OK, here’s that sushi. Our regular fish guy is on hiatus, so we’ve been missing him and the superb product he purveys. Feeling the sun-inspired urge for something clean and raw, I went to a nearby store that sometimes has good fish. Good timing; they had both wild Alaskan salmon and sushi-grade ahi. Score.
Since we had leftover brown rice already in the fridge, this was beyond easy. I ran to the garden and massacred some asparagus, pulling up radishes, spinach, scallions, and herbs as well. I cut up a nice fat piece of burdock and set it simmering with water and soy sauce while I did the rest: tuna and salmon maki, each with scallion, sashimi of both fish, and a nice asparagus salad. I like to skin salmon by putting it skin-side down in a hot pan for a few seconds, then peeling the skin off. I chopped the skin into pieces, added it back to the pan, and followed it with the asparagus cut into pieces. Once of a doneness, I pulled it all out and put it in a bowl with a bunch of claytonia (miner’s lettuce) which I planted years ago and has now become a most welcome weed, seeding itself throughout the garden. It’s tender, mild, and the leaves have an elegant spade shape. I dressed the salad with an egg yolk beaten with rice vinegar and miso tamari.
Not much else to report, really. It was simple and good. On an unrelated note, yesterday would have been my Mom’s 65th birthday, so you can read 2008’s post about the dessert I made. Our lilacs are already done this year, due to the very early spring that no doubt harbinges impending global disaster. So we’ve got that going for us, which is nice.
That plate looks incredible. The linked post, and the incredible desserts therein, are an amazing tribute to your mother. I've talked to a few people this season about how the early blooming has thrown off their senses, and the memories linked to them. Especially lilacs. Their smell is particularly evocative.