In the Kitchen with Hiroko Shimbo (4/4)

The book is unique because it is the first book on sushi to cover all aspects of this wonderful food for professional chefs diners, home cooks, and those with an interest in Japanese food culture and customs. First, for a complete understanding of the world of sushi the book provides fascinating information on history and development of the dish. (Did you know it began in the present-day northern part of Thailand?), how sushi evolved into its present multitude of forms in Japan and abroad, ordering, eating and etiquette tips for restaurant dining, the story of seasonal sushi fish, food safety and how to determine if your sushi is really fresh and wholesome. The book is a complete work on preparing sushi of all kinds including easy to make rolls (both Japanese and new American styles), tossed sushi, pressed sushi, nigiri-zushi (the familiar block of rice topped with and ingredient) and many other delicious varieties of sushi. It starts with the basics of making sushi rice and cooked ingredients and for the professional sushi chef there is complete instruction for filleting, curing and cutting fish for sushi and sashimi (fish alone without rice). It is a complete sushi book for professionals as well as those who want to master this art. The book will contain lavish illustrative color photographs showing both finished sushi and presentation as well step-by-step photographs to accompany the instruction material. Q: What would you like to try next in your career? I want to fill in the gap created by the Iron Chefs and the new popularity of Japanese cuisine. There has never been on national television a show introducing the delights of Japanese food and how to prepare it in a home kitchen. Just as my book has addressed this subject I am planning a TV program that will do the same in a colorful, entertaining and interesting new format. My associates and I are hard at work on this now. I hope we will have an announcement in the coming months. A Seafood Recipe From Hiroko Shimbo’s Kitchen Kani to Asari No Takikomi Gohan (Rice cooked with short-neck clams and crabmeat) Preparation De-sand the clams in salt added cold water for 1 hour. Drain and clean (scrub with a hard brush) the clams under cold tap water. Directions In a pot or a rice cooker place the rice and add the fish stock, shoyu and salt. Heat the saffron in a small aluminum foil package over open gas flame, remove from the package, and add to the stock (crumble the saffron between a thumb and index finger. Place the clams, crabmeat and sliced shiitake even on top of the rice (do not sitr). Cook the rice. Five minutes before finish cooking, add the fiddlehead ferns. Continue cooking the rice. After the rice is let it stand for 10 minutes. Toss the rice gently with the baby arugula and white sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Ingredients 2 1/4 cups Japanese rice, rinsed and drained 30 minutes 20 pieces short-neck clams, small size 1 large shiitake mushroom, grilled and sliced thin 2 1/4 cups dashi (fish stock) 2 1/4 tablespoon usukuchi shoyu (light color soy sauce) 3.5 ounce crabmeat 15 small pieces fiddlehead ferns, cleaned and blanched Chive rings 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted