A Dish for Entertaining for Romance or Friends and Family =D

(Yellowtail Sashimi)

The world is full of wonders, flavors, ideas and choices. Now add to that whole combination the fact that every person around the world views, tastes and enjoys things slightly different then everyone else! I was thinking about this today. Food is important to me because my Mom and Dad used food as an invitation for bringing friends together just about every weekend. Laughter, talking, discussing, playing games and having fun coupled with my Mom's fabulous cooking is how my whole view on food began. My Grandma totally cooked around Grandpa. . .but boy did she cook! Her apple pies were to die for and Grandpa had the most wonderful vegetable garden ever (which is why I am constantly dreaming of having a garden just like his) and everything Grandma made had something freshly grown from their own hands, or if in the winter, something canned from there garden the summer previous.

Okay, that is family. Now friends. A whole new scenario of people. Different backgrounds and tastes. My best friend has a mother that is 100% Japanese and a father that is 100% German. The food that is enjoyed by this wonderful family is mind boggling to say the least. You can go from Sushi one minute to homemade sausages and potatoes the next but the flavors and seasonings are handed down from generations of cooking. Kind of like my family and what I learned. My friends include those I have never met in person but have corresponded with over the computer. Each person's idea of a great dish is intriguing and fun! I could not imagine living in a world where a person limited themselves to a specific diet that contained very little flavor or change. There is just to much to explore. I decided to take on an Asian dish that kept the ingredients simple but with lots of color and flavor. I am learning to really enjoy food presentation. Running around the kitchen and downstairs where I also keep fun dishes, I am always trying to find the right dish to set my food on and then fidget with how I want the food placed for pictures. Color is becoming really important. As I continue to explore, I find myself wanting to continue challeging myself. . .and hopefully not falling on my face too much. With that said, I jumped into the world of Asian cooking. I would like to state that I sooo need an Asian aide when entering an Asian market because it took me over 40 minutes to find a dozen ingredients. Hardly anything was in English and what was. . .well, it wasn't called the same as what I had written on my piece of paper that represented a grocery list. The grocery boy that was helping me was smirking about something and I am still wondering what the heck it was? =.

I made. . .TaDaaaaahhhhh:

Seared Yellowtail Sashimi with Kumquats, Asian Greens, and Miso Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/2 c. sake

2 T. seasoned rice vinegar

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. white miso

1/2 c. grapeseed oil

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1 T. grated lemon peel

1 pound sushi-grade Yellowtail

Shichimi togarashi - A Japanese red-pepper seasoning

Vegetable oil

Japanese spicy sprouts, such as Daikon sprouts, baby mizuna or Wasabi sprouts

2 T. chopped chives

4 kumquats, thinly sliced, optional

Directions:

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Stir in cilantro and lemon peel.

DO AHEAD: Miso vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Sprinkle fish generously with togarashi. Place fish on paper-towel-lined plate and chill 30 minutes. Heat heavy large skillet over high heat; brush lightly with oil. Add fish and cook until seared on all sides, about 1 minute total. Transfer fish to work surface; slice thinly.

Arrange fish slices on 8 plates. Drizzle 1 T. miso vinaigrette over fish on each plate. Garnish with sprouts, sprinkle with chopped chives and kumquat slices, if using, and serve, passing additional vinaigrette alongside.

This recipe came from a restaurant in Anaheim, California called the NAPA ROSE. =D