Taste With The Eyes

“End of Summer Rolls” Caprese-Style

“End of Summer Rolls” Caprese-Style

Heirloom Tomato, Burrata, Basil, Rice Noodle
Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Perhaps you’ve heard me bemoan the ubiquitous Caprese Salad and all its incarnations?

Caprese grilled cheese, caprese kabobs, caprese bruschetta, caprese pasta salad, caprese pizza, caprese schmaese. But when I was challenged to come up with a tomato dish by our friendly Creative Cooking Crew, forgive me but I turned to those very Caprese ingredients. After all, there truly is something magical about the classic pairing of tomato and mozzarella and basil. Especially in summer. And what better way to bid farewell to the fabulous Summer of 2014, than with Caprese Summer Rolls – light, fresh, refreshing. These hand-held bites capture summer’s waning days in a tidy rice paper wrapper.

Caprese Summer Rolls Recipe

Continue reading ““End of Summer Rolls” Caprese-Style”

Korean Soju Kimbap Bloody Mary

Korean Soju Kimbap Bloody Mary

A Unique Bloody Mary Blend of Soju and Vegetable Juice
Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Gochugaru
Garnished with
Kimbap, Pickled Yellow Radish, Tomato
Celery Stalk with Roasted Seaweed

It’s late in the evening on a hot steamy summer night. Come, join us on the patio. We’re having a cocktail that is sure to perk you up, and it’s served complete with its own anju (snacks enjoyed while drinking alcohol).

Soju is a Korean alcoholic beverage distilled from rice that has slightly floral and barely sweet flavors. Pleasantly light with a round mouth-feel and an alcoholic content of 20%, it is usually enjoyed neat, sipped from a shot glass. With about half the alcohol content as vodka, soju is also a perfect spirit to pair with our unique Korean Bloody Mary mix, it is tasty as well as refreshing…

Our Korean Bloody Mary mix is a blend of soy sauce for salty-umami flavors, fish sauce for sour-umami flavors and depth, rice vinegar for a bright acidic note, and gochugaru, a Korean red chili powder that is definitely spicy but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried red peppers.

The rim of the glass is coated with a smoky mix of gochugaru, smoked paprika, Kosher salt, and celery salt. Enjoy smoky, spicy, salty flavors even before taking the first sip.

Now for the anju: We have danmuji, a Korean yellow pickled radish that is sweet, sour and crispy. And while our Bloody Mary is garnished with that ubiquitous celery stalk, it is served with a twist! The “tree” is decorated with strips of gim, a seaweed that is roasted with sesame oil and seasoned with sea salt. Munch on crispy strips of gim while sipping the spicy cocktail. And finally, kimbap is a seaweed rice roll filled with yellow radish, spinach, carrot, egg, and fish cake. With so many flavors packed in a tidy little package, kimbap makes a snappy colorful addition to our Korean Bloody Mary.

Korean Soju Kimbap Bloody Mary Recipe

Continue reading “Korean Soju Kimbap Bloody Mary”

Inspired by Egg Foo Young: Bay Shrimp & Bean Sprout Omelette

Inspired by Egg Foo Young:

Bay Shrimp and Bean Sprout Omelette
Mirin, Tamari, and Sesame Dipping Sauce
Chive and Chinese Chive Blossom Garnish

As a kid, one of my favorite dishes on “Chinese Take-Out Sunday Night” was the mysterious egg foo young. Back then, the only ingredient that I knew it contained for sure, was egg. I adored those deep-fried thick egg patties smothered in gravy. It was years later that I would re-create egg foo young in my own kitchen. Mystery solved. The filling was mung bean sprouts. Really?

I often fill my omelettes with bean sprouts now, they are high in protein and low in calories. They have a delightful crunch and a mild sweet earthy flavor. Here I pair them with bay shrimp for a light and lovely filling. A dipping sauce of mirin, tamari, and sesame oil takes the place of egg foo young’s traditionally rich gravy. The sweet, salty, toasty flavors are a refreshing complement to the omelette.

Bay Shrimp and Bean Sprout Omelette Recipe

Continue reading “Inspired by Egg Foo Young: Bay Shrimp & Bean Sprout Omelette”

Grilled Corn, Soy-Mirin Glaze, Wasabi Goat Butter

Grilled Corn, Soy-Mirin Glaze, Wasabi Goat Butter

Pure white. Very subtle yet intriguing chèvre flavors. Goat butter is produced by churning the fresh, pasteurized goat cream. The composition of goat butter has a lower melting point than cow’s butter, so it is softer than cow’s butter at room temperature. Combined with the clean flavor and subtle heat of wasabi powder, this goat butter is simply sublime paired with grilled corn.

Mirin, soy sauce, and olive oil are combined to make a stellar glaze for grilled corn. Fresh corn is shucked and placed on the hot grill, then liberally brushed with the glaze as the corn is rotated and roasted.

Mirin is a cooking wine brewed from glutinous rice, its complex sweet flavors complement the salty soy sauce. It also adds a glossy sheen to the grilled corn. Be sure to buy high quality mirin, as some brands on the market are made with corn syrup (read the label). Look for mirin made with water, rice, koji (aspergillus oryzae), and sea salt. Or, if possible buy artisanal mirin rather than the commercially produced variety.

With Japanese flavors, wasabi goat butter and soy-mirin glaze take summer’s simple grilled corn on the cob to new umami heights.

Grilled Corn, Soy-Mirin Glaze, Wasabi Goat Butter Recipe

Continue reading “Grilled Corn, Soy-Mirin Glaze, Wasabi Goat Butter”

Mini Fruit Tacos Showcase Fresh Berries

Mini Fruit Tacos

Sopapilla Taco Shells
Lemon-Orange Ricotta, Orange Marmalade
Fresh Berries, Pistachio, Vanilla Yogurt, Mint

Perhaps we are spoiled here in Southern California, with a bounty of fresh fruit all year around, but savvy cooks don’t simply create dishes with fresh ingredients, the key is serving those fresh ingredients at their peak.

Summer is the peak season for raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. To delight your family, serve these seasonal gems in a mini taco shell!

This taco shell is inspired by sopapillas, a dessert popular in the Southwestern US and in Latino cultures. The crispy fried pillows of dough are originally thought to have originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico over a couple centuries ago. Sometimes served as a savory dish with meat, cheese and chiles – it is most often served as a sweet treat, simply adorned with honey or cinnamon sugar.

These fruit tacos are filled with lemon-orange ricotta cheese, orange marmalade, fresh berries, and garnished with pistachio nuts, vanilla yogurt and mint. And while they make a charming summer dessert – the citrusy cheese filling and orange marmalade make them quite suitable for breakfast on a brilliant July morning as well.

Nature’s beautiful colors and the petite presentation are positively enchanting. The textures range from crispy to creamy – with nutty and fruity flavors, made even brighter by the use of citrus and salt. Something magical happens when a conventionally savory taco is turned into something little and sweet.

Mini Fruit Tacos Recipe

Continue reading “Mini Fruit Tacos Showcase Fresh Berries”