Chestnuts have never been a familiar food to me. Basically, I was only familiar with the song…you know, “chestnuts roasting on and open fire….”, and that’s where the relationship ended. When we moved to Tokyo, I had no idea we would be surrounded by so many chestnuts this time of year. Sometimes you can find vendors roasting them, which is always a treat. Buying a paper bag filled with steaming hot chestnuts on a cold, cloudy day is absolute perfection. The nutty smell wafts up from the bag and at least gives the illusion that you are warming up from the inside out. Scooping out the soft flesh and taking that first bite is an incredibly satisfying and comforting moment.

I’ve been a little shy of trying to make anything involving chestnuts at home, short of this soup I made a couple years ago. This year, I decided to put on my big girl panties and try something different. Different for me, anyway. After buying a bag of pre-cooked chestnuts (sorry, but at 39 weeks pregnant I just can’t justify putting myself through the stress of trying to roast my own) and letting them sit on the shelf as I tried to come up with some novel way to use them, I finally decided on kurigohan. Kurigohan is Japanese chestnut rice. The rice is cooked with saké, mirin, a touch of sugar and soy sauce. I used my rice cooker, which is a total lifesaver. If you don’t have one, get one. Immediately.

As I meandered around the internet researching various recipes, I noticed that some called for soy sauce and others didn’t. I opted to use soy sauce because it creates this beautiful crust on the bottom of the rice. The layer becomes a little crunchy and full of umami, which the perfect way to enhance the rest of the rice dish. Also, I didn’t actually see recipes that called for sugar, but I wanted to add a touch to bring out the flavor of the chestnuts and to contrast the salty soy flavor.

The result? A steaming hot bowl full of perfect autumn flavors that made the apartment smell wonderful. I decided to experiment, as I tend to do, by adding a non-traditional ingredient that I thought made this dish appropriate for upcoming holiday feasts. I added a handful of dried cranberries to the bowl and it was amazing! The best way to add the cranberries is to just toss them in the rice cooker with the rest of the ingredients for a little pop of tart flavor. Seriously- unbelievable.

If you have a rice cooker and can find either pre-cooked or vacuum packed chestnuts, it takes literally 5 minutes to throw this together (that obviously does not include the wait-time involved while the rice is cooking). You can make it without a rice cooker and by roasting your own chestnuts- take a look at the links below for help with that.

http://kyotofoodie.com/donabe-yakiguri-gohan/

http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/12/kurigohan-japanese-chestnut-rice/

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1513726-kuri-gohan-chestnut-rice-recipe

http://kanakoskitchen.com/2009/10/27/kurigohan/

Kurigohan

1 cup chestnut pieces

1 1/2 cups short grain rice, washed until the water is clear

2 teaspoons saké

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons mirin

1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1 piece of kombu

In the bowl of a rice cooker, combine the rice, 1 1/2 cups water (equal to the amount of rice), saké, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and chestnuts. stir gently to combine the ingredients. Place the kombu on top of the rice. Close the rice cooker and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

When the rice is finished cooking, allow it to sit and steam for an extra 5-10 minutes.

Toss with a rice paddle or spatula and spoon into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

When I visited to Argentina a few years ago, I flew from Minneapolis to Dallas to Miami to Buenos Aires. It added up to something like 24 total travel hours and by the time I reached my destination I was completely exhausted. I remember very little about that first day in Buenos Aires aside from my happy reunion with (then boyfriend) Brad at the airport. It took me a couple of days to recover and get some rest, but when I did, I began to fall in love with Argentina- both its people and its food (of course).

Shortly after my arrival, Brad and I traveled to Mar del Plata for a few days, where we enjoyed breakfasts on a sun-filled deck, quiet walks along the beach, and I discovered my love (and I mean love) for café con crema. After a few days, we returned to the faster-paced Buenos Aires for the remainder of my visit. Brad lived with a beautiful host-family who truly adopted him as their own son while he lived there. They were so warm and lovely that I felt as though I could have stayed in their cozy home, complete with a friendly dog and a grandmother who made handmade ravioli every Sunday for the whole family, forever.

I don’t have many photos of my trip because this was before I really got into taking photos. But I remember a lot about it. One thing that sticks out in my mind is of course the food we ate. A couple days ago, we took a little trip down memory lane and made a simple argentine meal of empanadas and choripan with chimichurri.

Empanadas are wonderful. I’ve posted them before on the site (here). It seems like you are throwing together a million things that don’t make any sense together- ground beef, hard boiled eggs, raisins, green olives- but somehow they come together to form a perfectly flavored pocket wrapped in crispy, flaky crust. This time around, since there were some olive and raisin haters, I omitted those and used dried cranberries instead. This was actually a perfect substitute and added a subtly sweet, tangy flavor to the filling. I bake my empanadas, but if you buy them on the streets of Buenos Aires they will most likely be fried. I find that baking them still creates a delicious crust and prevents the mess of deep frying.

Choripan are sandwiches made with chorizo and french style rolls. These can be eaten as is but are best with the addition of chimichurri sauce, which is similar to a pesto but is made with flat leaf parsley and a few other ingredients one wouldn’t usually find in a traditional pesto. The flavor is bright and fresh and can be used on anything from meat to fish.

For dessert, I made empanadas filled with dulce de leché. I didn’t manage to get many photos of the dessert, so… What’s that? You insist that I make them again and do another post? Well, alright…just for you though!

This meal was great for Brad and I to make together. He was in charge of the choripan and I was maker of empanadas. We served the meal with a nice Malbec (if you haven’t tried it, get to it! It’s the perfect wine for grilled meat and this summer would be a great time to break open a bottle!) and had a great time reminiscing about our trip and sharing the experience with others. And don’t worry- I didn’t have any of the wine.

And last but not least (and this has nothing to do with Argentina) we found out that our little baby is a boy! We had an ultrasound on Wednesday and everything looks beautiful! I’m already completely, head over heels in love.

*I recommend making this dinner with another person just because its so much fun! Make the dough for the empanadas first, since it has to chill for about an hour in the refrigerator. Then, while one person makes the chimichurri sauce, the other makes the filling for the empanadas. Work on filling the empanadas together, or have one person do the filling and the other work on grilling the sausage for the choripan. Just keep in mind that the empanadas take a while to bake, but can be put back in the oven at about 275 degrees F to reheat if you want to do them ahead of time.

Chimichurri Sauce (from Simply Recipes)

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems

3-4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

2. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

Argentine Empanadas

Makes 1 dozen empanadas

Filling:

2 T olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped (optional if you have olive haters)

1/3 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

2 boiled eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

black pepper and salt to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, green onion, garlic, raisins and olives. Cook until the onion and garlic are soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly. Stir in the soy sauce and water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring the mixture to prevent burning. Season with salt and pepper, transfer the filling to a large bowl and allow to cool while you make the dough. When the filling is cool, stir in the boiled egg.

Dough (adapted from Asian Dumplings cookbook):

2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

4 tablespoons shortening

5 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced

1 egg yolk (save the white to brush the dough before baking) mixed w/6 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar (if using honey, mix the honey together w/the egg yolk and water.)

Add the shortening and butter and use your fingers to break it into tiny crumbles (very important that this is done well! If you have a food processor, use that…I don’t, so I use what God gave me!)

Add the egg/water/honey mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together in a mass. Ditch the fork and use your hands to gently kneed the dough into a smoothish ball. Don’t do this for too long, just long enough to create a nice ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator when thoroughly chilled. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a thick, small rectangle and cut in half. Working with one half of dough at a time, continue to roll the dough into a larger rectangle until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Using a circular cookie cutter, cut out section of dough and set aside. Do the same with the other half of dough.

Assembly:

Take each cut out circle and roll it out so it is thin, but not so thin you can see through it. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle and seal the edges. Place the filled empanada on a lined baking sheet. Lightly whisk your reserved egg white. Before placing in the oven, brush the top of each empanada with the egg white.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Choripan

Makes 6-8 sandwiches

4 chorizo links (about the size of a bratwurst)

1 loaf of French bread, cut into 6-8 sections and cut in half like sandwich bread

olive oil

Heat a grill to medium high and cook the chorizo. When it is done, cut the chorizo in half once in the middle, then once lengthwise. Place the chorizo back on the grill, cut side down and grill for another minute or two for nice grill marks.

Brush the cut sides of the bread with olive oil and place them on the grill for about a minute. Transfer the bread and chorizo to a platter. Each place two halves of chorizo on each sandwich and serve with chimichurri sauce.

I think everyone has a place in their home that can be considered a “safe zone”. Somewhere that is all your own. When Brad and I moved to Japan 3 years ago (has it really been 3 years already??) the first thing I wanted to do was find a little space that felt like home to me. I needed it. I craved it. When we finally moved into our apartment after a long wait, that place, for me, was the kitchen. Our first apartment had a large kitchen/dining room for Japanese standards. There was minimal counter space, but it had a lot of beautiful light that bounced off the white wallpaper with tiny blue flowers. That was the first space in Japan that felt like home to me. That felt like it was mine.

We have lived in 3 apartments in Tokyo, each of them with drastically different kitchens. And yet somehow each of them felt like my own. The sad part is that each year I have to say goodbye to my little corner for 3 months. I go without having my kitchen for so long that I begin to feel slightly aimless. Spending time in my kitchen gives me focus that I lack in many other areas of life. Cooking is my creative outlet and without it I dont’ feel right.

This summer has been no different. My in-laws in Colorado have been doing some work on their kitchen, rendering it useless to me at various times. This is doubly difficult now that I’m pregnant and hungry every 5 minutes- but for what? I am never certain until I rummage around the kitchen for a while. The combination of these factors makes it best for me to eat small, easy meals throughout the day. From yogurt and sliced peaches, to crackers with peanut butter, to cheese and an apple, I am constantly looking for small, healthy things to eat. I thought food occupied my mind a lot before I was pregnant but these days it is constant.

One of the best things I have found to make are these crostini. The variations are endless, easy, and can be very healthy and satisfying. None of them take more than 15 minutes to throw together and they are perfect for an individual snack or for a party tray. Minimal ingredients, minimal time in the kitchen, maximum results. Perfect.

Each of these has a unique flavor that reflects some of the best parts of the summer season. The mushroom & fromage blanc, for example, is earthy yet bright with the addition of basil and drizzled olive oil. The peppadew pepper & fromage blanc is a stark contrast to the mushrooms. The peppers are bright and slightly sweet with a bite that is mellowed by the fresh cheese. Again, a splash of basil (though you could use any herb you like) adds a pop of color and summery flavor. The tomato and peach combination may seem a bit odd, but the flavors work perfectly together. I actually made the exact same combination for my brother-in-law and his family last summer and they loved it! The salty-sweetness of the tomato blends perfectly with the smooth, juicy peach. A splash of lemon juice ties it all together along with a sprinkle of fresh black pepper and sea salt.

I used Carapelli Olive Oil to drizzle over the top of each crostini. It adds the perfect fruitiness that can only come from a good quality olive oil. It is made with organically grown olives (a big plus for us preggos out there), PLUS I can find it at grocery stores in Tokyo! That’s pretty awesome. I’m a big fan of using the last bits of bread from my crostini to soak up any left over olive oil on my plate. Pretty delicious.

Full Disclosure: The Carapelli Olive Oil was sent to me from the company. I did not receive any payment for this post. The views are all my own.

For all crostini recipes:

Buy a loaf of good quality bread. It doesn’t have to be a french baguette- it can be anything you like as long as it is sturdy enough to support your toppings. I chose the Heirloom Wheat from Whole Foods.

Regardless of which recipe you are using, slice the amount of bread you would like to use (I would make only one per person because mine were quite hearty). Melt about 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan. When the butter is melted, place the bread in the pan and allow to brown over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Flip and brown the other side.

Next, I like to do something I learned while traveling in Tuscany. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub one side (the side you’ll put your toppings on) with the garlic. Place the bread on a plate and set aside until you are ready to add the toppings (recipes below). Guilty pleasure- eating just the buttered garlic bread. Oh-so-delicious!

Sautéed Mushroom & Fromage Blanc

Serves 4

2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms (or cremini, or shiitake)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt & black pepper

1/3 cup fromage blanc (farmer’s cheese)

1/4 cup chopped basil (or other herb)

4 slices of crostini bread (see above)

Carapelli or other good quality, fruity olive oil

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms (make sure they are not crowded!) and brown for about 5 minutes on each side. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small plate and set aside.

Spread the cheese onto each piece of bread. Top with the mushrooms, then the basil. Drizzle with olive oil an serve immediately.

Peppadew Pepper & Fromage Blanc Crostini

Serves 4

8 oz. jarred peppadew peppers, drained of the water and cut in half

1/3 cup fromage blanc

1/4 cup chopped basil or other herb

1/2 a lemon

4 slices of crostini bread (see above)

Carapelli or other good quality, fruity olive oil

Spread the cheese onto each slice of bread. Top with the peppers and basil. Drizzle with a little lemon juice and the olive oil. Serve.

Tomato & Peach Crostini

Serves 4

2 roma tomatoes, sliced about 1/4″

2 fresh, ripe peaches, sliced about 1/4″

1/4 cup chopped basil

1/2 a lemon

4 slices of crostini bread (see above)

Carapelli or other good quality, fruity olive oil

Fresh black pepper and sea salt

Arrange the tomato and peach slices, alternating each as in the photos above, on top of the bread. Squeeze lemon juice over each crostini. Top with the basil and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper and a bit of sea salt. Serve.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! We are enjoying a 3 day weekend for Memorial Day. The weather is cooler than usual, but there is still the feeling of summer getting closer. I spent today with family at Lake Minnetonka. As we drove around the shoreline on our way home, it was fun to see all the families together enjoying time together. Most were packing up after presumably being out on their boats today. It seems this weekend is just what some people needed to put work aside and enjoy time with the ones they love.

Long weekends also mean a lot of parties and family gatherings. If you’re still looking for something to bring or to serve at your own party, this white bean dip with chives is exactly what you need. Few ingredients, little prep, and lots of great flavor. Plus it’s healthy!

I love serving endive leaves with dip instead of chips. They are crisp and have the light crunch of a chip without the guilt. And with summer just around the corner, this is something many of us can appreciate as we try to squeeze into our swimsuits yet again.

What is your favorite fast and simple party dish? How are you remembering loved ones this Memorial Day weekend?

White Bean Dip with Chives

15 oz. can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic (about 1 teaspoon chopped)

1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about 1/2 a large lemon)

1/3 cup roughly chopped chives and blossoms, if you have them

1/4 cup olive oil

salt

4 heads Belgian Endive, leaves separated and rinsed

In a food processor, combine the beans, garlic, lemon juice and chives. Pulse until roughly combined. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl until fully combined. The dip should be smooth, but don’t over process it. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt to taste. Add more lemon juice if desired.

Arrange the Endive on a platter. Place the bowl of white bean dip with chives in the center of the platter and serve.

When Brad and I first moved to Japan, we stayed in a business hotel until we could find an apartment. This lasted an unexpected 3 weeks. The small room was furnished with two twin beds complete with their own buckwheat filled pillows. A TV with a screen no larger than 15 inches gave us access to BBC and CNN Asia. When work began for Brad, I was left to occupy my time in this strange place that I did not understand at all. Looking back, I cannot believe how shell-shocked I was just 3 years ago. And how today, Japan is, and always will be, my second home.

View from our hotel room:

On occasion, I would venture to a nearby grocery store (which today is part of our everyday routine). It was actually very scary to go alone at first. Everything was foreign. I couldn’t read the labels, I didn’t recognize much of the food on the shelves, and I had no idea what to do when I got to the cash register. I would usually walk out with some yakisoba or perhaps onigiri. My husband, who had lived abroad previously in Argentina, was much more brave than I when came to venturing out of our tiny hotel room. I remember one day he brought home a bento that included what appeared to be fried pockets of something. I was surprised when I picked one up that it was not crispy, like most fried food, but instead it was soggy. I bit into it and the flavor was slightly sweet and tangy. The fried pocket was filled with white rice. Thinly sliced pickled ginger was served as a condiment on the side. I would later learn that these little rice pockets were called inarizushi.

I can’t say that I loved it at first. The flavor and texture of the wrapper (made from fried tofu sheets) took some getting used to. But eventually this became one of my favorite snacks to pick up at the local conbini (convenience stores like 7Eleven or Lawsons). I love them so much that when I am back in the United States I crave them. I crave them enough to make my own. As opposed to walking into any konbini or grocery store, this required some more work. I had to make the 25 minute drive to Minneapolis to an Asian store for the fried tofu sheets. And of course I had to make and season the rice, season the wrappers, and assemble.

While this sounds like a lot of work, it is very worth it. If you can access the ingredients needed, you must try making these delicious bites at home. You can add sesame seeds or chopped pickled ginger to the rice if you’d like, but I prefer to keep it simple and serve the pickled ginger on the side.

The best recipe I’ve found is this one from JapanEats.tv. Click here for the recipe!

Is it May? Really??? It’s hard to tell here in Minnesota because it is chilly, rainy, and more like March than May. Still, whether it feels like or not, Cinco de Mayo has arrived! Hopefully warmer weather will not be far behind.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but May really snuck up on me. I’m still writing April as the date on various papers without a second thought. Lately, time seems to stand still and fly by at the same time. With so many crazy things happening in the world, I think Cinco de Mayo is just what some of us need to unwind and enjoy some down time.

In the spirit of this holiday, I’ve put together some menu ideas from past posts here on Tokyo Terrace. These are some of my favorite recipes, especially the addicting guacamole wontons and empanadas- delicious and perfect washed down with a raspberry and key lime margarita. Olé!

• Classic Margarita
• Argentine Empanadas
• Guacamole Wontons
• Raspberry Key Lime Margarita
• Blood Orange Margarita
• Fish Taco Cups

What will you be enjoying (or what did you enjoy) for Cinco de Mayo this year? I’d love to hear about some other ideas!

Potato salad, in many forms, is a popular side dish in countries around world. I’ve always been a big fan- I love the creamy texture of the potatoes with the crispness of celery (or pickles in some cases). Potato salad is a sure sign that warmer months are upon us. I’ve always known potato salad to be a Midwestern/Southern favorite in the United States, but was shocked to find that it is just as popular in Japan. My first clue should have been the crazy obsession with mayonnaise. It’s amazing! If they can put mayo in it, on it, or under it, the Japanese will do it. Not that I’m complaining, but enough is enough. I can only take so much!

OK. Back to potato salad… So I was thinking about how much I love potato salad when it occurred to me that tonight would be the perfect time to whip some up. It had already been decided that we were grilling hamburgers, and so it seemed the natural side dish to choose. Instead of making the typical potato salad that my mom makes (and I absolutely love, for the record) I wanted to make it more reminiscent of the Japanese version. I found a great, easy to follow recipe on JapanEats.tv and got to work!

I made a few changes to the recipe based on the ingredients that I had on hand, and I didn’t peel the potatoes (because I like it that way) but it turned out quite well! And actually, you may want to call it a Japanese inspired potato salad. Although it does taste similar to what I’ve had in bento boxes.

What’s your favorite summer side dish? Does it have different variations from other countries? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Japanese Potato Salad

Adapted from JapanEats.tv

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

1 pound small red potatoes (or other small potato)

1  seedless cucumber, thinly sliced (just under 1 cup)

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon hot & sweet mustard or wholegrain mustard

salt and pepper

Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it just covers the potatoes. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water begins boiling, turn the heat down and continue cooking until the potatoes are easily punctured with a toothpick or knife.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the onion in a bowl of water and soak for 3 minutes. Place the cucumber slices in a small bowl and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, rubbing the salt in a bit with your hands. Use paper towels or a clean dish/tea towel to wring the extra water out of the onions and cucumber.

Strain the potatoes when they are done cooking and put them in a large bowl. Gently mash the potatoes slightly with a large spoon or spatula, keeping most of the potatoes in their original shape. Add the cucumber, onions, and a bit of salt and black pepper. Mix together gently. Add the mayonnaise and mustard. Stir until thoroughly combined and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Writing a post about fish tacos is a stark contrast to the weather outside here in Minnesota. Not even 30 seconds ago, the rain changed to snow. And it is the end of April. Just sayin’.

Still, I will power on and write about a recipe that is perfect for enjoying out on the deck in the bright, warm spring sunshine. Some of you may have that right now. Others may be stuck in a bad weather rut. If that is the case, this is the perfect time to make use of a little something called your imagination! Put a summery table cloth down and pretend it is warm enough outside to warrant this delicious treat. A margarita couldn’t hurt…

A couple weeks ago, Kurt from Ursula’s Wine Bar in White Bear Lake, MN, hosted a food and wine pairing class. I was lucky enough to be asked back into their kitchen to provide the food portion of the class! I’ll be posting each of the small plates I prepared for that day over the next week or so here on Tokyo Terrace, so don’t go too far away! There are some great pairings to be shared!

These mini fish tacos are perfect for a party, or can be made as normal sized tacos for a light, healthy family dinner. Rather than deep frying the fish fillets, which is quite delicious but not realistic when you have to serve 30 people, I broiled them. This was incredibly easy to do for a crowd and had the added bonus of being healthy. I used tilapia fillets, which are fast and easy to broil with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. After they were done in the broiler, I simply squeezed lime juice over them and broke up the fillets with a fork. 10 minutes and they were ready to fill the taco shells!

The fish is then topped with a dollop of chipotle sour cream, pickled red onions, and cilantro. Bright flavors and vibrant colors perfect for spring or summer!

There are four posts in this series and I will post the complete menu along with the wine pairings in the last of the series. Stay tuned!

Mini Fish Tacos

Makes about 24 mini tacos

12 corn tortillas, cut in half (like half moons)

1 1/2-2 lbs. tilapia fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt & pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 (about 1 teaspoon) chipotle pepper in adobo, diced

juice from 1/2 a lime

lime wedges

pickled red onions (recipe coming soon in a new post!)

2 avocados, sliced

cilantro leaves

Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a muffin tin, arrange each of the tortilla halves so they form the shape of a cup. The points should be up in the air and you may need to play with them to make sure they keep their shape. When the muffin tin is filled, bake the tortilla cups for about 8 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. If they brown too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.

Remove the tortilla cups from the oven to cool completely. Turn the oven heat up to 425 degrees F.

Meanwhile, arrange the tilapia fillets on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Let the fillets cook for 10 minutes or until opaque all the way through. Remove the fillets from the oven and season with the lime juice. Break the fish apart into chunks with a fork. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Stir the chipotle pepper into the sour cream in a small bowl. Set aside.

Arrange the tortilla cups on a platter. Fill each cup with some fish, a dollop of the sour cream, some pickled onions, a slice of avocado and a cilantro leaf or two. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Easter has always been a big deal in my family. Actually, all major holidays are a pretty big deal in my family. We enjoy the same exact dishes each year at the same house. For 20+ years, holidays have been predictable and wonderful. Of course, when we moved to Japan everything changed. Holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter were no longer spent around the same group of family members. Instead, we found ourselves surrounded by a new “family” that helped us to break out of tradition and try some new things. In many ways, the changes we experienced helped me to appreciate the consistency I’ve had throughout my life.

Experiencing holidays in both concrete and transient environments has lead me to strongly believe in the power of sharing traditions with others. By sharing I don’t mean forcing people to like the way you do things, just simply allowing those closest to you to see what makes you who you are. The traditions we develop and carry with us help to create the diverse groups of people that make up this beautiful world and we can always learn from those outside of our close-knit circles.

Since many of you will be participating in Easter celebrations this weekend, I’ve put together a menu featuring recipes from Tokyo Terrace that represent the traditional and not-so-traditional aspects of holiday gatherings. Some of the recipes are based on my own family traditions, while others are new developments that have come about over the past couple of years in Japan.

No matter where in the world you find yourself, I hope you are surrounded by good people and comforting food.

Enjoy!

Drinks

Pink Lemonade & Thyme Sparkler

Bloody Marys with a Japanese Twist

Appetizers/Side Dishes

Deviled Eggs

Sweet & Spicy Thai Pineapple

Edamame Crostini with Meyer Lemon & Shiso

Mini Pommes Anna

Main Dishes

Savory Vegetable Galette

Phyllo Squares with Egg, Spinach & Cheese

Desserts

Whole Wheat Cranberry Citrus Scones

Strawberries & Japanese Whiskey Sabayon

Blueberry Tart

Brown Sugar Shortbread with Fig Jam

It’s been exactly one month since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11th. One month ago, no one would have guessed that at 2:46pm, approximately 2 minutes of violent shaking would change everything. For some, their entire lives have been swept away. For others, daily life continues with a sense of confidence. Although, with each aftershock, the quiet nervousness returns. I have such admiration for the people of Japan after seeing just how much inner strength they have. While I am nowhere near as strong, witnessing their ability to live each day with a little more grace has been encouraging.

Blogging has proven to be difficult for me over the past few weeks. There has been a lot going on, aside from the whole earthquake thing, that has kept me from doing much cooking or photographing. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became. Nothing seemed to inspire me and I just couldn’t get over the writer’s block that had been crowding my brain. With some great advice from fellow writers on Twitter, it seems I’ve mostly broken through the brick wall. I’ve learned through watching the Japanese people continue as best they can with their daily lives that this is part of the healing process.

This simple asparagus salad was a great place to start. The bright green and yellow colors are fresh and vibrant; perfect for a clean start to a new month. The beautiful, clean flavor of the asparagus (which is in season in parts of the U.S. right now) with the gentle citrus flavor of Meyer lemon are perfectly contrasted with crispy shallots.

I hope the simple beauty of this salad is a precursor of good things to come in April. What are some of your favorite feel-good meals for spring?

Asparagus Salad with Meyer Lemon & Crispy Shallots

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side

* If you can’t find Meyer lemon, you can use regular lemon but it will be more tart. Add a touch of olive oil to the lemon juice to mellow the flavor. Meyer lemon is best to use because it is a milder flavor to eat on its own, but you can make regular lemons work too.

1 lb fresh asparagus

2 Meyer lemons (1 for the juice and the other to slice for garnish)

2-3 medium shallots (about 1/2 up sliced)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt to the water. While the water is heating, break off the woody ends of the asparagus. Next, cut the asparagus into 2-3 inch pieces. Prepare an ice bath and place it close to the stove top.

Add the asparagus to the boiling, salted water and allow to blanch for 1 minute or until the asparagus have become bright green. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the asparagus to the ice bath to cool. Strain the asparagus and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and set aside.

In a medium heavy pan, melt the butter. Add the sliced shallots and cook over medium-high heat until they are golden and crispy, about 10-15 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn and turn bitter. Remove the shallots from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towel lined plate.

Arrange the asparagus on a serving platter and garnish with the sliced Meyer lemon and top with the crispy shallots.