Okayu, rice porridge. An many pickles. It’s simple, colorful, feeling and very tasty.
I had a cold, not much appetite. That was perfect.
Umeboshi, salty plum, with the red shiso that comes together.
Aka kabu, red Kyoto turnip tsukemono.
Cornichons à l’estragon, with the onion from the same jar. Behind, a few capers.
Toasted abrura-age (fried tofu) and 2 sesames.
All the topping are ready.
And the rice. Just good brown rice, longly simmered in water.
A colorful fish soup that makes a whole meal. Freely inspired by Slavic gherkin soups. It’s quick and easy.
Suguna kabocha pumpkin. I boiled the pieces in water till soft.
The head of tai (sea bream). Fish head is cheap, flavorful and there is plenty to eat. It’s ideal for a soup.
Cornichons à l’estragon.
Gherkins with tarragon. I made when ? Last May :
I thinly sliced them.
Put the fish in the pot, add half of the gherkins, the kabocha and cooking broth. Simmer 20 minutes.
Near the end, take out 1/2 cup of broth, add cream, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, the rest of pickles. On the table, mix into the soup, put back the lid and wait a few minutes.
Serve with croutons.
Open and enjoy while it’s hot.
We are having a dry or a late rainy season. It’s getting hot. We have to get used to it. Adapting the menu is very important.
This natto is from a village called Tamba, famous for its soy bean. It’s a little more hand-made than the ordinary one.
I’ve added negi leeks, nira garlic chives and green sansho peppercorns that are now in season, with dashi broth and a little soy sauce, mixed and let a few hours.
Very large long beans. I’ve just cut them in 2 and blanched.
Blanched ninniku no me (garlic stalks) and boiled tokk (Korean mochi rice cakes)
The beans, stalks and tokk reheated in tomato sauce with lots of cut fresh oregano.
To add a little sourness : tarragon pickles (made here).
This is food for hot days. Green asparagus with cheezinaise. Pickles and tomato sauce white beans. It’s spicy, refreshing, plant-based and easy to digest.
Beans in tomato sauce are usually something to warm you up in Winter, but adding the tartness and sourness of pickles totally refreshes the dish.
Boiled daifuku mame white beans, reheated in tomato sauce. I have then added capers, home-made tarragon pickles, some steamed stalks of green asparagus…
… a minced small red onion. I’ve let that 3 hours at room temperature, so flavors mixed well.
Served with mizuna leaves.
Cheezinaise
It’s similar to this one. Sakekasu brings a cheesy flavor. It is made of miso, sakekasu (sake lees), chili pepper and turmeric. After pasting and adding water, I cooked it a few minutes and let cool, and later completed with olive oil.
I’ve boiled very briefly the thin green asparagus spears and refreshed them in iced water. I’ve eaten them with the sauce.
Two ways of quickly pickling small cucumbers.
I really had a big bag that I was not going to eat before they go bad. I don’t need pickles for Winter, just some that prolongates the cukes for a week.
Lazy kimchi : breaking the cucumbers in dices and mixing with kimchi from the store. Mix and close. The lacto-fermentation of kimchi will extend to the added vegetables.
They will be ready in one or two days.
Note : kimchi is nor vegetarian usually, but some versions without animal products can be made.
Cornichons is the French name for finger sized cucumbers, and for their pickled version. Estragon is tarragon. I’ve also added a small onion.
1/4 of vinegar heated with water. A few grains of black pepper. And there is salt. Let cool. Close.
They will be ready next week.
GOURMANDE in OSAKA 