The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions

8/17/2019 The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions

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Elegant Garnishes for ll ccasions

iroshi Nagashima

Phot ography by

Ken j

i

M

i

u r a


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ONTENTS

lntroJttction

7

PART I

SIMPLE

ACCENTS 11

PART

II

PART Ill

PART IV

Twists Curls

12

Decorative

Knots

16

Refreshing

Accents 2

Food Cups

24

Cucumber

Car

v ing 28

Radish Garnishes 36

KATSURA MUKI

A Traditional Japanese Patte

rn

CUTOUTS

Square

Cuts

54

Pentagonal Cuts

58

Free Cuts

68

Eggplant

Fancy

76

Advanced Cuts

8

FRUITS

RECIPE NOTES TOOLS 97

ndex 0

Recipe Notes 98

Tools

1 8

4

- 53

89


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NTRODU TION

n Japan, taste and visual appeal walk hand in hand to the table.

Home

cooks

and

professional chefs alike pay

attention to

presenta

tion

because

they

consider

it

a large

part of

the

dining

experience.

Visual appeal

h ight ns the

eating experience,

whether

in a five-star res

taurant or at home. A key element

of

this approach is

mukimono the

decorative

food

garnish that

delights

the

eye

by adding

a final flourish

to a dish.

Although

the

art

of

Japanese food decoration has yet to escape the

confines

of

Japan s island culture, with this book I hope to change all

of that. I

hope to bring this new and exciting

\ ay of

treating t()od into

your

kitchen. Food

art

gives me imn1ense pleasure

and

it

can do

the

same for you.

It

can

change the

way you look

at your ~ d a i l y

bread.

It

can bring a new level

of enjoyment

and appreciation into your kitchen.

ou will delight in its playful elegance and visual appeal, and those you

feed will be astonished

by

your creations.

This

book

is all about

bringing

creativity

into your

food practices

and making cooking fun again.

If

working with food is already an inspir

ing activity, the garnishes and decorations in these pages will lead you

in new directions.

They

will allow you

to

add flourishes to your cooking

repertoire

in a

manner

you never considered.

They

will lend a whimsical


6/108

chJrm

to

,·

our

f ~ > o d

in

some

instances,

l l l understated

elegance

in o t h

ers.

~ l o r e

imporrantly,

they

\\ ill

jumpstart your curiosity and send you

o on

new,

unexplored tangents.

The more than sixty

garnishes

range

in scale fi·on1

simple-tnade

in

sccoth.ls-to elaborate, with

every

imaginable level in bet\vccn. tvlany

arc easily mastered.

Others require practice

::md

skill. You ll find

poten

tial uses

t )r

most

of them. All of

them

will shine on

special occasions.

I

k n o \ \ ~

I ve

tested

then1 over

and

over again.

If you

are

presenting your

meal on a single

plate with two

or three iten1s, choose a garnish

appro

priate

in

color, shape,

and taste

for

the collective

food display.

I

dis-

cuss how colors work

on the plate

and ho\v

to combine them

in

various

places

throughout the

book.

If you

are

serving courses, select

a garnish

for each

round-appetizer, soup or

salad,

main course,

dessert. As far

as tools go,

most

garnishes

require only

a

sharp

knife and possibly

a fe,,·

everyday utensils. handful

require

specialized

implements.

But

this collection

of edible garnishes

represents

only the

beginning

of

your culinary journey.

For

over

and

above everything else,

Tbe ecora-

tive ~ 4 r t o

japanese

Food

arving is an idea

book. These pages

O\rerflow

with suggestions

and

inventive ideas

you can use

as springboards

to

e\ en more daring,

more

inventive

decorations or

food

combinations. In

each of these projects, along \Vith

the Recipe Notes

at

the

back,

you ll

find a place

to

flex

your culinary

muscles

and challenge your cooking

skills.

For

starters,

I offer

further suggestions

for n1ost

of the

garnishes.

Instead of

a daikon

radish,

use a

carrot. Instead of

a

lemon,

use a lime

or

an orange or a pink

grapefruit. Instead of the Japanese

pun1pkin I chose

because I

wanted

readers

to

become aware

of its natural

sweetness, use

a local squash

or

a green

pepper or something

else

_you notice

close

at

hand.

You, too, should think in

terms of expanding the

basic idea

of

each decoration

by

trying

it

on

new

f >Ods

around

you.

8


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Next, every garnish in this book can decorate dozens of dishes, no

just the

one

selected.

For

cxan1plc,

I

chose to

incorporate

the Flutter

ing Plun1 Blosson1 on page 62 in a salad, but this delicate garnish could

easily be sprinkled over a leafy green salad, arranged along the edge o

a fish or

steak

dinner,

set elegantly

alongside a slice of cake or, perhaps

floated in a

pitcher

of

lemonade

or

iced tea.

The

combinations are end

less, subject only to the limits of your imagination.

The

art

of Japanese food

decoration

extends back

hundreds

of years

The tradition is long and grand.

But

then, as no\v, it took a \villing hand

and a fertile

mind

to \vork the knife and dress the table in a \\·av

tha

captured the audience,

\vhether they

\vere six or sixty: In

that

respect

not

much

has changed. In another

respect, everything

has changed. The

eager

cook

has so

much

more

at

his or

her

fingertips. An ever-gro,ving

selection of vegetables from around the \vorld can be found at you

grocers or

at

some of

the

specialty shops in to\vn.

Carrots

in hues from

yello\v to red to purple are no\v a\'ailable. Japanese radishes

and

cucun1

bers have traveled across the seas.

Using peppers and

zucchini and othe

vegetables of

varying

shapes

and

colors can be explored. And

if

you

can t find \Vhat you \Vant at your greengrocer's, you can acquire seeds

at your local nursery

or

on line, and grc)\v it in your garden.

For

the

adventurous cook,

truly

these are blessed tirnes. So take

the

ne\v techniques and ideas

introduced

here

and

run with then1 Trans

form the way you think about food. Enhance vour kitchen skills. Play

with

your

n1ca

l

s- thcir presentation, the

shapes of

the

f >ods, and

the

colors on which the eyes can feast. In short, with new \'igor and inspira

tion, create, cat, and enjoy

Hiroshi Nagashima

9


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MPL


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•

Simple

Wl t

. 1 rls

J rond

c a spl..tsh n

t'

( l lur

tlwt t p p c a l

:

till Cll .

•

n J i , thL·

o\·erall.trr:tngcment,

\\ htch

t o t h c c ~ t l i l t t .

· ht·s the J ·tl.tt c. I len-, they g.tnush

three

in turn stlllllt

• l . . .

• • • J ,

1

)t t

inns

nC

h i m i

s

hnmp,

t

un :t,

:md

1

nd n·tull.l

p<

· . . . ,

J , • • which h.n·c het·n st t

111

:1 v:tn:tt ton of the

rcu

~ n . t p p t t ' , , .

· ( ' )t \ f)lttcrn introdun·d

on

page 4H. I hts

~ l o r n tnt?,

1

< • • •

• , •

· ~ · · t l t

ttion will

enhance

.

lll\ u>mhination of

C C i t l l l t p t t ~ l ·

::

· , L t.l J1 t lw J10rtions in the D.ukon

Cups

n. .l

·

. t p J ' l ' l l Z t l ~ . . . .

ll

'I l l

J

t h C ~ t ' CUJ1S 'H t

C.l i thr

lifted\\ tth the

f m g t r

S

:-on.t

) r .

u · · • .

,

111

d eaten

Cut off Vs-inch (3-mm) slivers at a

diagonal.

~ n w i n d

and adjust twist

to

make

the

fmal shape.

Sashim1 Platter

3 Soak the slivers in water for

1

or 2

minutes. The

carrot

will absorb

the

water and

become more pliable.

Cut a 4-inch 1 0-cm) length of car

rot in half lengthwise, then cut off a

length

with a

peeler

.

Y

1

Wind a

carrot

sliver

around

a

thin

stick

a

chopst1ck works well).


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r Asparagus and Potato Appetizer

Tube Curl

The Tube url brings this dish to

life with a simple elegant flourish

lending col

or and movement to

wh

at

would have otherwise been

a linear bla

nd

-looking

pr

ese

nt

a

tion.

Try

s

prink

ling T ube

u

rls

over a

vo ri te

salad or meat

di

sh.

Depe

ndin

g on the

di

sh consi

de

r

using cucumber a red or yellow

carrot or a firm vegetable of

yo ur

choice.

1

Cut a

th

in 2

1

/2-inch 6-cm) stnp from

a carrot with a peeler or knife

Cut

in

half lengthw1se and tr im ends. Soak

in

water for 1 to 2

minutes

to

soften.

2

One

at a time rol l the strips around

a thin stick

at

a

slight

angle,

sh

i

ft -

ing

the

carrot so the edges are not

aligned

with

the

previous layer

of

carrot s you roll.

3 j

The fin1shed shape.


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Japanese not

I

uck and

ed

Snapper o aikon Steak

Oncl again a glazed

carrot

garnish decorates rich foods

and tJntali1es

the

eye.

This

knot-shaped

garnish

was

inspired by an

ancient

traditiona

l

way

of

sending

notes

or missives. Once written

the paper

was folded in to a

long rectangular shape,

then knotted to

form

the dis

tincti\T pentagonal lozenge at

the

center. This

charm

ing garnish adds a splash of color to

any

main course

and here enlivens the more subdued tones of this dish.

It can be made with any similarly textured vegetable,

including turnip and daikon.

Th1s

garnish

can

be made with a

second

layer

of vegetable such as

da1kon.

If

you

choose to use

a

second vegetable prepare as in

step 1, trim to

the

same size,

then

beg1n knot

as

shown.

I Push end through loop

and

Cut

a thm, 4

1

/2-inch (11-cm)

length

from a

carrot then

cut mto

1

h-mch

wide

(1.3-cm) strips. Soak in a

strong

saltwater solution

3 tbsp

salt

to

1

cup/

240 ml water) for 1 to 2 m1nutes.

pull

and

shape

to

finish.

R1nse

off the

saltwater

17


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Knotted Ribbon

Here a thick,

juK

\ slice

of daikon

ra

dt

sh c rea tes an

island, breaks up

the

solid red field , and a pla t

form to displa)

1

sampling of

cgct

.1hlc - including the

edible Knotted Ribbon garnish. The u k o n .

wd

c.1rrot

add visu.1l appeal to\\ hat \\ould

orhcrwisc

havc been a

fc.>rgettablc presentation.

Notice,

too, ho\\ t hc orange

of the

carrot nice )

bridges the

red

of

the

soup and the

startlmg i t n s ~ of the radish. Tr this technique

ith other

\oups

to

confound the expectations

of

your

diners.

I Beet Soup

Cut a

t h i ~

6-inch length 15 em)

of

carrot, sltce off thm lfa-mch strands

2-3 mm), then soak in saltwater

3

tbsp salt to 1 cup/240 ml

wat

)

for 1 to 2

minutes.

er

2

Bring one end

around

and over the

other to

make

a loop, then push the

strand

through the loop.

3

1

Pull

the

strand from the middle to

form

the

final

loop

as

the

knot

t1ghtens.

-t

The finished garn1sh. Be sure to rinse

off

the

sa ltwater. Part of the charm

of this decoration

lies in 1ts uneven

• ends.


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I

From

the end

of

a

lemon

Simple Square

PerhJps the

eJsiest

of all the garnishes, the Simple Square can be fash

ioned from a fruit or vegetable of your choice.

As

such,

it

has endless

possibilities. Use one or more squares made from the peel of a lemon

orange, or lime for a cup of tea, or s an accent alongside a piece of pi

or a scoop of ice cream. On the next page larger squares made from

cooked zucchini do

double duty

(as do many of

the

garnishes in this

book ,

in

this

case as

the

meal s veggie

and

as a decorative bed for

Spiny Lobster.

...

shave

off

a section

of

the

peel leaving

the

pulp behind.

3 I Cut into

squares


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Covered Food Cup

A t.mtalizing mouthful of game meat

set

on

a

\\t:dgt.: of

f r t ~ h

l i m ~

m:lkes

fod

f:w:>ritc suc h as shrimp, scallop, or crab.

Just

a sprig of parsley

or

other

lc

:

1

t)

r

green

brings

this

t >Od

cup to

lite.

(;roup

togt.:ther on a

pbtter >r a centerpiece dispbv. Try

oranges

and lemons and mix


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Tulip Cup

The deep reservoir of the Tulip up lends itself to

endless food combinations from appetizers to salads to

a small palate-cleansing scoop of sorbet. Choose some

thing

that

blends visually with the lemon. Tulip Cups

are also perfect for shrimp cocktails avocado salad

or

many other meal starters. Try making these cups with

limes oranges or pink grapefruit or a festive combina-

tion

of

two or three colors.

Insert three skewers just

above the halfway point

of

the

fruit

to

form a

triangle

Make

two

more cuts to

form the last 2 petals and

complete the triangle

2 Make a steep curving ut

from one skewer

to

the

next to

form

a

lip of the

tulip

petal

f Remove

the

peel and

make a shallow ut on

the underside of each

petal to define the

shape

Set skewers in fruit as shown

just above

the

halfway point

Marinated Salmon with Olive and nion


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Pumpkin Jewel Box

Thi

s edible g:trnish takes

advant age of th


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Salmon, Cheese, and Cucumber

Switchback Cut

The petit, crisp J.lpanesc cucumber is idc.dl ~ u i t e d for

rrarnisht s ~ l l l appetizers,

as it is

ca'>\' to cut .md

can be

;atcn r a ~ 1fcrc it is

paired

f(>r

texture and

co lor

, ,ith

·alnwn and cheese,

but t h e ~ ttchback Cut could

\\ork

equally

,,ell with small portwns of

'>,lrd

me, sliced ham,

slircrs of b ~ o n seasoned

with par-,lq,

.md so

on.

~ u b -

sritttte

carrot or other crispy

,·eggic.,

for the

cucumber.

1

3

Cut a 2-inch S-cm) length from a

cucumber.

Cut at a diagonal to

the cut

made in

step 2.

Pull

apart.

2

6

Poke the knife

through the

middle

1 inch 2.5 em), leaving

1

/2

inch

1.3

em) on each side.

Keeping the cucumber on

the

cut-

ting board roll it 180 degrees and

make

a

second

cut.

The

finished garnish. You can create

different effects by varying the cuts

in steps 3 and 4


28/108

nd shape

to

forM two

minicups

nd

iG k in

w ter

for 2 or

3 minuiBs

garm

1

The finished

s


29/108

Dancing

Crane

. . lKUlllbcr is s

liced

and twis ted to create an image of a

p n e ~ t L · .

· . J tl pin

::. > •

I

.

1

J .

1

nnin

course

of meat ftsh, or poultry. Here when

or a o n g ~

Lh.. • •

.

·I

,d .

1

top

a cht>rr\

tomato

for

a simple

finger

food,

the bird

t L

1< :

• • .·

. ,

1

s

· r·

1

ken one

step

further.

unage •

1

In a 1-inch (2.5-cm)

length

of

cucumber, make a series of fine

cuts, leaving the last

a

inch

3

mm)

untouched. For even

cutting

l

ay

skewers

or

chopst1cks

on

each

side

of the cucumber

to

stop

the

blade.

2 1

Make an incision th rough two-thirds

of

the

section. Soak in a weak

sa

l

twa

ter

solut

i

on

(1 tbsp salt

to

1 cup/

240 ml water) for 1 minute then rinse

and

wrap

in a cloth to draw off the

rest of

the

water.

Leaf

Boat Canape

Hne

the decorative garnish is

h lf

of the offe

rin

g W

ith

its ligh t

and relatively neutral tas te, th e Japanese cucumb

er

prov ides a won-

derful base

for

any foo d combin

atio

n you

cou

ld thi nk o

f ·w

h

et

h

er

.

it involves seafood, meat poultry cheese,

or

e\·en , say, a vegetable

pate Try making this garnish w

ith

raw or parboil

ed car

r

ot.

Cucumber and

Tomato

with

Orange Dressing

Ge

nt ly spread and shape

to

create

the Dancing Crane.

Crab and Cucumber Canape

Topped with Salmon

Roe

l

Cut a cucumber in half

l e ~ g t h w i s e then

mto

2

-lnch S-cm) lengths.

Ftnely score each piece

stoppmg

about

1

.13

1nch

(3 rnm) from

the bottom

.

Set skewers or chopsticks

along the s1des of

the

cucumber

to

stop

the

blade,

If

necessa

2 1

Cut

in half lengthwise

then

soak in a weak salt

water solution for 1 or

3

Shape each side of

the

boat to

make

the

narrow

point of

the

bow.

Lt

I

Bring

the two

halves

together

and

finish

shaping.

2 mtnutes,

then

rinse

and

dry

as in

step

2

of

the

Dancing

Crane.


30/108

er Rings an_d

Twigs

hen

one

J r n . . h is

cnconlp,l

:,Sl

ll in

the

di sh

it

opens

th e door t o

second

lr

:1rnish,

in

thi

s

c:1 c \ T CU

l

c

T wiu_: . Th e C uc umber Rin

gs a

dd

" " ' ~

,-

.

.J

:

nt l l l d

:1

~ ~ : c o 1 1 1 . . i

hue

to the

cr

epes .

The

multi

c

olored twi

gs

c

ontrib

-

.1 pby ul

tou ch :111d :1 r:1inbo\\

o( n:

llur

:

tl colors.

For

a colorful sa lad

s i m i l

dish,

consider

stringmg

,1 sm.dl chain

of rings

or

\ Cl•


31/108


32/108

Cork

crew

dae pr i h u incorporated into the

a . - - M e ~ ~ ~ ~ w i m a o W D ~

~ ~ ~ ~ r e

tuftiap with

their

·

ddlpt Dith caD

be

_

ok

cucumber

whil

mew-

br .d o

make

spiral-

lllgawt aaw

. . . . . .


33/108

Cucu n

ber Basket

' 'his ch n

ming

bas

ke t s

hape

is

inspired hy

the tra

diti

on

ll b.unboo

basket,

a

sight

once comnwn throughout

Japan.

Here

the cucumber boats carry

sardines

in two Jitlt.-rcnt sauces-

tomato and

orange.

Vhcthcr using seafood,

poul

tr),

meat, or, s.1y slivers of mushroom,

the challenge for the cook is

to

fill the

basket-;

i th comp

l

ementary sa

uces

that create

a

picturesque mosaic

of color.

Start

with

a 3-inch 7 .S-cm) length

of

cucumber. Cut a 1 .3-inch-wide

8-mm)

handle in

the

center

of

the

cucum

ber. The blade

should

penetrate

about

one-third of

the

cucumber.

2

1

Turn the cucumber

cylinder

on its

side and

trim away the top

half

of

basket on

both sides

of the handle.

Carefully carve

out

the underside of

the handle, hollowing

out

one

side

and

then

... turning

the

basket around and

finishing the other. This is

delicate

work, so

proceed

cautiously.

Make incisions

to

mark

out

the

inte

nor of the

basket

and

then

. . . carefully

scoop

out

to

make a

cavity.

3

6

JSardines

in

Two Sauces

Trim

the

bottom so

the

basket will be

stable.

Decorate

the

handle, supporting

the

underside with a

finger

if necessary.

9

I

The finished basket

35


34/108


35/108

Jewe

ed

Rad

ish

All

three of the radish

garnishes hLT are

simp

le

to

tllakc.

Of the three, perhaps the Jeweled Radish is the

most elegant.

The et1cctive usl of

the startling con-

trast between the

red

skin .md

the wh

ite

flesh is

what

gives the

garnish its charm.

The

tl chn

i

que

is

equa

lly

attractive with other

\ egetab

les or

fruits

t h

at

offer

such colorful

contrasts.

Note ho\v

the green top

has

been pruned

back

but not discarded for

an

additional

tlourish.

1

1

Trim

the

bottom of a radish then

with a

fine edged

knife

or

cuttmg

instrument make a V-

shaped

cut in

the center of the radish

to

create

one facet of the mirror ball.

Continue around the center of the

radish until

you

have completed one

row of cuts.

Make

a second

row

at the top

of

the

rad1sh

Complete the cutting with a third

row along the bottom.

5 Trim excess leaves from the top

greenery

to

finish

or

cut away

1

completely

if

desired.


36/108


37/108

Rosebud

The Rosebud is another ch:trrning radish

Tarnish that

rew.u·ds

the 11 tent

iv

cook with

tT 'C


38/108


39/108

KATSURA MUKI

Traditional apanese Pattern


40/108


41/108

Cut a to 6-inch 1 0

to

15-cm)

length from the widest part of a

daikon

rad1sh.

Hold

the rad1sh w1th

your left hand and slide

the

edge of

a sharp knife evenly into

the

daikon.

While rotating the daikon,

cut

away

the skm and tough outer portion.

Discard and then slip the knife into

the trimmed daikon

Cut slowly and steadily.

2 ...

and while rotating

the

daikon

with

your left fingers and guiding it

with your

thumb,

cut a thin, continuous

sheet of daikon (about 1 16

inch/

1 mm)

by

gently moving

the

knife up and

down

in a sawing

motion.

Move the

b l

ade

up and back in 1 2-inch (1-cm)

Increments. T

he rotating

should do

most of the cutting.

Work

to

find

your

own rhythm.

5

1

With pract1ce,

you'll

be able

to cut

a

I

consistently thin, translucent sheet.

Cut until the

d1ameter of t

he

da1kon

1 sect1on 1s reduced to 1 inch (2.5 em).

3 The thumb of your l

eft

hand wi

ll

slide

over the blade. Pull it back, rotate,

and cont1nue

to

cut.

6

Carefully role

up the

daikon shee_.

Seal

it

in plastic wrap

to

prevent 1

1

from drymg out.

NOTE: When thinly cut, a large daikon

radish with a

diameter

of

4

inches

{1

0

em

will yield a daikon sheet of 16

to

22 yards

(15

to

20m)

43


42/108


43/108


44/108

White Lily

This garnish

evokes an

immediate

sense

of

elegance

when set in a tall flute glas


45/108


46/108

1

Mo

:1·

ng

Glory

\\ 1th

1

pu..,h, It·\\

snips, .md J sprig

n

grccnl ry,

these

rolled egct.1blc cups

.Ire

1

. t n s f ~ l l · r n c d

nto

the verY im.t1 C of a J\1orning , l o r ~ . 1\ dd ,t pl.tl t

el

.

or

more

del or.tt j re . tl ~ s o r y

.md

)

ou lt,t\ l 1

s lt l l l -

n ~ · r.

1

hlc ~ e r r i n g , or \\ith more

llo\\CI s, .1

.

ccn t

cr

p iu:c.

1

\

v:tri:ttion

o

t h is

gar

n ish

:1ppt. trs o r1

J

):wc 3 minu :; th e in:d sn ips to dt ·lin c: tt c th t pct.

tl

s

of (he

tl

o \\ cr.

From a tightly rolled daikon sheet

(page 43) cut

off

a

1

/2-inch-thick

(1.3-c

m

round.

2

Push out

gently

at

the

center,

being careful to spread the layers

even ly . . .

3

I ·

o make the Morning Glory base.

Make four shallow cuts at the lip

to

complete a

pen

tagonal f lower.

5

Th · fmt hed flower

48

I

apaya and Salmon Roll, As

pa

ragus and

Pr

osc 1utto

Roll, Tuna Sash11ni and Japan

ese

Long O

ons


47/108


48/108

•

Zu

-chi

with Pad

~ o t

le

T he z ucchini

B o ~ t

1

s .lllothcr .unplc of .1 fooJ g.tt-

nish th.

1

t nuJc

i th

little ctlort but

Jclights

\\ it h

- ,,

it s seemin g

C l

mpl cxit

y:

\

I

cnlort

ul

H p . 1 ~ s c g c r s

is done he re and the o m to lit

l>.

Th

l fim- .md cook's cha

ll

enge i s

in

findin

g an appr

op

ri .He t

lw

t Jnd nf hi s or her choice.

I

Su

shi Balls

with

Sprig of

Ginger

. . . trim the

top

and

bot-

tom

Cut the top and

bottom

into thirds

as

shown.

Zucchini Rolls

Here the Zucchini Rolls provide an

edible

decorative base for tasty

morsels of

beef but

of course the idea lends

itself to

numerous

possibilities. An

ongoing

theme in

these pages

is

to

combine a succulent morsel of food with

something simple yet substantial such as

zucchini. Use your imag

ination

to provide

additional toppings,

or to supplant

the

zucchini with a

new vegetable.

Peel the zucc

h1n

i.

Cross

two

outside strips

Repeat on the other end .

Trim

ends of the

zucchini

then c

ut

into 1-inch-thick

2 .5 em d iscs.

Prime

R1b

Cubes over Sauteed Zucchini

50

I

ut it into

long stnps.

3 Stack and

7

I The

f inished Boat.

Cut

to

make sw1rling

pattern.

3

I

Saute or serve raw


49/108


50/108


51/108

UTOUTS


52/108


53/108

Diamonds

rhe

Rough

•

,,,_ ut \'l'l'l't.lbk e.Kh l ~ o n c in

\ \ t lf l l l l f, \. :

I

. 1 . . r o t h

dc 't

ll .

ll l' uccu

kn

t

pork

dt h.

:t 11( l.

I '

.. I · , J

1

,

r·ttl

md edible,

tlll

' 'e geome t r ic

~ p t • r , . . . <

lend rhem,cln·s t t endless ' he

t her

cooked

r

l \

, 'tmst kr lHhcr

ycget.

1bk

combin.

ltion s. Ib n

.

or • ' •

a ('hiiJ lw shuns

hc

lrhy tt)ods?

C.

1n

·c up

som e

car-

t

•.

111

J

ot

hcr n•

(Yl'r

ies, st>as

on

th

em in

a child-friendly

ro

.

t •

manner .md

you nuy

turn .1 , ·ege t.lblc ha ter into

a

, eget.thlt> lon·

r.

.. .

rim

to

clean

up

the

shape if necessary.

6

he basic cube shape.

Peel a

J

r

rot

and tnm the

ends

3 Lay f lat,

then beg

in

tr

i

m-

mtng

stdes

to

make a

cube.

7

C

ut

off

a

corner

as

shown .

Steamed Pork with

Mustard Sauce

Cut the remaining

7 corners.

The fin shed D1amond.

Cut off a 1-m

ch

2 S-cm)

block

Cut the fourth side to ftn-

i

sh

the cube and . . .

The corner should be cut

to

t

he

halfway

point

along all

3 edges.


54/108


55/108


56/108


57/108

Making

a Pe

ntago

n

Shape

. ·igh t tT,trni s hes u sc: t he pe n

tago

n .1> a la un ch mg paJ .

\Vtth

vet\

he

next t ~ ' ' . . .

· t ·ce you be able to nus te r t he b .l ') l C stc:p c; o u tlull d herc: usc

J trlC prat

I ' . . . . . ,

1

.

I

-t

o-make

p.1per

g

utd

e bc:cau ...,c 1t

tu

r ns

.m extremely dlfTicult

the sunp c _ ,. •

. tc)()lproof one. 1C u t tm g a p e r

fect

p ent agon tn:eh.md ts harder

tJ: k tnt l

.

l

ght think )

If

\O l l don t

h .w c t

im

e

to

m a kc: o ne

of the

tTar-

rhan vou I l l < • • •

n

. . .

thts se

ctiOn, c

on

s

tder

)

lunn

g

o

ff

s liC

es from

th

e

pentagon

and

ntsho Hl

them on or .1round t h e food .

.1rrangtng

2 bring around one end to make a

loop.

Your paper

model

should look like

this

Cut

a

sectJ

f

us

ng

on

rom

the food

you

are

3 Pass on e end

through the

loop.

Trim both

end

s of paper to make

pentagon.

Pla

ce

th

e paper p e

nt

agon on

t

op

and

trim

th

e sides to make a

pentagon

1 I First take a strip

of

paper and

Lt I Pull tight until all

of

the paper

passes

1

through the loop and flatten.

7

I

The fin1shed pentagon.

Fmished pentagon and paper guide.

59


58/108


59/108

plum Blossom

-

of

the brandie d ca rr

ot

s

J • • o r e ; r

unuet:;L h ·l

·1

l

, Sit

(

tht. blossom s t tnner, p.n 101

,

.u1<

I . .

J,

·

cs

•

l

, . • .

l

J

...

.

.

1

~ n h d

for

Jn

ent1re \ ttlerent effec t .

·t1kk

m·cr

• · · ·

..

. inscribe a small

c rcle

in

the

cen-

ter by pressing down

or

drawing a

circle.

I Carve

out the triangles.

f

1

Carv .

e around

the

Circle to finish .

3

Your plum blossom in progress

should

look

like this.

Make the plum blossom shape on

the facing page, then with any round

tool at your disposal

With the fine point

of

a knife or pick,

inscribe the five points.

Each

should

point to the center of a petal.


60/108


61/108

Chinese

Bellflower

the hnwsc Bclltlo cr c

n

g

. .

. .

111

jm.WI11·lt

j ,

c

a \

to

0 l

,

:. >

•

t

l t

.

111

pyr.unid of t h r ~ If

you

ish to

rake it one step turthcr, hollo

out rhe center tth

.1

')tnall

cooki

e-

cutter - hape and

fi

ll with a toppin

g

oi

your

cho ice honey, mou ss e, jam,

or fresh

crushed berries.

I Sweet Potato with Blueberry Mousse

Cut off a

5

ct

IOn of

potato .

Then from th

the inciSIOn

c ~ r n e r

cut back

to

shape.

Re

m k ~ n g

half

of

the

petal

then tu P

at

vmh the other 5 'd

rn

over d s1 es

of each petal. an make other half '

2

Make

a paper pentagon (page 9)

then

cut

the

potato into a pe ntag o-

, nal shape .

Cut pe ta ls to th is shape.

3 As was done for

the

plum blossom

on page

60,

make an incision at

the halfway point, this time

1

.. t inch

1

(3 mm)

deep.

The finished Bellflower. Cook with

care

so as not

to distort

the

shape.

63


62/108

Two

-Ply Cherry Blossom

I

1 • . . ··I

1

• •

1

w s

t o J ~ } I Jere, boiled h r i m p a ltern:lt c..;s

wit

h

U ~ t d p r o p c r \

s . , . .

· J 11 . k . I ·

tltnon

·md ki wi ll

>t

· an ev e-ope

nlll

g dts

pl

ay. I ts

sautceo s

ea op,

o

' • • • . •

I

• · · ~

111

[

1 111

·ttions St·tck bi te-s ize pt

ec

es

of y

our

l :n •

on t

e fo

od

s

onlvonco o u n t L ~ U • · · · · . · . _

. I I I . ( H H . .

t ( > l

c a ~ \ \

l ' l l

Ihcw ht t

e

ot the

bet \\ l L 11 t

1c..; ..

ossom s • l

blossoms

:

di

m'

..

l

>r

.1

ide

co

lor

p:dc t

1

Make the

pentagon

shape

on page

59, then make a l tE-tnch-deep (3-mm)

incision in

the

mtddle of a side.

From the corn

er

cut

to

the bottom

of the incision with a curving motion.

Repeat on the 4 remaining sides.

Turn the carving over and repeat to

finish peta ls

2

I

Make

a

shallow

notch

in each

petal.

Carved Cherry

Blossom

~ u t petals

to th

is shape, mak

mg the notch

in step 2 after

al

the

petals have been formed

3

1

This is

the

baste cherry blossoi T

shape.

Make

a

th

in cut acro

ss

the

face

of the blossom

abo

ut a m

ch

3

mm

thick, but do not

cut

ali the

way through.

Make a second cut at

the

1 4 inch 6 mm) mark

to

fmtsh

the

blossom and the

second layer.

NOTE: Refer

to

the

plum

blossom shape

on

page

60

for the general cuttmg prin

ciples behind this

garnish.

Carve and cook the

pota

to, st

ac

k it att rac

tiv

ely and add a second

fo

od as is done

here, or simply se r

ve

the potato alon

gs

ide th e main course, whe

ther

meat, fish,

poultry, or a vegetarian dish. Sub sti tute ca rrot , da ikon, or any fibrous yegetable.

:Master this garnish and it will add a ch

ar

ming touch to any meal.

64

Carve out

the

basic cherry blossom

shape, then make a shallow incision

and cut along the face of one petal

to a depth of

1Ja

inch 3 mm) to the

~ d g e

of

the

next

petal, slowly

bring-

ang

the

blade back

to

the surface.

2 I Continue with

remaining petals.

3 Cut

off

blossom and repeat. Cook to

taste.


63/108

.;1;


64/108


65/108


66/108


67/108

Carved

Leaf

Cluster

\ s

3

opening .th·o

to

a dinner

th.H

"ill

delight

the

palate

and

the

l

, Ted J eaf Cluster al o find

sen·

icc .ts.

garnish

for salads

\

e, . . • ,

hot

dishc, )

,1s p.tghct t 1, or even

:1

Ic.tk -. nd -bake l-

potat

0

cnm-

binati1111

pl.ttl'.

\d

I green .md yl'lln\\

squ.1sh or

nth


68/108

Toast

and

Vegetable

Hors

D oeuvre

Petalled

lossom

singly easily

to

make, this cherry blossom pat-

\\ Orks well for single place settings

or

as a group

on a large platter. Each flower was cut from

piece

of

thickly sliced

a six-petalled de

ign, make slimmer petals.

5 Cut

a paper-thin slice

about

1

/ 16

inch - 2 mm)

thick.

3

Notch the top of the

petal

6

Run

along

the edge of

a knife

to

curl, pressing

lightly

with

your thumb

Soak in

water

. While the

vegetables

are soaking,

cut the bread

into larger

petals, following the shape

in step 4.

I

Cut

off a d sc of daikon

and carrot, peel, and

then cut in half.

2

Cut both

sides to form

an

oblong petal shape as

shown.

Your peta l should look

like

th

is.

A finished petal.


69/108

Slice

d Leaf

Cluster

' rhL· Iight , ,

til

) f

_·c

Jill

g

of

this g: trnish \\'

OIHI<

·rr11JJ y

I

S Jioht l ~ u J SUCh :ts l hi

: ;

g< ·l:tt ill

d<

SS l'J't l

c

o p t

.

~ ' '

. . . .

' 'he

Lc

.tf

< 111 s tcr

s

fc

:

tt

hcry l'lcg:tiH h:ts

ll l : ll l y

:tppl

i


70/108


71/108


72/108

Cookie-Cutter Pattern:

Cherry Blossom

Cookie

c u t t e r

can \\ork nwgic

111

.t f ·,, sec

ond s.

Look

fi >J·

mo re ad u

lt

t h e m e ~

like the

CherT\

Blo

o m

in the d.tikon di sh here

or

th e Stw wfL kc

•

p.lttrrn

in ~ t e p

2

0:o m:tttcr wh.tt cookie-cutter p.tt tern you choose,

th

e

key to

find an

attr

.tctivc

.sh

:tpl·. For

nl\\

\ l get:thlc

s

c

arrot

zu

cc

hini

and ~ u c h nwh

sure

)rou

choose a

strong

cutter with :1 t r J

edge

. ualit y

. .

kitchrn cut tcrs, or the

Jap.mcsc

cookie cut t

cr.s

shown

here and

in

the

Tool

.section H the h.tck nf the

book

, can

cut

through thicker

slabs o vegetable.

For

thinner

cookie cutters consider p.trhoiling and l s o n i n

your f Jod

bct(,re cutting. For an additional flourish, top your

t >od

with

small

gar-

n i s h c ~ such as the ariation

of

the

Carved

Leaf

Cluster

(page 69)

or the

t r v e d

Cherry Blossom (

page 64) .


73/108

Parboiled aikon with Tomato Sauce

a

hen using a cutter

for

a

sheet of

food as in

th

cheese tofu

here

make

your

cuts as

ose

to the

edge

and

the

previous cut

as

possible.


74/108


75/108


76/108


77/108


78/108


79/108

I

cllffcn

I

l ,

Maple

Leaf

A estive

cornucopia of glazed

maple

leaves,

fruit and

assorted

clelicacies

lace

s the whipped

cream

accompaniment

for

this

pen tea-flavored dessert. As

with

every

other

item in

this section, this garnish goes well on salads,

vegetable

clilhes, and other hard foods. Consider a

similar

setup for

J8Ul

favor

ite cake or pie. The

carrot

leaves are glazed

to

give

diaD

a

su

btle sweetness

appropriate

for

de

s

sert

the Recipe Notes for page 73 ) . 1

Make the pentagon shape

on page 59, then clip off

t

he

bottom corners.

L l

0

b f . 5 I The finished shape.

'T o ottom cuts o ow1ng

the

pattern

.

ote that

incisions will not

go

as

deep.

2

Carve the

top

of the leaf

first. The

deepest

top cut

between po1nts should be

about , 6 1nch 4-5 mm .

tf desired,

add

more

detail

to

the leaf.

81


80/108

olly

Leaf

This pnpubr

hcnch d e ~ s e r t

o m e ~

to

life with

t hi -

h o l l y s h ~ t p c d

garnish, the powdered

s u g ~ t r

completing

the

festive hnlid.t\ theme.

The llolh I .c:t

could garnish

atw

f ~ l l

or

\\

111

t

l.·stt\

1 Y

fi·om

Than bgivmg t lnough

.

.

the

Jl \\

ye.H.

;

l ve

t H·

desserts.

ut

a small,

1

/4-inch-thick 6-mm)

piece from a zucchini. W ith a food

carving

tool or

a

hollow

t u

be

,

begin

mak ng U-shaped

cut

s.

Y

I

ut

in

half.

I

Mont Blanc

82

2

I

Make

cuts

along

the other side.

51pread

to

finish.

Tnm

to

make the stem of the Holly

Leaf.


81/108


82/108

Butterfly

~

I ht l charm inn but terfh

adult i ltke 111 much the s .1mc \\

,

1\

as

an

enchanting

animated fe.lttllT

(tim. Combuwd tt h c: tke,

pudding,

or jello, or et on :1 dmner

plate of nw

.

tl

:tnd pol.ttoe.,,

dccor.ltiOn \\ tl le ltc tt delight from one liH.I .til. l •or

desserts, t t is

gl.vcd.

Cut

the

bottom

off at an

uneven angle then cut

the

stdes.

cut to

the

center

po int from both sides.

1 Cut

one wing by

mak

ing an inctsion close

to but

not all

the

way

to the bottom. Make a

second incision

to form

a second wing. Cut

all

the

way

through to

separate

the butterfly

from the pack. Repeat.

Your

carrot should look

like this.

Carve the

back side of

the wing.

Spread

the

wings and

gently push the

front

inward slightly until

it

overlaps. This will keep

the wings

open.

1

1

Cut a round slab from a

peeled

ca rr

ot

then halve.

Make

an inciston

to form

the antenna.

Make

an

angled

incision

on

the

bottom.

I

apanese Pumpkin Pudding

84

The butterf ly shape to

be carved

Cut

the

top

of the wings

ustng the sketch

as

a

gutde. Make the center

tnc tston first then

Your butterfly-in-progress

should look like this.


83/108

I Roll Cake

Gingko Leaf

The

lu,-,cious,

fanciful

curves

of

the

Gingko Leaf

gar

nish

l l o w ~

tor many applications. Here,

it appears

atop a de ert otfering,

the

only

s p l ~ h

of

brightnes

among two shades

of

white. Perfect for carrot

cake (natural1y ) and a

roster

of

other

sweets.

For

dessert u e, the

Gingko

Leaf garnish was glazed

with sugar

and

Cointreau

(see the Recipe 1

otes

for

page 73). To decorate a 1

Cut a l -tnch-th1ok (2 .5-an)

round from a peeled car

rot

and

make two

curved

cuts with a food carving

ch1sel (or small

spoon or

kmfe)

to start

the curves

at

the base of the leaf.

Make the second one

hi

gher

than the

first.

dish for a formal

1

nch

or

dinner, con ider sprin-

kling on a combination

of

gingko and maple leave .

S At

th

s

p

nt the garn1sh

shou d oo I e

th1s

2 Make a stra1ght cut to

the edge of

the carrot to

form

the

leaf stem.

6 Tnm

the

stem to make t

thmner.

3

Make a shallow cut

in

the

center of

the

carrot about

1

/4 inch 4 mm) deep.

7 Cut off thtn leaves until

f1mshed,

or make two-p

leaves by cutt ng to the

top

of the stem th

m

e

a

second

C ut a

way th-:oug


84/108


85/108


86/108


87/108

RUITS


88/108

Swan Basket

The elegant yet simple fotm of a 111

floating on

the

.1tcr \\ d I dcltgh d crs ol

a

ll

age.

Stacked

ms1ck

1 >

s lt n :d kt\\ 1 fi·lll

t,

hut other

c c d

ln11ts, .dternatmg or .t l

onc,

\\ork

equ.1ll) \\ell

\\1th

th

1s

\l 't 'iatdc

g:

trlllsh.

Or tt \ a lund fu l of hole q 1 , l \\ bt:t 1 ie > .ltld

chcntl''>. h>r :1 ch tld p.u

t),

mdi' idua l s\\ .m

cornucopi.l'> (ilk d cookie >, chocoLltc'>, or

c.mdtc-. cou ld

de

\ ate \ O

ll

to h

er

o or th e day.

I Stacked Kiwi Fruit

_

\ t

t he ' en leas t, you \\ill

have a en '\\ o( n n >

lt t

s

fic

d

pa r t ) For color

\ r ~ t r) J ptnk. gr.lpe

frmt

or large orange.

f Make a cut on each side

to

the other

two skewer

s

each

of

wh1ch ma rks the

high

point

of the wi

ng

s.

7

Complete the circle by

cutting the

ztgzag feath

ers

for the

second

wing

.

St1ck 3 skewers 1nto the

f r

uit as

shown,

forming

a

triangle around

the

upper

th1rd

of the

fru1t.

The back of

the fruit

will

be

carved 1n this pattern

B

Lift

the

top half off.

Scoop

out

the

fruit

to

use

here or later.

Begin cuttmg JUSt under

a skewer.

Where the

line

passes under

the

skewer

will

be the

crown of

the

b1rd s head.

5 Cut the

zigzag pattern

for

the

feathers

at the

back of one wing, then

dip

down to make the

low

U-shaped cut.

9

Make notches in

the wing

that

expose the white

pulp

underneath .

3

Remove the skewer and

carve out the head, d1ps

and upper

edge of

the

wings.

1

Make the zigzag cuts for

the

tail feathers.

The fmished Swan he

shape of your btrd m ll

vary depending

on

tM

circumference of

the

fruit.


89/108


90/108

Serrated Cup

Pinched for time

hut

need

.lddt ttotul

flourish

at

the

dinner

tabid h t ~ serr.ncd ti

-ull

l a ~ t

t \ 1 >)

to make. Add orcd

jell),

.lS here,

or

I scoop

o

Il l

cream

ith

nuts

.md \\h tppcd cre.tm,

or

lor s

tmpk

el

egance

,

a

mt

\

-e

nding

sc

oop

or

so

rbet

.

Fre

sh

p.tpaya

\\ith

a splash or lemon

and

strawberries .md \\hipped

cream is .1

crowd

-ple:1scr any

Jay

of the eck. .

I Papaya and Crushed Gelatin

92

Insert skewers in the center of both

ends s vtsual remmders to stay

tn

the

center s you

cut. Make a

ztgz

, cut

around one

side. 9

Continue to cut in a zigzag pattern

l l the way around the fruit.

3 I Pull the halves apart.

- I

Scrape

out

the seeds and rinse the

fruit.

5 I

T

he

finished garnish.


91/108

fruit Basket

dible

garnishes

i: . one of the

thenH.·.., of

t i ~

hook

.llld it

is

cdwul

here

Jt

h this carved

p 1pa\ 1

b.1slct.

Select bctrics and ot

ht:r hun

not onh

)r

taste but for co lor. 1\Llkc u

sc

o( the.: freshest sca..,onal

ti·uit.

\

dab

of

h1ppcd

cn:.tm

1

optwnal.

h o o ~ e

t

1

IJ

1

ldc-hoJH:d

.

1

~ e r n : tth .1 s m ~ d dessert fi>rk.

pJpa:· ·

,

Trim the top

of the

fruit.

3 On the other stde

of

the fruit insert

another

skewer where

the

bottom

corner

of

the same side

of the handle will be.

it .

remove the

wedge.

you want to serve

the

frhUit

peeled as shown in

t

f .

e tntshed Frui t Basket

th I

en

peel

at

thts stage.

2 Find the midway

point

between

the top and

bottom

and

stick in a

skewer. This will mark

a bottom

corner

of the

handle.

Y

Make a cut

at

the center

of the

fruit

to

the

skewers.

8

1

Before cutttng

the

other

side carve

the

understde

of the handle for a ntcer

shape if desired.

Skewers should

be

placed to

mark

out the

bottom corners

of the

handle first

two

on

the

left side then on the right.

5 Turn the fruit over and

reposition

the

skewers

to

mark the other two bot-

tom

corners

of

the handle

then

repeat

step

4.

9

Repeat steps 6 and 7

for

the

other

side then

remove all the seeds. If

the fruit has a thick wall

you may want

to

notch

the

handle If you do so

support the handle

as

you

cut

and

proceed carefully

so

as not

to break the

handle or cut yourself.

Papaya

Dessert

Basket w1th

Berries

6 I Make a vertical cut to

1

carve

out

one stde

of

the

handle and . . .

10 I

The finished garnish.

93


92/108

Carved Bird Basket

If you re looking to

fl

ex yo

ur

crea ti ve

mu

s

cl

es,

th i

s baske t \\ Jt h 1ts

layere

d

ings is

the

wa)

to

go. A single bird

c

an

serve

doub

le

Jut

)

as J. centerpiece an in t im

ate

for t \\o , \\ b ile a flock wdl

le,n·e diners \\ide-ey

ed

i h lma/e mcn t . A peel

ed

melon a

nd

large

a

pp

le a

re

..,hown he

re

.

Fill

nh

fruit

balls

or


93/108

3

17

From

the rema1n1ng half

of the

fru1t

carve

out

a

wedge to make a sec-

ond

pa1r

of

w1ngs.

Cut a V shaped

notch

for the

head

and

shoulders.

Insert

the head-and

shoulder portion into

V shaped notch.

lY

Cut

out the wedge

at

the

angle shown nearer

and pointing

to the

front

of

the bird.

Insert the

notched

wings back into the

body and arrange

then

add

the

second

pair of wings on top.

2 0

I

he

finished Bird

Basket.

Cut

a smaller

wedge

and .

Melon

ird asket

16

cant nue

to cut v

smal er

wedges

Repe t

on the

othe

s

de


94/108


95/108

RE IPE NOTES TOOLS


96/108

NOTE:

The

recipes

for Japanese ine Sauce

can

be

found in

the

entry for page 14, for

Glace

on

page 73.

PART I

SIMPLE

ACCENTS

I STS CURLS

Sash im Platter

PAGE

l I

For a sashimi combination , set out

soy sauce and

w s bi

horseradish,

or mix the

two up

ahead

of

time and

sprinkle over

the

hors d oeuvres

just

before serving.

Choose

your sashimi

by

season and only select

the

fresh

est

seafood. When in doubt, avoid

the fish in season with sea urchin

i)

or

salmon roe ikura). F

or

a cocktail party

or

a

for

dinner try bite-size cubes of duck, smoked salmon,

tender steak, all

individually

seasoned.

Sauteed

with

onion and

parsley in a

carrot

dressing is a

Abalone

Steak

with Foie Gras

page Ill

The abalone steak was grilled lightly

in oil and seasoned with salt and

pepper

to

taste. It rests on a

bed of

asparagus and potato and is

served

in a

Japanese ine Sauce made

with

pan

juices and

1 part white

wine, 1

part

sake, and 1

part

soy

Mix the wine and sake in a fresh saucepan,

off

the

alcohol over a low

heat,

then add the soy

sauce, juices, salt, and

pepper

or sugar) to taste. See

the Recipe Notes for page 73 for a Glace recipe

• Asparagus and Potato Appetizer page l I

The appetizer in this boat-shaped serving vessel relies

on two crisp, parboiled

vegetables.

While

the

garnish

supplies the visual spice, the

dab of mustard and

jelly

from the

aloe

vera plant serve as

condiments.

Varia-

9

tions on this appetizer would include

substituting lightly bo iled turnip or

daikon for the

potato,

each lightly

seasoned to taste with salt, pepper,

and

soy sauce. Season the carrot

as

desired, or glaze.

DE

CO

RATIV E KNOTS

• Duck and Red Snapper on Daikon Steak page i

Roasted duck

over

lightly grilled

snapper

and succulent bo iled daikon

is a mouthwatering treat and a hard

combination

to beat. The whole is

seasoned with a Japanese Wine

Sauce made

from

the pan juices

see Recipe Notes for page

14

.

Stack

the

three foods, garnish, and spoon on the

sauce. Vary

the

fish or the poultry to fit the season or

your own cooking repertoire.

For more

on daikon, see

the

Recipe

Notes for

page 75.

• Beet Soup

page

m

The

boiled daikon was chosen

for

its

mild

flavor, a nice counterpoint to

the tart, distinctive flavor of the

beet.

The

soup

here

is

served hot,

but

this

decorative

technique can

be

used with

hot

or cold so up alike.

Simply vary the colors

of

the vegeta-

bles

and garnish to create

an

appealing

eff

ect.

• Potage with Minced Shrimp

and

Egg page

m

A

good potage

is filling, subtle, and ea sy to make.

Next to the

sprig

of

submerged

b roccoli is

an

island

of

minced

shrimp

briskly cooked in a fry pan with egg


97/108

yo lk, mayonnaise, and salt and pep

per

to

taste. S

impl

e, heart

wa

rming,

and p leasing on a deeper l

ev

el, t he

way hear ty food should be .

R F R ~ I N G

ACCENTS

-

• Spiny Lobster p ge s

f

Eil

Boil a

lobster whol

e in a large

pot

and serve seasoned with a dab of

mayonnaise or

melted

butter.

Don t

be afraid to

turn

the lobster itself

into a decorative part of the dish,

as is

done here by opening

up the

head and tail.

FOOD CUPS

• Roast Duck on a Half

Lime

p ge Ea 0

A zesty lime

works nicely

with

roasted

duck.

While a

lemon

might

be

too

astringent, an

orange

echoes

the

classic orange sauce

combination

and, of course, leads to a brighter

display.

The

secret here

is

to

all

ow

the duck

- or whatever food you

choose to present-to draw up the citrus juices

through capillary action.

• Calamari Topped

with

Salmon Roe

p ge Ea 8

With the

popularity

of sushi, salmon

caviar has

come

to the fore in Amer

ican cuisine. Here, its distinctive tart

ness, along with its

soft

liquid center,

provides

flavorful

and textural coun

terpoints

to the

more mellow cala-

. mari- an appealing combination an

tnventive cook can take in many directions. The sashimi

fresh calamari

is

cooked lightly, the soft center

left

near its raw state and then seasoned with salt and

pepper.

• Marinated Salmon with Olive

and Onion p ge mJ

There are dozens

of

recipes

for

Marinated

Salmon,

e

ach as good as

the next.

Marinate

the fish

follow-

ing

your

favorite recipe and add

the expected slices

of

onion, then

oltves, which

add

a darker hue and a

richer flavor to the mix. The slices of

olive also echo the roundness of the

onion and the lemon, bringing the

dish together visually.

•

Ri

sot

to

in Japanese

Pu

mpki

n

p ge

The Japanese pumpkin (kabocha)

is

anothe

r l

ong-neglected

Japanese

food that is slowly

finding

its way in

th e wo r

ld.

It is a tasty and versatile

vegetab le good

fo

r soups and vege

table

dishe

s or

as

a stand-a

lone

side d

is

h. Wedges are baked or sim-

mered

in a

stock

such as Japanese dash i for about 25

minutes

until

soft and then seasoned in a saucepan

with

a sauce

of

114

cup

(60 ml) soy sauce, 1

1

2

tbsp

of

sugar, and 2 tbsp of m r n (Japanese cook ing sake, or

increase the sugar) for 20 ounces (600 g) of pumpkin.

The kabocha s natural sweetness is high ly valued

among Japanese cooks.

CUCUMBER CARVING

• Salmon, Cheese, and Cucumber

p ge t J

The Japanese cucumber has begun

to

appear on American supermarket

shelves, and seeds are now an

option for vegetable gardens in

some areas. Crunchy,

light

, and edi

ble raw, Japanese cucumbers

along

with carrots, red radishes, and

daikon radishes-are perfect material for decorative

food

art.

They

do

not

require marinating

or

salting

before use.

• Toast with Jam

p ge El l 0

~

~

~ ~ ..

This creative presentation for

toast

raises the normally pedestrian-look

ing

food

a level

and

is sure to

draw

the diner s eye. Since the f inely

sliced

cucumber

is light

and

crisp,

the

toast

can be eaten as is, or the

Mini Cups can be pulled out and the

condiment of choice can

be

spread

over the

toast.

99


98/108

• Tuna Sa lad, Cucu

mbe

r, and

Egg

p ge

m

Tuna Sa lad is a we lcome favorite at

many tab les. Whether made from

fresh fish

or

canned, how you spice

it up determines the appeC11 of the

fina l d ish. Consider fluffing it up with

b

oi

l

ed

or lig htly scrnmb l

ed egg,

dic

ed

and se asoned with salt nnd

pepper

to taste. Depend1ng on your likes o r

di

slikes,

add diced on ion

and

olive

Sea

soning

w1th

minced

garlic,

olive oil , and w1ne

vmegar

can g1ve

n0w lif

e to

this standard d ish.

• Cucumber

and Tomato w1t

h

Orange Dressing

p ge Ell 0

Th1s

cucumb

er-and-to

mat o ap pe

tizer

is season

ed

w ith a cu

be

of

orange dressing that has been set in

unf

l

avore

d

ge

lat in.

This

c

ulinary tr i

ck

allows the c

ub

e to

fulfill three

func

t ions: it adds

co lo r

, provides

flavor

,

and secures the cucumber. Try this

hors d '

oeuvre

w ith other cubed

dressings

. Slice

off

the

tops

of the cherry t o

matoes

t o

create

a base

on

which the crane can pe rch.

• Crab and Cucumber Canape Topped

wi th Sa

lm

on Roe

p ge ED G

The

crisp,

light

taste and

texture

of

the

Japanese cucumber

make the

perfect

counterpoint

for any number

of

tender morsels of

meat, poultry,

or

seafood. For simplicity

of prepa

ration, try slices of cheese with a

dollop of dressing, or toss on

some

baby shrimp

or

diced barbecued chicken

for

a two

minute f ix. Fo r

something

more elegant, consider thin

slices of lightly grilled

marinated

lamb or thinly sliced

scallop sashimi

seasoned in

a

light

w s bi

sauce.

• Dinner Crepes with

Japanese

Eel

p gem

For a simple yet exotic dinner,

stuff

crepes with grilled apanese l

(unag1), a

delicacy

that is gaining

popularity outside Japan . The ten

der

, freshwater fish can

be

found in

specialty stores in vacuum packs,

fi l

leted and pre-cooked with the

appropriate

seasonings. Bring a rare

but

exceedingly

tasty treat to your table.

One

additional tip: choose

100

eel from Japc=m over those from China Th t d

. e en erness

and t a s t ~

of

the original surpasses the contender.

Beware tmposters labeled Made in Japan.

• Gri

lled Sea

Bream

page

]

In

J C 1 p a ~

f ish makes up a vital

p rt

o.f the dte.t. Our finned friends pro

VIde us wtth succulent dinner table

dtshes in many

forms-grilled,

steamed, sauteed, doused in

a

fla-

vorful sauce, and

of

course raw in

the form of sashim1 . The array

o

h

I

bl

. S

ava1 a e n Japan outshines that of many oth

er coun-

tries, but even so finding a purveyor of fr sh seafood

in

the

neighborhood will be a b oon

for

the adventur

ous cook. So consider seeking one out if you haven't

already d one so, and use their

offer

ings liberally to

enliven your table and expand your cooking repertoire.

•

Cucumber

Corkscrews with

Crab

and Che

ese

page eJ

With

a source of Japanese cucum

be

rs

close at hand, this idea will

wo rk with salami, ham, grilled

chi

cken sl ices, o r parboiled vegeta

ble sticks. Choose an appropriate

dipping sauce. Simple and fun to

serve

and eat

.

• Sardines in Two Sauces

page

m

Not

only

do these cucu

mbe

r baskets

provide a receptacle in which to lay

your dressing or sauce, they lend a

neutral , crunc

hy

textu re

ov

er which

you can lay your own favorite appe

tizers or f inger f oods,

whether

they

be slivers of sp icy chicken, marinated

skirt steak,

or seasoned

vegetables

. Be inventive.


99/108

pt i l l l KATSU RA - MUKI

• Hors D oeuvre

Pla

t

ter

p ges m m

While

th is tab le

ga

rnish

is

obv1ously

amenab le to countless

va

riations

of

appet izers, the hors

d

oeuvres here,

from left to right, are 1 Asparagus

and

Prosciut

to,

2 . Cheese

and

Papaya

Wr

apped

in Sa

lmon,

3.

Parboi l

ed

Lo

tu

s m Sw eet Vinega r,

4.

Sauteed Sca ll

ops

with Egg, 5. Shrimp a

nd

Cav1ar,

6. Melon u

.

• Vegetable and

Che

ese Sticks

p ge

m

Celery and

carrot

sticks have

been

mixed with strips of cheese in

this

offering, the

whole

chilled on ice

placed in the bottom of the flute

glass. A perfect spring or summer

treat. Consider salami

or ham

sticks

with cheese. Or you might block

off

the bottom

half of the

lily

cone

, or

set it

in a

slightly

wider vessel and add a

scoop

of salad, either

potato,

tuna ,

or

crab.

• Sashimi Select

p ge as

ashimi gathered

fresh

from the

sea

and brought still fresh to

the

dinner

table is

not

something

that

should

be

taken for

granted, even among

the

most

experienced eaters.

This

copious Wisteria garnish does jus

tice

to the food and vice versa.

Choose other, equally deserving offerings

from your

cooking repertoire to serve in this fashion and your

di

ne

r

s-whether guests or

family-are sure

to be

impressed.

• Papaya and Salmon Roll,

Asparagus and

Prosciutto Roll, Tuna Sashimi

and

Japanese

Long

Onions

p ges

m l-m

So

many of

the decorative garnishes

in these pages lend themselves

to

simple appetizers or finger food that

can be

whipped

up in seconds but

are-the time

factor not

withstand

ing a delight to the palate.

Sashimi, always a favorite in Japan,

itself

to

numerous

combinations,

whether paired

Wi

th .on1on avocado,

or

a

w s bi

sauce. Asparagus,

another

favorite for its tender yet crunchy texture can

be

~ o v e r e

in any

number

of wrappings, whethe;

meat

or

f i

sh

. Use

your

imagination and

be

creative. Think

outside the box a Ia Papaya and Salmon Roll a combi

nation distilled from more complex recipes. ,

• Sushi

Ba

lls with Sprig of

Ginger p ge

EI:J 0

Follow

any sush1 recipe and season

rice for sushi, then roll rice into

small, bite-size balls. Cut fish so it

drapes nicely over the rice, place on

top and shape gently to finish. Here

shrimp and s yori (needlefish or

ha l fbeak) are used, but any flexible

sushi topping wi ll wo rk. O r try other round f ood-

shrimp balls, m

eat

balls, or any

appeti

zer that lends

itself

easily to a circu

la

r shape.

• Prime Rib

Cubes

over

Sauteed

Zucchini

p ge m e

The pr ime

rib

is t opped with a ball

of horseradish and should

be

served

with steak sauce or a dress ing of

your

choice.

Sea

s

on

with

sa

lt and

pepper to taste.

In

the meat

depart

ment,

cubes of chateaubriand or

another piece

of

tenderlo in w ill

wo

rk

equally

well.

For seafood , consider sauteed scallops

or

fried

oysters. When dealing with seafood, for best

results

choose

fresh specimens in season .

• Salmon

Mousse

and Sole

Wrapped

in Zucchini p ge E

Sole

is

used here, but any tender

whitefish , lightly grilled or steamed,

can be served. Lightly sauteed, the

tender

flesh

of

the sole me lds per

fectly with parboiled zucchini. Both

are soft and succulent . The Salmon

Mousse,

del

icate and airy, also

com

plements

its zucchini covering to perfection . Give new

life to some of

your

own standard dishes by wrapping

them in Zucchini Fish Nets, then stand aside and

watch the delight

of

family and friends when they see

your

makeover.

1

01


100/108

CUTOUTS

SQUARE CU

TS

Steamed

Pork with Mustard auce peg• •

The steamed

pork dish here

is

served

in a mustard sauce made

with

pan

JUICII.

Pick

a

light

spicy

French

multllfd .m.pa

a Dijon The other

t1tck with

1his

d ih II not to just

boil

t

ft

pllln

but o

i AI llt:J · tlmpiiMIM

IJ

is a good vegetllble to

cooking repertotna wn _

refrigerated it keeps well

well tn salad or c:oolc8d

seasoned

tn a chicken

egg yolk

IS spiced

wil:h

sansho pepper a mild

Consider salt pepper and chopped a j

teed

minced onion.

Brandied Carrot Blossoms


101/108

• Potato and Shrin1p page Gm 0

There are many ways

to cook

shrimp.

Here, it is

boiled

in water

with a splash of sake (1 part

to

10 parts water) and a pinch

of

sugar.

If you are fortunate

to

find fresh

shrimp, choose the freshest catch

for

the

best

results. Sh

Documents

The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions