Innie or Outie

Here’s a way to have a relaxing fondue meal without worrying about an open flame, Crockette Fondue:

(Click on image to view large size)

Approximately one hour prior to serving, begin preheating by placing 2 cups of water in the Crockette (mini slow cooker) and heating on high. When you are ready to serve the fondue, empty the water from the Crockette and transfer prepared fondue cheese into the mini slow cooker. Place the Crockette on a table and plug into an electric outlet. Serve with a prepared Fondue Platter.

(Click on image to view large size)

For our platter we chose bread pieces, raw broccoli, raw cauliflower, raw carrot, and bratwurst.

(NOTE: Because we could not find Gruyere cheese this time, we used a prepackaged fondue cheese product found in a local supermarket. This was a real time and energy saver because all that was required to prepare the product was to heat it in the microwave for three minutes. The flavor was not that bad at all – which surprised us because we had tried a prepackaged fondue cheese product two years ago without much satisfaction.)

This meal is neither your traditional beer-battered fish and chips nor your traditional tenpura. Instead, I came up with a meal that is a little of both worlds, Asian Beer Batter Niblet Dinner:

(Click on image to view large size)

Ingredients for the meal consisted of cooked rice sprinkled with crushed toasted sesame seeds, miso soup, 2 cups of freshly-made beer batter, and an Asian Beer Batter Niblet Platter:

(Click on image to view large size)

1 large Russian red fish fillet (cut into bite-size pieces)
6 shitake mushrooms
10 fresh green beans
10 fresh shiso leaves
10 fresh basil leaves
10 slices of carrot
1 medium zucchini (sliced)

Rinse a pat dry vegetables. Then simply coat the ingredients thoroughly in the beer batter (a few at a time) and cook in a mini deep fryer until golden brown. We also added some nori sheets to the meal as a side munchie and soy sauce as a dipping sauce.

(NOTE: Although this doesn’t look like much food, the platter actually ended-up making enough niblets for 3 – 4 persons.)

In the early ‘90s I created a St. Patty’s Day appetizer as a joke, Deviled Green Eggs:

(Click on image to view large size)

This year hubby and I decided to use the appetizer as part of a complete St Patrick’s Day meal so this is what we had for the occasion, Green Eggs and Ham Meal:

(Click on image to view large size)

The meal consisted of Green Egg Salad, Stir-Fried Ham and Broccoli, and Herb New Potatoes. (Although it’s difficult to tell from the pictures, the eggs are avocado-colored and the ham and broccoli had a light chicken bouillon and cornstarch green-colored sauce.)

Although St. Patrick’s Day is still a few days away, someone is back in the kitchen and getting a little green:

Papa’s St. Patty’s Herb Pesce Dinner

(Click on image to view large size)

For this dinner, hubby braised new potatoes and basil, sautéed Russian Red Fish in olive oil, added asparagus, then smothered it all in herb sauce. The plate was accompanied by a small bowl of salad greens, sweet peppers, and red radish topped with Sesame Thousand Island dressing.

This is a simple meal that can be served almost anytime of the day:

(Click on image to view large size)

Okonomiyaki

Hubby brought this premixed okonomiyaki (Japanese Combination Pancake) set back from his trip to Osaka (a city renown throughout Japan for their particular expertise in the meal).

(Click on image to view large size)

To the premix, we added sliced pork, dried krill, squid-flavored deep-fried tenpura batter droplets, three eggs, 120cc water, grated cabbage and carrot mix, Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger.

(Click on image to view large size)

This is a very simple meal to prepare:

Mix the prepackaged batter powder, eggs, and water until smooth. Then add the krill, tenpura droplets, and veggie mix.

Place the pork on the electric skillet in four sections and brown on one side.

Ladle the batter mixture onto the skillet in four sections (one at a time) and place the pork on top of the sections (uncooked side facing up). Let cook until slightly brown (approximately five minutes), flip and continue to cook for approximately ten minutes (or until pork and batter are thoroughly cooked).

Top with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, pickled ginger, and shredded dried bonito (fish).

(Click on image to view large size)

There are many different methods used to prepare okonomiyaki. If you prefer to cook from scratch, here is one way.

Here is another versatile option for a relaxing dinner for two:

(Click on image to view large size)

Tabletop Teriyaki Dinner

An electric skillet makes it easy to turn any tabletop into an instant mock izakaya. For our dinner we chose beef (marinated in teriyaki sauce), mushrooms, leek, veggies and cheese rolled in pork, cabbage, and greens accompanied by miso soup and rice topped with grated sesame seeds.

(Click on image to view large size)

It’s Grammy night. Hubby and I felt like being able to relax at the dinner table and munch away while watching the show. Sooo, here’s another tabletop dinner idea:

(Click on image to view large size)

Tabletop Veggie Tenpura Dinner

You can use almost any type of vegetable in which ever proportions meet your needs.

(Click on image to view large size)

For our platter we used:
1/2 medium onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 medium carrot (julienned)
1/2 bunch nira (according to hubby this is a veggie similar to chives that is a cross between garlic and onion)
1 small bell pepper (julienned)
Frozen chicken wings (semi-defrosted)
Frozen chicken nuggets (semi-defrosted)
3 tablespoons freshly snipped basil

(Click on image to view large size)

For the batter we used:
1 egg
250 milliliters iced water
1 1/3 cups tenpura flour

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg and water together. Fold in flour, but only to the point of moistness. (The batter looks like lumpy and slightly runny cake batter, but you can adjust the amount of flour to reach your desire consistency.)

(Click on image to view large size)

Other equipment needed:
Deep fryer

Heat oil in deep fryer as suggested by manufacturer.
Meanwhile, thoroughly toss one-third of veggies in batter.
When oil is ready, alternate cooking between chosen meat and battered veggies. Beginning with the items that require longest cooking period. (I use a laddle to spoon the veggies into the deep fryer).

(Click on image to view large size)

For this dinner menu we also chose to include rice (sprinkled lightly with soy sauce) and nori (dried seaweed) as extra munchies to the main platter.

You can use home fries or any other favorite food item that goes well with deep fried foods. You could even include miso soup as a beverage. This dinner course is very flexible.

Here is another way to use leftover dashi from the kani nabe:

(Click on image to view large size)

Nabe Gumbo

Add one cup refrigerated leftover precooked rice to the remaining liquid in the nabe pot. Simmer on low for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

I often sing the praises of one of my favorite household appliances around this time every year, the kotatsu or table heater. Tonight I’ll show one of the advantages of having such a convenient and energy saving item in the house. This recipe is one variation on a very popular wintertime dish in Japan:

Kani (Crab) Nabe for Two

(Click on image to view large size)

Dashi

(Click on image to view large size)

3 cups water
1 ½ pieces dashi konbu (a variety of seaweed) – break as needed

(Click on image to view large size)

6 pieces musubi konbu (another variety of seaweed)

(Click on image to view large size)

1/3 cup katsuo dashi (liquid type)

(Click on image to view large size)

1 tablespoon mirin
½ teaspoon minced ginger

Platter

(Click on image to view large size)

Crab legs (halved)
Shungiku (spring chrysanthemum stems) – cut into large chunks
Nametake mushrooms
Shironegi (leek) – cut into 1 inch pieces
1 block Shimadofu (tofu) – cubed
Chinese cabbage – cut into large chunks

Other Items Needed

(Click on image to view large size)

1 ceramic nabe pot with lid
1 crockette (mini-slow cooker)
1 portable tabletop butane burner

I began in an unconventional way by using a crockette (mini-slow cooker) to prepare the dashi. I did this for three reasons:

• Hubby’s schedule is so spontaneous; we have a hard time setting specific timetables for meals.
• It’s my belief that stocks taste better when given lengthy steeping periods.
• I don’t like having to stand over or repeatedly check the stove while the stock is steeping.

Place the water, dashi conbu, and musubi conbu in the crockette and cover.
After four hours remove two-thirds of the dashi conbu. Leave the remaining one-third for additional flavor.
Stir in katsuo dashi, mirin, and ginger. Cover and let continue to cook for at least another four hours.

You can prepare the platter at your convenience and place in the refrigerator, if needed. I usually start preparations approximately one-half hour prior to setting table for dinner.

(Click on image to view large size)

At dinnertime, prepare the table with the tabletop burner, eating utensils, and individual bowls.
Place the platter on the table.
Transfer two-thirds of dashi and musubi conbu to the nabe pot. Place the pot on the tabletop burner and add small portions of each item of the platter. Cover with the nabe pot lid and let come to a low boil. (Veggies are done when slightly soft to the touch. Crab is done when red in color.)

Serve cooked items combined in individual bowls accompanied by a small amount of dashi liquid.

After dinner, strain any remaining dashi liquid into a container. Remove the final one-third dashi konbu from the crockette. Add the crockette liquid to the container and store in refrigerator or freezer to use as starter dashi for the next time you prepare nabe.

Here’s another yummy recipe that will fill you up and warm your tummy during these cold winter months.

Crockpot Sausage and Potato Stew

2 medium potatoes (quartered and thinly sliced)
1/2 medium onion (quartered and thinly sliced)
12 ounces spicy sausage (sliced into bite-size pieces)
1 15 ounce can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup beef bouillon
1/2 cup flour

Layer potatoes, onion, and sausage on bottom of crockpot. Add kidney beans, tomatoes with liquid, oregano, garlic, sugar, pepper, and cumin. Mix flour in bouillon and pour on top of other ingredients in crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with bread or over rice.