Asian Pizzette

Congratulations, you’re one step closer to becoming the next Food Blog Star!
Your entry has advanced to the next round of Project Food Blog 2010.
Your next challenge? “Recipe Remix.”

Challenge Prompt: One recipe, 72 variations! We’re challenging each of you to put your own spin on the same recipe. How you do it is up to you. Will you try out some molecular gastronomy techniques? Share a super-secret trick? Or re-envision the dish from a different perspective? You’ll be asked to put your own spin on Pizza. For the purpose of this contest and challenge, we are defining pizza as having a solid base, a sauce and at least one topping. Get super creative or just share your secrets for the very best results. (from foodbuzz here)

Thank you to the folks at foodbuzz for hosting such a unique and well-executed competition. It has been a blast! The serendipity of participating in this contest has been the introduction to so many creative bloggers! To my readers, thank you for your warm comments and enthusiasm, as well as taking the time  to vote and support Taste With The Eyes. Voting for this round is now open through Thursday, October 21. Please come to the Pizza Party, and vote for your favorites!

Finally, another note of thanks to my dear friend Gina and and my favorite local restaurant, Gina Lee’s Bistro in Redondo Beach, for the inspiration to remake their terrific dish, Chicken Katsu with Soba Noodles, into a pizzette! I have been meaning to share my noodle cakes made with udon noodles and chow mein noodles – usually topping them with sautéed mushrooms or spinach. The buckwheat soba noodle cake makes an earthy base for the juicy chicken katsu cutlet, and the flavors from three vibrant sauces and colorful slaw work very well together in this Asian Pizzette. I think Gina would approve.

buckwheat soba noodle cake
macadamia nut chicken katsu, yuzu tahini sauce, sweet ginger soy
tri-color slaw, rice wine chile syrup, daikon sprouts

THE BASE

organic buckwheat soba noodle (fully cooked)
slice into discs with a cookie cutter

season noodle cake with salt and pepper
dust with flour, shake off excess

fry in hot peanut oil
until each side is golden brown and crispy
the center noodles remain tender and chewy

transfer to paper towels and keep warm

THE THREE SAUCES

rice wine chile syrup, sweet ginger soy, yuzu tahini sauce

RICE WINE CHILE SYRUP

rice wine chile

• 1/2 c. seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 c. mirin (sweet japanese cooking wine)
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 -2 serrano chiles, sliced fine, with seeds for extra heat

bring to a boil, cook until liquid becomes slightly syrupy

add salt to taste, let cool, then refrigerate until needed
this sauce is simultaneously spicy hot, sweet, cold, and refreshing
serve extra on the side, you’ll want more!

SWEET GINGER SOY

sweet ginger soy

• 1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. mirin
• 1 1/2 T. minced ginger
• 2 T. cornstarch plus 2 T. water to make a slurry

bring soy, sugar, and mirin to a boil, stir to dissolve sugar, lower heat, add ginger, simmer 5 minutes

add slurry and stir to achieve a syrupy consistency
great on broiled salmon too

YUZU TAHINI SAUCE

yuzu tahini

• 1/2 c. tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 T. seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, smashed
• juice from one/two yuzu

combine all ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor
slowly add water if needed to get a consistency for drizzling
also try as a salad dressing or a dip for crudites

YUZU

if the captivating japanese yuzu citrus fruit is not readily available
another type of citrus juice may be substituted (lemon/grapefruit)

this is the first harvest of yuzu from my tree this season
the tree bears fruit october through march
as they ripen they will turn a lovely shade of gold-yellow

CHICKEN KATSU

organic boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh
place between layers of plastic wrap
pound to a 1/2 inch thickness
trim the pieces to fit on the noodle cake

lightly season with salt and pepper
dust with flour, shake off excess
dip in a beaten egg white
finally coat with a mixture of half panko breadcrumbs, half crushed macadamia nuts

fry in canola oil until golden brown on both sides

transfer to paper towels and keep warm
nutty. crunchy. juicy.

THE TOPPINGS

toss shredded napa cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot ribbons with rice wine chile syrup

trim the stems from kaiware (daikon sprouts) for presentation purposes

OTOKOYAMA SAKE

What to drink? Otokoyama, my favorite sake, has been making sake for over 340 years on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island. As with wine, you don’t want the sake too cold, or the delicate fragrance and flavors will be masked. My notes on Otokoyama: A floral aroma reminiscent of  roses, soft and silky texture with balanced acidity, clean finish with a full mouthfeel makes a terrific pairing with Asian Pizzette.

THE ASSEMBLY

drizzle sweet ginger soy and yuzu tahini sauce over a warm soba noodle cake
top with a warm chicken katsu cutlet, and drizzle more of the sauces

top with tri-color slaw dressed with rice wine chile syrup
garnish with daikon sprouts

enjoy asian pizzettes and cold sake!

sweet. savory. colorful. bright. flavorful. zippy. zingy. crunchy. chewy. harmonious. delightful.

although not particularly low in calories, this satisfying dish is heart healthy
about 75 mg cholesterol from a 3 oz. portion of lean chicken meat
made with only heart-healthy oils
buckwheat noodles, cabbage, and carrot are a good source of fiber
heart-health benefits from tahini, soy, nuts, ginger as well

A WORD OF GRATITUDE, PERSPECTIVE,
AND AN INVITATION

Have you ever lost a friend? How about losing 584 friends in the blink of an eye? I certainly consider the Followers of Taste With The Eyes, as friends. Your fun, funny, insightful comments make my day. YOU motivate and inspire me. So imagine my disappointment when I realized that the widget that houses my Followers with Google Friend Connect was no longer working…584 friends made since June of 2007, gone.

Well, it took me a few hours to gain some perspective, I was actually sad. Then I realized that Followers of this little blog, will continue to follow, and inspire, and enjoy – widget or no. And hopefully you will leave a comment, or re-join Friend Connect or join my new Networked Blogs so I can keep in touch and follow you too!

I invite you to “Join This Site” on Google Friend Connect and “Follow This Blog” on Networked Blogs/Facebook. Both are located in the right-hand columns near the top of the blog. Let’s stay connected!

Your friend,
Lori Lynn

UPDATE:

Voting is now open through Thursday, October 21. If you are a fan of Asian Pizzette, please vote HERE!