Hand-rolled Sushi with Pickled Plum and Burdock Roots

A plate of hand-roll sushi

Do you have a favorite sushi restaurant? If your sushi hangout is a halfway decent place, they should carry pickled burdock roots. They are bright orange, and they are tangy, salty and earthy. My hubby and I often ask the chefs to make this special hand-rolled sushi called gobo-temaki. In addition to the burdock roots, we ask them to add shiso leaves and pickled plum in the roll. They don't have this on the menu, so we have to ask them to make it special for us. We like this flavor combo. 

Pickled burdock root, shiso and pickled plum

The one below is a natto roll. Natto was mentioned on Dr. Oz's show today. (Maybe it was a re-run?) It has so many health benefits, but I like it because it tastes good. The slimy fermented soy beans are great with the sushi rice. The masago I mixed with the natto added a crunch and just the right amount of saltiness.

Natto and masago with shiso

Next time you are at your sushi hangout, ask and see if they have pickled burdock roots. 

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Eggplants in Spicy Miso Dressing

With all the eggplants I harvested yesterday, I made one of my favorites. I made this a bit spicy with crushed red chili peppers, but it also tastes good with fresh serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers. You can eat this cold as an accompaniment to your drink like a cold glass of sake or white wine, or serve warm as a side dish. I love eating this as a topping for my warm white rice.

Green bell pepper is also from our garden

Eggplants In Spicy Miso Dressing

4 eggplants cut in bite sizes
1 green bell pepper cut in bite sizes
1 1/2 Tbsp miso paste
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp sake
Pinch crushed red chili pepper
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp canola oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add ginger and red chili pepper. Toss in eggplants and green peppers to coat well with oil and sauté until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add mixture of miso paste, soy sauce, sake, sugar and mirin to the pan and continue cooking until all the vegetables are coated with the sauce. Add sesame oil and top off with sesame seeds.


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Earrings in Red, Blue and White

Here is a set of earrings I made today, commemorating the Fourth of July. It seems like the fireworks will be on tonight around here. Our dog is not going to like it, and he will probably bark anxiously at the fireworks. We won't be getting much sleep tonight. 

Happy Fourth of July!

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Vegetable Garden Updates (20)

Today's harvest includes two black cherry tomatoes, two cucumbers, four okras and four Japanese eggplants. I am excited to find out what those black cherry tomatoes taste like!

I have a plan for these eggplants....

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