Category: Tasty Recipes

Udon – Beef & Shiitake

Japanese Style Noodle Soup
Udon Noodles in a Beef Broth
Shiitake, Roast Beef, Bean Sprouts, Scallions, Chiles

The Udon Noodle package instructs, “Use anything in the refrigerator to create your healthy gourmet meal or snack in minutes.” Well, I don’t know about anything, but here I used my own beef broth instead of the flavor packet, and added shiitake and roast beef.

Udon is a thick, firm, chewy Japanese noodle made from wheat flour.

Heat beef broth then add sliced shiitake. When the shiitake are cooked, add a splash of soy sauce and mirin, and a touch of sugar. Turn off the heat and add the garnishes and beef.

Garnished with bean sprouts, scallions and fiery chiles. This fast, savory soup is different every time, depending on what is on hand. Ladle into a bowl, sprinkle with more scallions, and for more heat, top with Asian hot chili sauce.

Utensils include chopsticks and a soup spoon.
The origin of udon in Japan is usually credited to Kūkai, a Buddhist priest, who traveled to China around the beginning of the 9th century to study Buddhism. When he returned, he also brought back the knowledge of udon soup to his farmer neighbors in the Sanuki region of Japan. (from Wikipedia)
itada kimasu
P.S. If you like Beef Noodle Soup, you might want to take a look at this post on Pho Bo.

Toasted Seaweed Crusted Salmon, Lemon Tamari

King Salmon, Crusted with Toasted Seaweed
Lemon Mirin Tamari Sauce, Wasabi Butter


Whisk together lemon juice, mirin, low-sodium Tamari and olive oil for the sauce.


Fresh Wild King Salmon from British Columbian waters is crusted with a mixture of ground toasted seaweed, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

The salmon is sautéed in olive oil over medium high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place the salmon over the sauce and top with wasabi butter.

Does this sound familiar? In April we prepared a beef filet in a similar style, which was awesome. And it is equally good with salmon.

I recently received an email from Emily at Marx Foods. They’re hosting a salmon recipe contest: WIN A SUMMER OF WILD SALMON. The creator of the winning recipe will receive 15 lbs. of wild salmon – three 5 lb. shipments, once in July, August and September. Each shipment will contain a different type of wild salmon, varying by species and river origin. Doesn’t that sound like fun! Salmon should be the star of the dish, but the recipe can incorporate any variety of salmon-fresh, frozen, smoked, canned, pickled, etc. The contest deadline is June 20. There are about 100 recipes already submitted and posted on their website, and many of them sound terrific.

Avocado Cucumber Salsa

Avocado Cucumber Salsa over Panko Crusted Petrale Sole
  • Avocado – diced
  • Cucumber – peeled, seeded, diced
  • Spicy green chile pepper – finely chopped
  • Cilantro
  • Red onion – finely chopped
  • Lime juice
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

To equal amounts of diced cucumber and avocado add green chile, red onion, cilantro. Gently mix with a generous squeeze of lime juice and a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken? Or with a finer dice, great with chips, too.
The recipe for Panko Crusted Petrale Sole here.

Mike’s Produce Truck

On my way home from work, I just pull over to the side of the road and shop for all the vegetables for my fresh salsa.  Now that’s my kind of Fast Food!
Today marks the One Year Anniversary of Taste With The Eyes.
Having a food blog has been and continues to be a whole lot of fun, a learning experience, a terrific creative outlet,  a source of pride, and a way to make new friends. Thank you all.

Yellow for Bri

Organic Mixed Lettuce Salad, Mustard Vinaigrette
Jacques Pepin’s Vinaigrette in a Jar
2 tsp chopped garlic
3 Tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 c red or white wine vinegar
1 c extra virgin olive oil
Put all ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake very well.
“I make dressing in a jar all the time at home, just like the recipe here. In less than a minute, I have enough for several salads. And if I happen to have a jar of mustard that is almost empty it’s even faster, I just add oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, and shake,” Jacques Pepin. From Jacques & Julia Cooking at Home
Yellow, through the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, has come to signify the fight against cancer.
Briana Brownlow is one of 5% of women under the age of 30 diagnosed with breast cancer. At the age of 15, Bri lost her 41-year old mother to the disease. In August 2007, she started Figs with Bri – a food blog where she shares her creative experiments with wonderful local organic ingredients. A month and a half ago, her worst fears came true. She learned that her cancer has returned and metastasized to her lungs, her lymph nodes and several areas in her bones and is at Stage IV. (from Jugalbundi blog)
The folks at Jugalbundi are hosting a fundraiser to help Bri, a fellow food blogger, with medical expenses. This month the CLICK food photography event theme is YELLOW for Bri.
Godspeed, Bri.

Lychee Martini

Exotic, alluring, and intriguing…

It’s made with vodka and lychee juice or syrup.
This sensual elixir is perfumey,
with a taste reminiscent of rose petals and citrus.
Some recipes call for additional ingredients such as lime juice, sugar, lychee liqueur, or Cointreau but purists simply go for good vodka and lychee.
Have you tried a Lychee Martini?