Chawanmushi-Savory Egg Custard

Chawanmushi is a savory egg custard, "steamed in a tea cup". That's what chawanmushi means, literally. When I was growing up, my Japanese language skills hadn't progressed to the point of multiple meanings based on kanji, but consisted mostly at the level of baby talk. I knew an o-chawan was a rice bowl, and mushi meant bugs--so I thought chawanmushi meant--bowl of bugs!

I think you need to see this closer.

Chawanmushi is a savory egg custard with bits of meat and vegetables, made differently by season and by family. This one has shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, spinach and carrot, in an egg custard seasoned with dashi.

I got some new chawanmushi pots recently. Rick and Jessica got this same set for a wedding shower gift, and I told myself that when they went on sale I would treat myself. They are so pretty!

Chawanmushi

adapted from Japanese Cooking for Health & Fitness by Kiyoko Konishi

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into small pieces and season with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sake
5 to 10 medium shrimp
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 package shimeji mushrooms, separated into pieces
1/2 small carrot
1/2 bunch fresh spinach
4 eggs
2 cups dashi mixed with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake

You can use powdered dashi, or you can make your own by putting a large piece of dashi kombu into a pan of water, remove the kombu before it comes to a boil and remove from heat.

 Add 1/2 cup dried bonito flakes and let steep until cool, about 30 minutes. Then strain through a fine-meshed strainer and discard pulp.

Slice a carrot and cut into shapes using a shape tool. Then blanch the spinach, squeeze out excess water and cut into 1-inch lengths.

 Crack 4 eggs into a bowl mixing gently, but do not beat air into them. Add dashi stock mixed with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake. Mix, then strain through a fine-meshed strainer to remove the slippery part of the egg white.

 Place into each bowl, shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, 1 or 2 shrimp, 2 seasoned chicken chunks, spinach and carrot flower.

 Fill about 2/3 with egg mixture, leaving some of the ingredients exposed.

 Boil water in a large pot. Turn off to add chawanmushi pots, then cover and simmer on lowest heat setting for 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean or custard is set.

 You can also cook them in the oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF, place chawanmushi into a roasting pan,

 Cover the pots,

 Place into the oven and fill the pan about half-way up the chawanmushi pots with boiling water. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 Some people put slices of kamaboko into their chawanmushi. You can use whatever you like or whatever you have on hand.

I think it might be good with bacon.

Itadakimasu!

***

This is my son, Rick.

If you saw the Italian Wedding Soup post, you know he and Jessica got engaged.

They are now married!

It was a beautiful day!

Most of these photos were taken by others. I had given my camera to my niece Connie and she passed it off to nephew Garrett at the reception. My appreciation goes out to them and also niece Kelly and cousin David for shooting video of the ceremony and reception. Without all of you, I would have no media to pour over and relive these special moments. Thank you all for so generously giving your time and talents.

 Rick hasn't been a dancer, but has become one, with Jessica. I was wonderfully surprised and seeing this photo brings a tear to my eye.

 Jessica's mother, Elyse, decorated the wedding. Jessica wanted a winter wedding with a forest theme. Elyse and her crew decorated the ranch beautifully.

 Remember Bachan's Cheese Macaroni? This is Obaachan with Rick, Karen and baby Rachel. Bachan's got a new look, pretty, isn't it!

You met Rachel in my Cheese Straws post. She's growing fast!

 Elyse added beautiful touches to the ranch, with lots of pine branches and pine cones. When we put out the call to our friends and family for pine cones, we were amazed at all the boxes of them that came in. Thanks, everyone!

This is the area where appetizers will be served during the cocktail hour, while the bridal party is being photographed.

 This pretty area is where guests dropped off their gifts.

The rustic furniture Elyse brought in perfectly matched the charm of the ranch. The windows and accessories added touches of elegance throughout.

 After Rick and Jessica said their vows, they put them in this time capsule and nailed it shut, to be opened sometime in the future.

 This is the entrance to the big barn where the reception was held. Guests found their table seating here.

Nancy was in charge of the place cards. She had birch branches cut in half and a slit sawed into them to organize & display the place cards.

 Table favors were these pine tree seedlings, the wrapping also designed by Nancy. Ours are planted in our yard, it will be fun to watch them grow.

Thank you to cousin Tim for use of his photos. Remember Tim? He made Chile Relleno.

Elyse comes from a family of painters and brought several paintings to decorate the ranch. Jessica and her brother paint also. This picture was taken the day before the wedding, before the final touches of flowers and pine greenery were added to the tables. The little ceramic love birds on the tables added a sweet touch.

The finished table-scapes were beautiful!

That's me, with my parents and my sister. The wedding venue, Hurst Ranch, is a special place to our family. My dad has been growing vegetables there for the past 40 years, and was a friend of Joe Hurst. All the grandkids have grown up going to help Grandpa harvest and grow vegetables and melons.

Congratulations to the newlyweds, Rick and Jessica!

***

Chawanmushi

adapted from Japanese Cooking for Health & Fitness by Kiyoko Konishi

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sake

5 to 10 medium shrimp

2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 package shimeji mushrooms, separated into pieces

1/2 small carrot

1/2 bunch fresh spinach

4 eggs

2 cups dashi mixed with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake

1. Put 2 cups water into a saucepan with a 4-inch piece of dashi kombu. Just before water boils, turn off heat and remove kombu. Add 1/2 cup dried bonito flakes and let steep until cool. Drain through fine-meshed strainer. OR, use powdered dashi stock, following package directions. Chicken broth may also be substituted. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce & 1 tablespoon sake to 2 cups dashi or broth.

2. Cut chicken into 1 inch squares. Put into small bowl and season with 1 teaspoon each, soy sauce and sake.

3. Peel and clean shrimp, peel carrot, slice and cut into flower shapes. Blanch spinach & squeeze out excess water, then cut into 1-inch lengths. Remove mushroom stems and slice shiitake thinly, separate shimeji.

4. Mix eggs well, but do not beat. Stir broth into eggs, then strain through a fine-meshed strainer to remove slippery substance from egg white.

5. Fill chawanmushi pots with ingredients, placing the colorful shrimp, spinach and carrot on top. Add the egg mixture, not covering some of the ingredients and cover. Use foil if necessary.

6. Boil about 3 cups of water in a large pot. Turn off heat and add covered chawanmushi cups. Water should be about 1/3 of the way up cups. Turn heat to lowest setting, place the lid on the pot allowing a little steam to escape. Simmer for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. The chawanmushi may also be cooked in the oven in a water bath at 350ºF for 20 minutes.

Italian Wedding Soup

I recently had Italian Wedding Soup at an engagement party. It was so delicious, I was inspired to make some. 

Thanks, Dudley, for the inspiration!

Dudley said she used Ina Garten's Italian Wedding Soup recipe. I used what I had on hand--a mixture of kale and baby spinach, ground chicken & ground pork, a random small pasta and canned chicken broth. It didn't seem as good as Dudley's but it was still really good!

Did you know that, according to Wikipedia, the name Italian Wedding Soup comes from the expression in Italian that the meat and greens "marry", or go well together?

I guess that means that they don't serve it at all weddings in Italy.

I think the meat and greens go well together, indeed. I like it with a little shaved parmesan cheese on top.

Italian Wedding Soup

adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1/2 lb. ground chicken
1/2 lb. chicken or pork sausage, casings removed
1 cup bread crumbs or dried stuffing mix, moistened with 1/2 cup broth or milk
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons each, chopped thyme and oregano
1/4 cup grated Romano & 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced celery with leaves
2 cans chicken broth and enough water to make 10 cups
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach or kale, washed, ribs removed from kale

 I snipped this parsley, thyme & oregano from my front yard.

 For the meatballs, mix ingredients in a large bowl.

Form into small meatballs and set aside.

Ina bakes the meatballs for 30 minutes at 350ºF, I dropped mine to cook right into the soup. But that comes later.

 Mince the garlic and finely chop the celery and onion. I used Chinese celery, which is mostly leaves and thin stems. I picked some up at my local Chinese market, it looked so fresh.

Saute the garlic, celery, onion, parsley, thyme and oregano in 2 tablespoons olive oil until wilted, then add the chicken broth, wine and water. I didn't have dill, but it's good with dill.

Boil another pan of water for the noodles, cook & drain.

 When the soup boils, drop in the meatballs and stir gently. When the soup returns to boil, lower heat to medium and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Skim any foam that surfaces to the top and discard.

 Wash spinach and kale. Remove the tough ribs from the kale and tear into bite-sized pieces.

My sister-in-law Nancy always used to tease me for eating kale. She said it was a garnish. Now she says kale is her boyfriend.

 When the noodles are done and drained, and you're ready to serve the soup, add the spinach and kale. Stir gently. It takes less than a minute for the greens to wilt, that's when you want to serve the soup.

Add a sprinkling of pasta and some shaved Parmesan cheese if you like.

Itadakimasu!


***


Since I've been away from blogging for awhile, I've got a lot to catch-up on!

Dudley is on the left, she inspired me to make the soup.

Remember Jessica's yummy Thai Chicken Salad guest post? That's Jessica's mom Elyse on the right. She and Dudley are the proprietors of Bouquets and Bow Ties Events. You'll be seeing more of them here because...


Rick and Jessica are engaged!

We're having a wedding!

A couple of months ago, Jessica's parents hosted a wonderful engagement party. We were pleased to meet their family and friends.

In the early fall, Rick proposed in what will be their new home that is under construction.

 Here, he is putting the ring on her finger.

 Congratulations to the happy couple!

I think they just exude happiness.

Jessica and Rick met on an airplane. They were sitting next to each other and struck up a conversation over a book Rick had just finished reading. He gave her the book to read with his business card inside.

The rest is history!

This is the book.

 Rick wrote why he knows that she's The One on the inside cover of the book. I think that's so romantic.

Then they made a stepping-stone for their garden with their handprints.

Together, in the shape of a heart.

Ahhhh---Love.


***

Italian Wedding Soup

adapted from Ina Garten at FoodNetwork.com, makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1/2 lb. ground chicken

1/2 lb. chicken or pork sausage, casings removed

1 cup bread crumbs or dried stuffing mix, moistened with 1/2 cup broth or milk

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons each, chopped thyme and oregano

1/4 cup grated Romano & 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced onion

1 cup diced celery with leaves

2 cans chicken broth and enough water to make 10 cups

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup small pasta

1/4 cup minced fresh dill

12 ounces baby spinach or kale, washed, ribs removed from kale and torn into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken and sausage, bread crumbs moistened with broth or milk, oats, garlic, cheeses (if desired), egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into a bowl and mix gently with a fork. Form into meatballs and set aside.

For the soup, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add onion, celery, thyme, parsley, oregano and garlic and saute until wilted and soft, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth, wine and water and bring to boil. Boil pasta and drain. Drop the meatballs into the boiling soup. When the pot returns to boil, turn the heat down and simmer gently 10 minutes. When you're ready to serve the soup, return to boil and add the washed spinach & kale with ribs removed and torn into bite-sized pieces. Cook for about a minute or until greens are wilted. Serve with a scoop of pasta and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken soup is comfort food for us. I used to always make my own variation of noodles--or dumplings--and my husband would ask, "Are noodles expensive? Is that why you have to make your own?" I had to laugh. You make your own noodles because they taste better!

Nowadays for us, dumplings means something else entirely--but that's another recipe. These dumplings are in the Southern style and are like noodles. When you make them at home, they have a nice bite to them that the dried noodles just don't have.

Chicken & Dumplings

adapted from Trisha Yearwood's Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 5-pound hen (makes about 4 pounds cooked, after bones and skin are removed)

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup each sliced carrots, chopped celery and chopped onion

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Dumplings:

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Scroll down to the end of this post for the directions to this recipe. I'll return to my regular format with step-by-step photos soon.

***

I not only like to cook, I'm also a crafter. I have been busy sewing and traveling for craft boutiques. I participate in a circuit of one-day Japanese-American/Asian craft fairs, and have been doing it for over 20 years. If you live in Southern California and are in the LA area, come by the:

4th Annual Kiku Crafts and Food Fair 

Sunday, November 4th, 2012, 10 AM to 3 PM 

East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center 

1203 West Puente Avenue 

West Covina, CA 91790 

You'll find Japanese-American and Asian-themed crafts as well as delicious food. Be sure to stop by my booth and say hello.

These long-sleeved t-shirts (pictured above) will be on sale. If you say the secret word Rachel, you will receive an extra $8 off as a bonus for being a FOODjimoto reader. This is for the Kiku Crafts and Food Fair only, and there are a limited number of shirts available, so come early!

I have also been working on these shirts for the boutique sales. The embellishment is applique and sashiko embroidery. Sashiko is needlework, in the Japanese tradition, originally used in Japan to reinforce worn clothing--used here as a decorative art.

I made a few of these little quilts, too, perfect for a special baby, mom and dad, or bachan and jichan. I fell in love with this printed panel, a scene of old-time Japan, depicting the festival of Shichi-Go-San (a festival for seven & three year old girls and five & three year old boys) and Hatsumairi (a baby's first visit to church). I have a few of these quilts in different border colors, some hand-quilted and some hand-tied.

This is my booth at last year's Krafty Delites boutique. I will be there this year at the December 2, 2012 show only. Krafty Delites is located at the Carson Community Center, 801 E. Carson Street, Carson 90745, hours are 10 AM to 4 PM.

Don't forget to stop by and say hello!

***

Chicken & Dumplings

adapted from Trisha Yearwood's Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 5-pound hen (makes about 4 pounds cooked, after bones and skin are removed)

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup each sliced carrots, chopped celery and chopped onion

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Dumplings:

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Put the hen, breast side down, in a very large (8-quart) stockpot and add water to cover the chicken completely. Add salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours. Allow the chicken and broth to cool slightly, then remove the chicken to a colander.

Strain the broth into a very large bowl. Cover the broth and place it in the refrigerator. When the fat solidifies (I usually refrigerate it overnight) at the top of the broth, remove and discard it. Separate the chicken from the bones and cut or shred the meat by hand into bite-sized pieces. 

Heat the defatted broth in a clean pot. Add the carrots, celery, onion and fresh thyme and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

To make the dumplings, put the flour in a medium bowl. Dissolve the salt in the water and stir the mixture into the flour to make a stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface and knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide it into 4 parts. Heavily flour a rolling pin and roll one portion of the dough very thin. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2 x 4-inch strips. Repeat with remaining dough.

Return broth to a boil and add the strips of dough, stirring gently after each addition. When all strips are added, reduce heat to simmer and add the shredded chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until noodles are done.

Stir-Fried Pork & Eggplant

One of my favorite things is a home-cooked meal made by someone else. I really like eating other people's cooking--the aji, the flavor, is so different from cook to cook--I'm excited to eat someone else's cooking. It's also such a good feeling to be on the receiving end of all that goes into a meal--the consideration and choice of what to serve, the marketing and all the preparation. I was catered-to by my daughter Karen when I stayed a week with her to babysit the first week she went back to work.

The first meal she made me was this Stir-Fried Pork & Eggplant. The recipe came from Cook's Illustrated The Best One Dish Suppers. It was delicious. Cook's Illustrated doesn't have the recipe online unless you pay for a subscription, but I found it posted by Elizabeth at Tastebook.com. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the recipe. I haven't made this at home yet, so I don't have step-by-step photos this time, but I'll add them later.

***



My granddaughter is growing so fast!

Rachel came to visit for Rick's 30th birthday.

We were trying to figure out where she gets her crazy hair. Turns out she gets it from me!

That's me on the left. We have the same funny hairline, bald front, spiky, long top--and round face!

 While I stayed with them for a week to help with Rachel during Karen's first week back at work, Mitchell took us to lunch at Ike's Place. The sandwich board there is creative, there are so many I'd like to try. Turns out it's also a nice spot for a quick family photo!

Gary's a bit of a baby hog. He likes to carry Rachel all around, just like he did with Rick and Karen when they were little. The grandparents on his side of the family are Obaachan and Ojiichan. Maybe he'll have to be Jichan since my dad is Grandpa (and our Ojiichan recently passed). Or maybe he'll be GG for Grandpa Gary. I think we'll let Rachel decide.

Mitchell's making us breakfast before heading off to see his old college teammate play against the 49ers. I love watching Mitchell watch football. He becomes a super-excited fan, jumping up, pacing, and yelling out. He's usually on the quiet-side and reserved, and I like seeing that side of him.

While Mitchell was at the game, we went a few yards out the front door and had some fun with the camera.

The next time I'll have to be sure to get some with Rachel and her daddy.

This one is one of my favorites.

Take lots of photos.

You'll be glad you did.

***

Stir-Fried Pork & Eggplant

Serves 4

Ingredients:

12 ounces pork tenderloin, julienne cut while partially frozen

1 teaspoon plus 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon plus 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons canned low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons juice from 1 lime

2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

12 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 1/2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

3 1/2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

1 pound eggplant, but into 3/4-inch wedges

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped very coarse

1. Combine pork, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in small bowl. Whisk remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons each fish sauce and soy sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, sugar and cornstarch in measuring cup. Combine garlic, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of the pork to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until well-browned, about 2  minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.

3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet; add eggplant and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until browned and no longer spongy, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl with pork.

4. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add garlic/pepper mixture to clearing; cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes, then stir mixture into onions. Add pork and eggplant; toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

*Thank you, Amy, for noticing I needed a correction in this recipe!