Prosciutto And Asian Pear Sushi By Ming Tsai Recipes

ASIAN PESTO WITH GRILLED SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a food processor: puree peanuts, chiles, garlic, ginger, lime juice, fish sauce, oil, salt and sugar until smooth. Do not overmix as you can heat the mixture. Add the herbs and puree smooth. Check for seasoning. Oil shrimp on both sides and season. Grill on both sides for about 5 minutes total.
• Place a layer of romaine on a plate. Lay 3 grilled shrimp on top and liberally drizzle with pesto.

PROSCIUTTO AND ASIAN PEAR 'SUSHI' BY MING TSAI

Steps:

• In a non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegars and simmer.
• Reduce by 60 to 70 percent until a syrupy consistency is achieved. Keep in mind that the syrup will thicken as it cools.
• In a bowl, mix julienned pears with lime juice and season with pepper.
• Using a sushi mat lay out one or two slices of prosciutto.
• Lay the pear pieces across the bottom of the prosciutto.
• Roll very tightly.
• Drizzle some vinegar syrup on a plate in a zigzag pattern.
• Slice rolls like sushi and garnish with chives and cracked peppercorns.

HERB CRAB SALAD MAKI-SUSHI

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, lemon juice and oil. Add crab, herbs and minced shallot. Season with salt and pepper and check flavor.
• Lay nori, shiny side down on sushi mat and lightly pat on rice on bottom half of nori, 1/4 inch thick. Place crab filling 2/3 up on rice. Roll, moisten end to seal and let rest.

SUSHI 202

Steps:

• For the rice: Wash rice at least 3 times or until water is clear. Fill rice cooker with water to about 1-inch over rice. I highly recommend a rice cooker -- there's a reason more than 2 billion people in Asia use them. Slowly heat vinegar, mirin and sugar until very hot but not boiling. Fold in 'su' (vinegar and sugar) with the hot rice, add enough so that the rice has a tart/sweet taste. Rice should be shiny, not mushy. Carefully clean inside rim of bowl with damp cloth, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• For the maki-sushi: In a bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, lemon juice and oil. Add crab, herbs and minced shallot. Season with salt and pepper and check flavor.
• Lay nori, shiny side down on sushi mat and lightly pat on rice on bottom half of nori, 1/4 inch thick. Place crab filling 2/3 up on rice. Roll, moisten end to seal and let rest.
• For the hand rolls: In a bowl, mix flour with togarashi, or chili powder, and whisk in club soda until a pancake batter thickness is achieved. Dip the shrimp and scallions in the tempura batter and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the nori vertically with the shiny side down. Using wet hands, lightly place a 1/4-inch thick layer of rice on the bottom half of the nori. Place one shrimp and scallion fan diagonally across the rice from the top left corner to the bottom right. Lay daikon sprouts on top and add a touch of wasabi oil. Roll a cone by bringing the bottom left corner of the nori to half way up the right side edge then roll over. Moisten the top edge to glue. Repeat process.
• For the plating: On a huge white platter, drizzle soy syrup, wasabi oil, sesame seeds, gari and scallions all over. Slice maki-sushi using both bias and straight cuts. Place hand rolls leaning against sushi.
• In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together wasabi, mirin and sugar. Add water until a loose puree is achieved. Whisk in oil. For extra heat, use less oil.
• Combine all the ingredients and reduce at a simmer until a syrup consistency is achieved, about a 60 to 70 percent reduction. Let cool.

MASTER SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Wash rice at least 3 times or until water is clear. Fill rice cooker or casserole with water to about 1-inch over rice or use Mt Fuji method. I highly recommend a rice cooker - more than 2 billion people use them in Asia for a reason. Slowly heat vinegar, mirin and sugar until very hot but not boiling. Fold in 'su' (vinegar and sugar) with the hot rice, add enough so that the rice has a tart/sweet taste. Rice should be shiny, not mushy. Carefully clean bowl with damp cloth, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.