup

        Wine: Mark and Dorte
                2006 Gisborne Unoaked Chardonnay  Coopers Creek
(I
was very impressed with this one - first time trying an unoaked
chardonnay for me)

Main Course:
     Rice Paper Wrapped Halibut with Shallot and Soy Sauce
     Braised Baby Bok Choy
     Wine: Dale and Jean
               Doug and Peggy
 2005 McLaren Vale The Hermit Crab Viognier
Marsanne (cold wet pebbles anyone?)
                        2205 Pinot Noir Bourgogne Louis Jadot

Dessert:
     Assorted Tropical Sorbets (Lychee and Mango)
     Coconut Rice Pudding
     Wine: Mark and Dorte
  2004 Schramsbert Cremant Sparkling Wine        (the "champagne"
with the good pedigree)

Haddock Steaks in Rice Paper with Shallot-and-Soy Sauce

Fish packages

4 Vietnamese rice paper disks (each 8 ½ inches in diameter)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

4 haddock steaks, each 3-4 inches across and 1 inch thick (about 7 ounces each)

            (note – we have used halibut and sea bass instead)

Shallot and Soy Sauce

            3 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped shallots

            2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

            1 large garlic clove, peeled, crushed and finely chopped

            3 tablespoons rice vinegar

            4 tablespoons soy sauce

            1 teaspoon sugar

            ¼ teaspoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon canola oil

1.       Brush the rice paper disks generously on both sides with water, and set them aside to soften for about 5 minutes. (Note – I just soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes). In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, and tarragon, and sprinkle on both sides of the fish.

2.       Place a piece of the fish in the center of the softened rice paper disk, then fold the rice paper around the fish to enclose it securely inside. Repeat with remaining fish and rice paper. Place the fish packages in a single layer seam side down on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until cooking time. The fish can be wrapped up to 4 hours ahead.

3.       Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and set aside until serving time.

4.       At cooking time, heat the canola oil in a nonstick skillet (IMPORTANT – do use non stick). When oil is hot, place the fish packages seam side down in the skillet and cook them, uncovered, over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Turn, cover, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside, covered for 3 to 4 minutes.

5.       Serve one package per person, with some of the sauce drizzled over and around the fish packages.