Japan, We're Coming!
22 January 2008
Now it is finally official: we will spend the rest of 2008 in Tokyo, starting in March!
In my over-excitement I popped into a Japanese store and could not resist buying some more or less useful items: A package of buckwheat noodles, one of those rectangular frying pans you use to make Japanese omelettes, and a pair of kimono socks with separate toe for Simon. Ok, the latter one I bought rather for the fun factor than for necessity. The pan will certainly be a vital tool for the snacks at our farewell party (more about that in a few weeks time). But the noodles found their way into our dinner right away.
Not really having planned in advance, and hence lacking a lot of original Japanese products (as well as better knowledge about the Japanese cuisine…), I integrated the noodles into a very personal fusion dish, featuring chopped beef filet in a morel sauce. After seasoning with soy sauce, sesame and sake I found there was still some special twist missing, so I started adding some random ingredients, including port wine and cayenne pepper. Sounds weird, but the result was really enjoyable, and a great meal to anticipate our big Japanese adventure! In a few months time I’m sure I will be able to present some “real” Japanese cooking…
Japanese Buckwheat Noodles with Beef and Morels
| serves 4 as a main course |
for the sauce |
| 600g chopped beef filet |
| 500g mushrooms |
| 10 dried morels |
| 4 carrots |
| 4 spring onions |
| 2 cloves of garlic |
| 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds |
| soy sauce |
| 150ml sake |
| 150ml port wine |
| 1 tablespoon of icing sugar |
| 1 tablespoon of butter |
| a pinch of cayenne pepper |
| some sesame oil for frying |
for the noodles |
| 400g buckwheat noodles |
| 1 vegetable stock cube |
Sear the beef filet in a very hot frying pan with a bit of sesame oil; keep stirring so the pieces of meat get browned from all sides. After just about 2 minutes take the beef off the heat, place it in a bowl and marinate it with some soy sauce. Cautiously roast the sesame seeds in a non-stick pan and when slightly browned add them to the marinated meat.
Soak the dried morels in some warm water until they get soft. Meanwhile slice the vegetables (carrots, mushrooms and spring onions) and keep them prepared. Take the frying pan you used for the meat and heat some more oil at moderate temperature. Squeeze the garlic through a garlic press and slightly sweat it in the oil. Before it gets brown add the carrots, increase the temperature a bit and leave them on their own for about 5 minutes as they soften slower than the rest of the vegetables; then add the mushrooms as well as 3 of the 4 spring onions. Sauté the mixed vegetables for another few minutes, then season with some soy sauce and pour in the sake. Whenever the morels are soft, chop them to smaller pieces and add them, too.
Cover with a lid, leaving a small gap open, and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes. In the meantime melt the icing sugar in a pot or pan and once it has caramelized deglaze with the port wine. Let it simmer until boiled down to about 1/3, stir in the butter and add it to the vegetables. Finally add the meat, which should be done within a few minutes, and season to taste with cayenne pepper and soy sauce or salt.
For the buckwheat noodles, cook them in boiling salt water, just as you would do with other pasta, but drain them after half the indicated cooking time. Rinse them and finish cooking them in some vegetable stock. To serve take them out of the soup and place them in small bowls. Serve the meat dish in separate bowls and garnish with the remaining chopped spring onion.