Christmas morning in my family always began with me sitting at the top of the stairs with my sister. We would wait patiently while my parents put the finishing touches on the gifts under the tree, set up the video camera, and made coffee. The suspense that built not-so-gradually until we were finally allowed to go down the stairs. A fire would be crackling in the fireplace, and we would sit down as a family opening presents. At some point in the morning, we would enjoy a big, beautiful breakfast together.

Now that we have our own little family, I’m thinking of ways to make Christmas morning just as special and memorable for Riley. These gingerbread pancakes are an excellent place to start. Holiday breakfasts that play with the flavors of the season help to make the meal unique without adding too much extra work. The smell of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and molasses fill the air as the pancakes cook. The warmth and joy of the season is undeniable as you bite into the surprisingly light, cakey pancakes. Sitting down to a stack of delicious gingerbread pancakes and a mug of fresh, hot coffee or cider is the simple enough to start any chilly winter morning and festive enough to serve on Christmas morning. Also, pancakes are great to make in large batches because you can easily freeze the leftovers, pop them in the toaster, and enjoy them any day of the week.

This year, we will be spending Christmas in Tokyo. We have a tiny Christmas tree, there won’t be any snow, and definitely no fire crackling in the fireplace. However, we are together with our beautiful baby boy, making new memories with our newly expanded family.

What are some of your favorite Christmas memories or traditions?

Gingerbread Pancakes

Recipe from William-Sonoma

The other day, I sat down on the train next to a man who had about 3 or 4 inches of space to his right. I was sitting on his left, uncomfortably smooshed between the aforementioned man and another, rather large gentleman. Usually, people are perfectly willing to scoot over so that seating is a bit more comfortably spaced. However, this man with the extra room did not seem keen to give me that small amount of space so that I didn’t have to sit with my shoulders scrunched up to my ears and my arms awkwardly wrapped around my bulging 6 months pregnant belly. After the 20 minute train ride, he finally got up and I was able to wiggle my way into the grooves of the blue cushioned seat for the remaining 60 seconds of my trip. The only thing that got me through that experience without completely freaking out was the thought of what I was going to have for dinner when I got home. Yes, food is healing in many ways.

In all seriousness though, Japanese food has been more healing to me now than ever before. I’ve been a much more picky eater recently, thanks to my pregnancy heartburn, and Japanese food has been the only constant variety of food that I can seem to eat on a daily basis. Even during my time in the U.S. this past spring, I spent a lot of time trying to find and prepare Japanese food in my parents’ kitchen in Minnesota. This is also when I realized that I don’t know even a fraction of what I want to about Japanese home-cooking. So, I’m working on that. These moon viewing noodles, or tsukimi udon, were a perfect addition to my slowly expanding repertoire of Japanese dishes.

Moon viewing in Japan happens mid-autumn, usually around the end of September or early October. These noodles are eaten around that time, with egg symbolizing the harvest moon. In a manner similar to that of hanami, or cherry blossom celebrations, moon viewing is a pretty big event. We have not quite reached autumn here in Tokyo, but since many of you reading this are enjoying cooler temperatures and fall weather, I thought you might appreciate this recipe.

In Japan, the egg is often served raw in the bowl of hot broth and noodles, but I prefer mine lightly poached prior to adding it to the bowl. Once the broth and noodles are made, the assembly of the dish takes only about 10 minutes, so make sure everyone is ready to eat right away, since these are not as good if they are too cold. I would suggest making the broth and noodles ahead of time (no more than 2 or 3 days) to save yourself some prep when you decide to serve this dish. The broth is simple to make and easy to store in the refrigerator. For the noodles, simply cook them, run cold water over them immediately after cooking, and store in a ziploc bag. When you’re ready to use them, just run more water over the noodles to loosen them up. The hot broth will heat the noodles through before you serve them.

Moon Viewing Noodles

Slightly adapted from Washoku by Elizabeth Andoh

For the Sanuki Sea Stock:

*You may wish to use regular dashi rather than the sea stock if dried sardines are hard to find. I still like to add the shiitakes to the broth for extra flavor. If you can’t find any of the needed ingredients for sea stock or dashi, try using light chicken broth or vegetable broth. The flavor will be different but still tasty.

4 cups cold water

8 dried sardines

3 pieces of kombu, about 4″x4″ each

5 shiitake mushroom stems or 2 dried shiitakes

For the rest of the dish:

4 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons saké

2 teaspoons sugar

4 large eggs

12 ounces dried udon noodles

1 scallion, both green and white parts thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, add the water, dried sardines, kombu and mushrooms. Allow to sit for about half an hour.

In the meantime, cook your Udon noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook for about 4-6 minutes for smaller noodles, a little longer for the thicker noodles. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

Place the broth over medium high heat until small bubbles begin to form. Turn the heat down to medium (or adjust accordingly) to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover for 3-5 minutes. Strain the broth through a coffee strainer fitted with a coffee filter. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, saké and sugar over low heat. Stir until the sugar has just dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Prepare the serving bowls by dividing 1/4 of the noodles among each dish. Have these nearby so you can easily transfer the egg and broth to the bowls.

In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of the broth and 1/4 of the soy sauce mixture (a scant tablespoon). Bring to a boil. Add one of the raw eggs and poach for about 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg and add it to one of the bowls. Using a fine mesh strainer, pour the broth into the bowl being carefully not to break the egg. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 bowls. (You may also poach the eggs all together in water and simply bring the broth and soy mixture to a boil without poaching the eggs in it, though the flavor will not be the same.)

Garnish each bowl with the sliced scallion and serve with chopsticks and a spoon.

I’ve been back in Tokyo for about a week now. The transition has been good so far, although I am not enjoying the heat one little bit. Mostly because it is keeping me from my normal routine grocery shopping trips and other such things. Fortunately, I am married to this very sweet man who will do the shopping for me so I don’t have to haul my neatly 6 months pregnant self out in the humid heat. Thanks honey.

I did venture out yesterday with hubs to do a little walking around our neighborhood. We went to a couple of stores, visited the new Starbuck’s when I got too hot to move, and went to a brand new grocery store to get supplies for our meals over the next couple of days. While things seem mostly back to normal now than they were in March, there have been some small changes that I have noticed. One of those changes is the plethora of food that is more clearly labeled to show it is from Hokkaido, Japan. Many people feel it is safer to buy food from Hokkaido because it was not affected at all by any of the radiation business. I really appreciate this since I’m trying to be extra (and probably too) careful while I’m growing this life inside of me. (I’m taking the little kick I just got as I typed that last sentence as a thank you from the little guy.)

For a while, the escalators were turned off at many train stations. They are back on now. I have noticed that the typically brightly lit vending machines are dark. And the amount of air-conditioning is much less than it would otherwise be at this time of year. Fortunately it is still used, just not as excessively.

While some things are different, others are exactly the same. As we walked through the grocery store, I came across one of my favorite things this time of year: figs. Huge, beautiful, and calling my name, the figs made it into the basket and home to my kitchen. I’ll definitely be buying more figs to make things like jam, cookies, and to eat fresh with a little ice cream. But today I decided to try something a little different. Fig and walnut bread sounded just perfect.

As the bread baked, the apartment began to take on the familiar smell that I remember from last spring. Cozy, welcoming, and delicious. I instantly felt calm and relaxed with the scents, sounds and tastes of home.

Fig & Walnut Bread + Muffins

Recipe adapted from Sugar & Spice

This bread is much like zucchini or banana bread. It has a heavier texture and is perfect with a simple spread of butter and a glass of milk. The bread or muffins freeze well for about a month. The muffins are especially great because they thaw quickly for a last minute breakfast.

3 eggs

2 ½ cups sugar

2 cups ripe figs, peeled and mashed

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup buttermilk (or use this substitute)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and beat well. Add the mashed figs and the vegetable oil.

Sift the flours, soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the fig mixture alternately with the buttermilk and beat well.

Fold in chopped the walnuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in greased and floured loaf pans or muffin tins.

*I had to cover my bread with tin foil about 15 minutes into the cooking time because the top was browning too quickly. Keep an eye on yours in case you need to do the same.

It’s taken some time, but I feel like my brain has finally made it back to the land of the living. For the past two months, I have felt a little overwhelmed for various reasons and that has done a pretty successful job of sucking the life out of my creative thinking. Fortunately, it gave me a chance to focus on some more traditional recipes which helped me baby-step my way to what I have to share with you today.

I’ve said before that the best ideas are often accidents. This is no exception. It all started when I was asked to make some ice-cream. I knew I wanted it to be something different. None of this chocolate-vanilla-strawberry stuff. I was getting nowhere productive until I came home from running errands to find an order that I had made a few days ago had arrived! I opened the box and took out white miso paste, udon noodles, and yuzu marmalade.

OK, I can work with this. (Well, not the noodles…)

It took me two seconds to decide that I was going to make miso ice cream! Yes. This was a good idea (that could potentially flop, but let’s not encourage negative thinking).

I began taking out the necessary ingredients for my ice cream when…gasp!…there was no sugar!

OK, it’s fine, you can figure something else out.

*Silence…blank stare at the cupboard…*

Then there it was- my answer to the problem- brown sugar! I had heard of brown sugar ice cream before, so why not?

A little mixing, a little heating, a little churning, and about 2 hours later I was ready to taste this new creation.

I timidly took a spoon and scooped a small bite directly out of the ice cream maker. I smelled it and it reminded me of the topping for an upside down cake. Toasty, buttery, and warm.

The flavor was, as I told La Fuji Mama on twitter, like salted caramel on steroids. Since white miso has a relatively mild flavor, it melded perfectly with the nutty brown sugar to create a flavor reminiscent of salted caramel but with an added umami depth that can only come from miso. It was perfect.

So, I made another batch just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke! I’ve made 3 batches now and it is most definitely NOT a mistake.

All I have to say is this: if you are an ice cream lover, you must make this. It’s exciting and different and perfect to get yourself out of whatever rut you may find yourself swimming in.

Brown Sugar-Miso Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk

1 cup light brown sugar (you can also use dark if that’s all you have)

2 tablespoons white miso paste

5 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

Combine the milk, brown sugar and white miso paste in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and break up the miso paste. If there are still chunks, don’t worry- they will break down when it is heated as long as you stir it well.

Pour the cream into a large metal or glass mixing bowl and place in the refrigerator.

Separate the egg yolks and put them in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Take the milk, brown sugar and miso mixture and transfer to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. You don’t want to heat the mixture too quickly, so this step may take a few minutes. The milk mixture should not come to a simmer, but you may see 2 or three bubbles come to the surface, which is fine. The sign that it is done heating is that the sugar is completely dissolved and steam is steadily rising from the top.

Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Gradually pour the hot liquid over the egg yolks, whisking constantly to avoid the eggs scrambling. Return the liquid and egg mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Use a spatula to stir the liquid constantly until it begins to thicken and coat the spatula. This can take about 10 minutes. Again, don’t heat it too fast! Patience, grasshopper…

Now, remove the pan from the heat and take the cream out of the refrigerator. Pour the hot liquid into the cream, stirring constantly until the mixture has cooled down. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Take your ice cream base and put it in an ice cream maker. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

When the ice cream has reached a soft-serve type of thickness, transfer it to a separate container and freeze for about 1-2 hours before serving.

I’m not sure how to describe the amount of joy I feel when eating a piece of cheesecake. Maybe its because cheese is one of my favorite foods. Having it in creamy dessert form with crunchy crust is just so perfect. When I was younger, my family took road trips every summer to visit family in Tennessee. Sometimes, we would make a special stop in Chicago and visit the Cheesecake Factory. We would often order the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and savor every single bite. I loved slowly taking a bite off of my fork, holding the bite in my mouth, letting the cheesecake slowly soften on my tongue. I had never tasted anything so divine.

This goat cheese cheesecake is luxuriously creamy and takes me back to savoring those bites a few years back. Goat cheese adds a beautiful tang that isn’t over-powering, but instead lends a touch of sophistication. The crust, made with the graham crackers from my previous post (remember my tip?) adds the perfect amount of buttery crunch. The cherry coulis is an elegant substitute for the traditional syrupy, bright red cherries often served atop cheesecake. Each bite is definitely worth slowly savoring.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cherry Coulis

For the cheesecake:

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. goat cheese

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (make your own crumbs by putting crackers in a food processor)

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (if not already in the graham crackers)

Preheat the oven to 325F.

First, prepare the cheesecake pan. If you are using a spring form pan, line the bottom with parchment. Then, tightly cover the bottom with tin foil so that it reaches at least halfway up the sides of the pan. If you are using a rectangular pan, line it with parchment, but you don’t have to add the foil.

Allow all the ingredients (including the eggs) to reach room temperature before you begin.

In the meantime, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture begins to stick together and resembles course cornmeal. Transfer the crust mixture to a spring form pan or a square/rectangular pan (with at least 2 inch sides) lined with parchment paper. Use your fingers to press the crust into the pan. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or until it just begins to brown.

In an electric mixer, combine the cheeses and the sugar. Beat at medium speed until combined evenly. Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and beat for an additional minute. (Don’t increase the speed of the mixer above medium. This will add air bubbles that could result in cracking during baking.)

Pour the cheesecake over the crust. Fill a roasting pan with 1″ of hot water. Carefully place the cheesecake in the roasting pan and then on the center rack in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour or until the cheesecake just barely jiggles in the middle. Allow the cheesecake to cool (out of the water) for at least 20 minutes. Allow the cheesecake to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Slice, top with cherry coulis (recipe below), and serve!

Cherry Coulis

8 oz. fresh or frozen pitted cherries (I used Dole)

6 oz. canned sour cherries in water + 1/3 cup reserved water from the can

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender). Blend until all the cherries are broken down into small pieces.

This next step is optional- I sometimes like to skip it, which is not traditional.

Pour the sauce through a fine strainer. Discard the large pieces and store the coulis in an airtight container for up to 3 days or use immediately.

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

I am not much of a morning person. Usually I crawl out from under my warm covers, interrupting cuddle time with my dog, to silently make coffee while the haze gradually (VERY gradually) clears from my eyes and I can join the world of the awake. Some mornings it takes all my strength not to hit the snooze button for the umpteenth time. Other mornings, residents of our apartment complex apparently think I need some extra early waking-up. They call taxis at 4:30am, loudly explaining where they need to go. Conveniently, this happens right outside our first floor bedroom window. As these exchanges occur, I’m typically imagining what would happen if I walked outside and gave them a piece of my mind. But I’m too tired to move, let alone yell at someone broken Japanese that doesn’t make any sense. Too much effort before the dawn has cracked.

This morning was classic. The dog had to be let out at about 3:00am, then an hour later a taxi pulled up outside followed by a 5 minute conversation that seemed to be happening in my room because the walls are paper thin. Then, at 7:00am, an ambulance drove by. At 8:30am I finally decided to give up trying to sleep and make some coffee and breakfast. I have to say that it was worth it. The smell of scones baking was enough to make me see the bright side of life.

Walking with Callie and looking at the beautiful plum blossoms that have been bursting over the past few days only made things better. Who can complain about a day that began with scones, coffee, and soaking in Japan’s beauty?

What are you favorite ways to begin a weekend morning?

*I used the pinewood boat, medium, from restaurantware.com in this post. You can purchase eco-friendly products like catering supplies and plastic plates from restaurantware.com and receive 10% off by entering the coupon code: tokyoterrace. For the dish used in this post, click here to purchase.

Cranberry-Citrus Whole Wheat Scones

Makes 1 dozen small scones

1 cup all-purpose or bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

zest from 1 orange and 2 meyer lemons/1 regular lemon

8 tablespoons butter, frozen for about 30 minutes

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, 200 degrees C.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda and powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add the cranberries and zests. Use a cheese grater to add the butter. Break up the butter in the dry ingredients with your fingers until crumbly.

Combine the egg and yogurt in a small bowl and mix together with a fork. Add to the dry ingredients using a fork to combine. When the dough has begun to cling together but is still a combination of sticky and dry, use your hands to create a ball of dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until the dough’s consistency is nearly smooth. Form about an 8-inch round. Cut the dough into triangles and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

I have really loved my time at home over the past two weeks. It is always great to be able to spend time with family after months of seeing one another only on a computer screen over iChat or Skype. While it is wonderful to have technology that is advanced enough so we can see the faces of our loved ones no matter where in the world we are, still, nothing takes the place of being within arms reach of your family and friends. This morning we enjoyed some face-to-face time with my parents and sister over a delicious New Year’s Day brunch.

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart for iPad application, which is pretty amazing. The concept is similar to spanakopita. The original recipe calls for feta cheese, which would be fantastic. I didn’t have feta so I used shredded Romano instead. It was good but lacking in the tang that feta has in contrast to the creamy ricotta. Another change I made was the use of frozen spinach rather than fresh. It saved a little time since I didn’t need to cut the leaves. If you decide to make this with frozen spinach, be sure to squeeze out as much of the water as possible by putting the spinach in several layers of paper towels or in a dish towel. Squeeze over the sink until a small amount of water comes out.

The ricotta and egg mixture is covered with 3 layers of phyllo dough and each layer is brushed with clarified butter.

After just 5 minutes, these delicious pockets are done and ready to be eaten! The light, crisp phyllo is the perfect addition to the creamy cheese and velvety egg yolk.

This was the perfect way to begin the first day of 2011 and the last day of our time in Minnesota. Tomorrow we fly back to Tokyo. Time always moves so quickly…

Phyllo Squares with Baked Egg, Spinach and Cheese

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Makes 6 servings

8 oz. frozen spinach

1 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup shredded Romano cheese

7 large eggs

1 stick unsalted butter

6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Thaw the spinach according to package directions and make sure to squeeze the water out as much as possible, although a small amount of water is fine. Set the spinach aside in a small bowl. While you are thawing the spinach, clarify the butter by placing it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the butter until the solids sink to the bottom of the pan. Keep a close eye on the butter to make sure it doesn’t cook too quickly to get too hot. Use a coffee filter to strain out the solids from the butter. Keep the clarified butter and a pastry brush close by.

3. In another bowl, combine the ricotta and Romano. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Stir in 1 of the eggs.

4. Brush a baking sheet with clarified butter. Place one layer of phyllo dough on the baking sheet and brush it with butter as well. Repeat with two more layers so have 3 sheets of dough as a base. Keep a damp towel over the dough you are not using as you work- it gets difficult to work with if its too dry.

5. Evenly space 6 scoops of the spinach mixture on the phyllo dough. Use a spoon to make a shallow well in the mixture. With the remaining 6 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites keeping the whites for later use. Carefully place a yolk in each of the spinach scoops. Gently whisk the egg whites and brush the top of the ricotta lightly.

6. Carefully place another layer of phyllo over the spinach and egg. Gently press down around the mixture lightly sealing the top layer to the bottom layer. Brush the phyllo with clarified butter. Repeat with 2 more layers so you have three total on the top.

7. Use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to cut around the mixture, making 6 squares. Bake for 5 or 6 minutes until lightly brown and still soft in the middle. Serve right away!

Inspiration comes in many forms. I find myself inspired by the lunches Japanese students bring to school that are so carefully prepared and planned by their mothers. Inspiration creeps in while riding my bike down the street and passing a noodle shop that smells like rich miso broth and sounds like grateful soup slurpers. Other times, inspiration finds its way into my mind by opening up a book. A cookbook, that is. It’s no secret that we all have different moments that give us that creative jolt to come up with the next great idea, whether it is in the kitchen, at the office, or elsewhere. That’s the beauty of creating. It happens differently for each of us and the result, though not always what we imagined, becomes just what we need to continue developing ideas.

For this recipe, my inspiration came from David Chang. Chang’s recipe for miso butter in his cookbook, Momofuku, is a simple combination of salty miso paste and creamy butter. But oh, the possibilities that come from these two simple ingredients are endless. I modified the miso butter recipe slightly for the wine dinner. Using equal parts miso paste and butter resulted in a perfectly creamy, flavorful base for crisp, green sugar snap peas, rich, perfectly cooked salmon, and a gorgeous fried egg with a bright orange yolk.

For the wine dinner I used a fried quail egg. Let me just say that was the worst idea ever. Oh, it turned out beautifully in the end, but it was madness trying to break open all those little eggs for 40 people! And then frying them?!? Long story short: What was I thinking? So, since quail eggs are difficult to find for some, I’ve substituted a regular, sunny-side-up egg in this post. Feel free to use whatever you like- they both make a gorgeous presentation! I have a pretty serious love affair going on with eggs, so anytime I can top a meal with one I jump at the chance.

When you shop for salmon, make sure to look for thick lines of white running through the flesh and try to smell it if you can. It should be odorless. Having adequate fat in the salmon ensures it won’t dry out when you cook it. For the wine dinner, we used Scottish salmon from Coastal Seafoods (if you live in the Twin Cities and aren’t already buying your seafood there, get on it!) that was just perfect. Here in Japan we are fortunate to find plenty of salmon year round (yay!). It looks like this:

As the main entree, this dish was perfectly paired with a 2007 Deux Amis Zinfandel. When Kurt told me he was going to pair the salmon with a Zinfandel, I was skeptical. But as I’ve said before, Kurt is a master when it comes to wine (he has several awards for Best Wine List from Wine Enthusiast to prove it!) so I went with it. It turns out that the Zinfandel stood up nicely to the miso butter, salmon, and egg without overpowering the dish. Perfection.

Here are the recipes and pairings we have covered so far:

Lotus Root Chips with Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake

Edamame Crostini with Meyer Lemon & Shiso, paired with Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo

Scallop and Corn Gyoza with Sriracha Dipping Sauce, paired with HB Picpoul de Pinet 2009

Pork Belly & Leek Yakitori with Asian Slaw, paired with Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja 2005

Salmon with Miso Butter, Sugar Snap Peas, and Fried Quail Egg, paired with Deux Amis Zinfandel 2007

Only one more post to go! Are you ready for dessert?

Salmon with Miso Butter, Snap Peas, & a Fried Egg

Serves 4

4 center cut salmon steaks, skin on

2 cups sugar snap peas

1 cup shiro (white) miso paste, room temperature

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Lightly pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the miso paste and butter. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated. Use  a pastry brush to smear about 1/4 cup of miso paste in the center of each serving plate. Arrange the sugar snap peas on top of the miso butter in one layer. Set the plates aside while you cook the salmon and eggs.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. After about 1 or 2 minutes, add about 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Wait for the oil to heat, about 1 minute, and add the salmon, skin side down. (The pan should be hot enough that it immediately sizzles when the fish is placed in the oil.) Allow the fish to cook on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip the fish and cook or another 2 minutes for medium-rare. Cook for 3-4 minutes if you’d like your fish more done.

Carefully remove the salmon from the pan and put on a plate. Set aside.

In the same pan you used for the salmon, fry the eggs in the olive oil until the whites are firm (but do not flip for sunny side up). If the whites are not done and it seems the bottom is getting too done, you can transfer the eggs to a lined baking sheet and put them under the broiler, watching VERY carefully, until the whites have set.

While the eggs fry in the pan, place the salmon steaks on top of the sugar snap peas. When the eggs are done, put them on top of the salmon. Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper flakes and serve immediately.

Summer in Minnesota is a fleeting thing. The temperatures finally rise in June to numbers high enough to warrant wearing short sleeves and sandals during the day (or for some, to go kayaking on Lake Superior), then promptly dip down low enough for bonfires and sweatshirts. When that ends, the humidity and stormy weather begins. The air feels slightly unbalanced and clouds often turn an eerie shade of green before exploding with light and sound. And sometimes a Wizard of Oz worthy twister. To be honest, I love this time of year because of the storms. They are so romantic and exciting.

For all its ups and downs, I love summer in Minnesota. It’s never the same day-to-day or year-to-year. This season has been no exception. Right now we are enduring heat in the 90’s and dew points in the 70’s. It is not comfortable. Not even a little. But I find myself trying to remember that weather like this is what makes me adore what comes next: fall. Without the extremes in life, how can we appreciate the relief? I should probably get used to the heat because I hear Tokyo is sweltering right now. I wonder if it will cool down before we arrive there in just over a week…

Despite the hot weather, this Summer Carbonara is a refreshing take on a typically heavy Italian dish. Usually, carbonara is made with a heavy cream sauce, salty bits of pancetta, and lots of cheese. The cream sauce for this summer version is light and flavorful with a fruity tang from white wine and a salty bite from parmesan cheese. The pasta is topped with a handful of peppery watercress and a sunny side up fried egg. Homemade egg pasta makes the dish even more sophisticated, but store bought pasta can be used as well. I am partial to Jamie Oliver’s recipe for egg pasta- it turns out perfectly every time!

Summer Carbonara

Serves 4

Jamie Oliver’s Homemade Pasta

1 small red onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup 1% milk

1/3 cup white wine

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 bunch fresh watercress

4 eggs

black pepper and salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a healthy handful of salt to the boiling water. Add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes if fresh. If using store bought, follow package directions.

While the water boils for the pasta, heat the olive oil in a medium pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant and just beginning to soften. Stir in the flour. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds. Slowly and little-by-little add the white wine to the pan, stirring to fully incorporate the flour. Next, add the cream, and then the 1% milk. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring to make sure nothing burns. Stir in the parmesan cheese. When the pasta is done, add it to the pan with the sauce.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the eggs over medium heat until whites are firm. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with a handful of the watercress leaves and then with an egg. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt lightly and serve immediately.