I can’t remember what this fish is. I got it last week and put it in the freezer, but I’ve got no idea what it is. I’m guessing… actually I’m not guessing, for the life of me I can’t remember and a quick search has revealed nothing, so come on - please tell me!

Ingredients
2 small pieces of fish (similar to the lame picture on the right)
grapeseed oil
1/2 zucchini, peeled (I mean keep peeling with a peeler to get the slices thin)
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1/2 shallot, cut into strips
6 chives, cut in half
lemon juice
Dressing
teaspoon mirin
teaspoon soy sauce
tablespoon grapeseed oil

Method
Combine zucchini, cucumber, shallots and chives in bowl and squeeze a good bit of lemon juice and one drop of grapeseed oil.

Heat some more grapseed oil in a fry pan and add the fish and a few grains of rock salt. Cook quickly for about 1 1/2 mins on each side. Now, the nerd thinks the dish would taste better if it was all cold and I agree with him. So, leave the fish to cool for about 20 mins.

Then place the greens in the bottom of the bowl add the fish and dress with the ‘dressing’. A super lite entree that leaves you wanting more, just like foreplay.

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I’m going through a Japanese phase at the moment. After reading a book about their diet and all the health benefits, I went on a bit of a shopping spree and got some japanese cookbooks. So we’re eating Japanese around twice a week. As I’m just starting out, it usually only means two to three courses. I can’t quite manage five, even though everything I’ve cooked so far is pretty quick. So tonight was trout followed soup. The trout was great and really took under 30 mins, the soup not so tasty. So I’ve altered the ingredients to what I’m pretty sure will taste much better.

BTW the fish is excellent…

Ingredients
1 Ocean trout - sliced in half
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, cut thinly
1 carrot, cut in half and sliced thinly
a few strips ginger sliced thinly
4 shallots, sliced thinly in strips
oil (I’ve been using Rapeseed Oil)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups dashi*
1 tablespoon cornflour

Method
Stir fry vegetables (minus the shallots) in a little oil for a couple of minutes. You don’t want to let them get soft. Add dashi, sugar, soy and rice wine vinegar. Bring to boil and then simmer. Whilst this is simmering fry your fish. Dust lightly in flour and then put in a pot of hot oil (about 5 cm’s worth). The fish will only take three minutes so you if your timing is skillful you can go straight from simmering sauce to fish. When fish is cooked, transfer to paper towels. Mix cornflour with one tablespoon of water, add to simmering sauce - now do you see where the gooey came from? Cook sauce for another minute or so and you’re done.

Don’t forget for the Japanese presentation is just as important as the food, so transfer the fish to a sexy dish and top gently with the vegetables in simmering sauce.

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Now onto the other dish. Admittedly, this one was not a success, but I’ve altered it so I’m sure next time it will be better. If it still fails just add more meat oh, and sugar, truly, can’t fail.

Ingredients
150g thinly sliced beef
200g udon noodles
2 cups dashi*
2 tablespoons soy
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons mirin
4 shallots sliced thinly
bunch bok choy
sesame seeds

Method
Cook udon noodles in boiling water for about 2 mins or until tender. Drain and divide into two bowls. Heat dashi until boiling, then add mirin, soy and sugar. Turn down to simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer for two mins and then add beef and bok choy. It will take about two mins for that to cook and you’re ready. Pour over your noodles and chuck on some sesame seeds for decoration.

*Dashi (Soup Stock)

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