Have I mentioned that I’m cooking my way through a cookbook? I decided to really take advantage of my time in Japan and the beautiful ingredients that surround me here, but I wanted to do it in a way that would teach me as much about traditional Japanese cooking as possible. So, I decided to cook my way through the Washoku cookbook (the same one La Fuji Mama used for Washoku Warriors). If you are a Japanese food fan and you don’t have this book, get on it!
I’ve made three recipes so far and have already had my eyes opened to new flavors that can be created right in my own kitchen. Nothing fancy or requiring hours of time, just good, simple food that leaves you feeling refreshed, rather than weighed down, at the end of the meal.
The other night for dinner I made lemon-simmered kabocha squash, which was a perfect way to prepare one of my favorite vegetables during the hot days we have been enduring in late summer. Along with the squash, we enjoyed silken tofu with mushrooms. Another really easy and lovely dish that was perfect and light for a steamy evening. Tonight, I made this octopus salad with miso-mustard dressing. I changed a few things based on the ingredients I had available in my kitchen (lettuce rather than radish sprouts, for example) but it was delicious just the same.
The octopus is marinated for 10 minutes in lemon juice, which adds a beautiful tangy bite to the briny slices. The texture, contrary to popular belief, is not chewy or cartilagey. Instead, it is tender and velvety. The sweet-salty-tangy miso dressing is the perfect pairing, giving the salad a little umami boost. Fantastic.
Even though every dish won’t make an appearance here, I wanted to share my venture with you anyway. I’ll do my best to update you every so often, which will also help keep me on track!
OH- and before I forget- the winner of 6 pints of ice cream from Graeter’s is…*drumroll please*…..
Nicole (@discojing)!!! You are lucky number 10! Please email me your U.S. mailing address asap so we can get that ice cream to you before the summer is over. Thanks to everyone who entered- I really enjoyed reading about your ice cream memories and experiences.
