Asparagus and Enoki Sushi Rolls

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

I was thinking of the components of a spring roll, particularly the rice noodles, when I decided to simmer enoki mushrooms for this vegan sushi roll. Enoki mushrooms, thin stickpin like mushrooms, have a subtle flavor on their own. When simmered, they absorb the simmering liquid wonderfully and become very noodle like. While I prepared the enoki, I decided also on asparagus, as a mushroom roll just didn’t seem complete without it. Though I didn’t have any at the time, I imagine in my mind’s palate that a sprig of Thai basil might be an interesting and welcome addition.

Asparagus Enoki Sushi Rolls

Makes 4 thick rolls, 20 pieces

4 4in x 7in pieces nori

2 cups prepared sushi rice

1 package enoki mushrooms, roots cut away

8 spears asparagus, lightly blanched and cooled

1/4 small red bell pepper, cut into very thin strips

1/2 cut matchstick thin carrots

2 TBSP finely chopped scallions

1/4 cup mirin, sweet Japanese cooking wine

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

To simmer mushrooms, place mirin, soy sauce and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a near boil. Pull enoki apart into 4 segments. Place in saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Remove enoki from liquid and allow to cool.

To assemble sushi rolls, place nori vertically on a bamboo rolling mat so that the rough side is facing upwards. Spread 1/2 cup prepared sushi rice on nori being sure to leave the top 1/4 uncovered. Place 1/4 of the cooled enoki horizontally in the center of the rice. Place 2 asparagus spears horizontally in the center of the rice. Top with 2-3 strips of red bell pepper and 1/2 TBSP scallions. Roll according to the technique for making futomaki. Let roll rest for 2 minutes seam down on cutting surface.

Repeat steps with 3 remaining pieces of nori. Cut each roll into 5 pieces. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce for dipping if desired.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Maki

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

This tongue twister is not only fun to say, but offers a fun Spanish twist to the world of sushi. Grilled mahi mahi is enhanced with golden raisins, capers and toasted almonds. This slightly sweet, crunchy, briny combo is good on it’s own or served with a small drizzling of purchased eel sauce.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Maki

Makes 4 sushi rolls of 6 pieces each

8 oz mahi mahi, grilled medium (slightly cool center) and cooled to room temperature

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

1/8 inch piece of ginger root

4 teaspoons capers

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

4 pieces nori (4in x 7in)

2- 2 1/2 cups prepared sushi rice

pickled ginger for garnish, optional

purchased eel sauce for drizzling, optional

Place raisins in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, stir together soy sauce and mirin. Add piece of ginger and bring to an almost boil over medium heat. Allow mixture to simmer for 5 minutes. Immediately pour hot liquid over raisins, discarding piece of ginger. Allow raisins to set in liquid about 10 minutes, or until plump. Drain raisins, discarding liquid, and set on a plate covered with paper towels or a clean dish towel to further drain.

Divide mahi mahi into 4 portions. Cut each portion into strips about 1/4 inch wide.

Place toasted almonds on a flat plate or directly on a cutting board. With fingers, crush almonds into slightly smaller pieces. Spread almonds into a thin, even layer.

To assemble each roll, begin by placing one piece of nori, rough side up, horizontally on work surface. Cover entire surface of nori with a thin even layer of prepared sushi rice, about 1/2- 3/4 cup. Flip nori over so that the rice is facing down and the nori is exposed. Place the strips from one portion’s worth of mahi mahi horizontally across the middle of the nori, making sure that the strips extend to both edges of the nori. Spread 1 teaspoon of capers across the center of the nori. Next, spread 1/4 of the raisins across the center of the nori. Roll according to the method for rolling inside out rolls.

Place roll on top of toasted almonds and roll to coat. Adhere almonds to roll with a gentle pressing of a bamboo rolling mat. Cut into 6-8 pieces. Repeat steps to assemble rolls with the remaining 3 pieces of nori.

Serve with pickled ginger and a drizzling of eel sauce, if desired.

Sweet Potato and Shiitake Maki

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

Sweet potatoes and shiitake mushrooms are boiled in a soy sauce based broth which gives a pleasant salty, sweet and savory flavor to this roll. Try this roll served with a side of steamed spinach.

Sweet Potato and Shiitake Maki

1/2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into French fry sized sticks

5 large shiitake mushroom caps

1 1/2  cup soy sauce

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

5 tablespoons finely chopped scallions

5 pieces nori (4in x 7in)

2 1/2 – 3 cups prepared sushi rice

pickled ginger, optional

wasabi, optional

In a medium sized saucepan, stir together soy sauce, water and mirin. Bring to a full boil over high heat.  Place sweet potato sticks in boiling liquid and boil until just soft, about 3 –4 minutes. Remove from liquid, reserving liquid for mushrooms, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Place mushroom caps in boiling liquid and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from liquid and place on a plate to cool. Once cool, cut each cap into thin slices.

To assemble rolls, begin with a piece of nori placed vertically on a bamboo rolling mat, rough side facing up. Cover the bottom 3/4 of the nori with a thin even layer of prepared sushi rice, about 1/2 –3/4 cup. Place 1 tablespoon of scallions horizontally in the middle of the rice. Spread one cap’s worth of sliced mushrooms on top of the scallions making sure that the slices extend to the edges. Top the mushroom slices with 2-3 sticks of boiled sweet potato. 

Roll according to the method for rolling thick rolls. Let roll rest seam side down on the cutting board for 2 minutes before cutting into 5 pieces. Repeat steps for assembly with remaining 4 pieces of nori.

Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce for dipping if desired.

Sesame Beef Sashimi

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

The addition of sesame adds a delicious nutty dimension to the flavor of tataki as well as a spectacular presentation. This tataki is great with ponzu sauce and crispy fried wonton strips sprinkled with shichimi togarashi, Japanese 7 spice pepper. One recipe yields 1 large sashimi platter.

Sesame Beef Sashimi

1 pound high quality beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat

1 cup Japanese soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin, Japanese sweet cooking wine

1 TBSP unseasoned rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

cooking oil

about 1/4 cup black and/or white sesame seeds, toasted

Ponzu Dipping Sauce, optional

Fried Wonton Strips

Gyoza or dumpling wrappers, cut in half, thin strips or as desired

Enough oil for frying

Shichimi togarashi or a mixtue of salt and cayenne

Heat cooking oil in a pan to 350 degrees F. Add wonton pieces a few at a time and fry until golden, flipping to ensure that both side are cooked. This will only take a few seconds. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with togarashi or salt/cayenne mixture. Repeat until desired number of chips have been made.

Optional suggested garnishes. For best flavor, select 1-2 garnishes:

Finely chopped scallions or chives

Fried garlic chips

Finely grated daikon radish

Finely grated ginger

In a plastic or ceramic bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Place beef tenderloin in bowl and turn several times to coat all sides of beef in marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes, flipping the beef over after 10 minutes.

Remove beef from marinade and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Discard marinade.Very lightly rub the tenderloin with a thin coating of cooking oil. Roll tenderloin in sesame seeds. Heat a heavy-duty sauté pan over high heat. Add just enough cooking oil, about 1 TBSP, to keep beef from sticking to the pan. Place beef in pan and quickly sear each side until lightly browned, about 10-15 seconds*. Alternately, quickly sear beef with a kitchen torch. When all sides have been seared, remove from pan allow to cool.

Cut beef across the grain into the thinnest possible slices with a very sharp knife. Lightly tap each piece a few times with the blade of the knife to score, being careful not to cut all the way through. Arrange pieces, slightly overlapping, on a large serving platter. Place fried wonton strips in the center of the platter. If desired, place a chopstick pinch of 1 garnish on top of each slice or sprinkle liberally. Serve with soy sauce or ponzu.

*This is very rare and falls well below the USDA recommended internal temperatures guidelines for beef to enhance its safety for children, pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems and older individuals. Please prepare your beef with consideration to what is comfortable and healthy for those consuming the finished product. Beef tataki is best enjoyed when prepared at a temperature of medium or below.

The USDA recommends the following Temperatures:

Rare 120- 125 degrees F

Medium Rare 130 – 135 degrees F

Medium 140 – 145 degrees