Intermediate Preview

Broiled eel preparation. Sushi rolls and nigiri

Purchase broiled eel, vacuum packed with a delicious glaze. For nigiri sushi topping, use the mid section of the fillet. Cut 1 ¼ inch slices. Use both ends of the fillet to slice ½ inch pieces for broiled eel roll. This is pre cooked eel, the pieces should be baked in a toaster oven at 350 degrees F for 7 – 10 minutes, until they are sizzling hot all the way through. The glaze is sweet so be careful not to caramelize it, as it can burn quickly.

Nigiri The 1 ½ inch wide baked pieces can now be easily formed into nigiri using the Sushi Magic sushi maker. Place a dab of eel sauce on each piece of eel in the mould, this will help the eel stick to the rice ball when turning out of the mould. I leave out the wasabi on the nigiri. Follow your handbook operating instructions. Glaze with my special eel sauce recipe or bottle eel sauce from the store. Garnished with chives cut to desired length.

Rolls The ½ inch narrow pieces of eel are used for rolls, add avocado slices in the roll. Follow the same lay up as for California roll in your sushi handbook and roll it up in your sushi magic roller. Slice into 8 even pieces Glaze with my special eel sauce recipe or bottle eel sauce from the store. Garnished with a green onion and scallion brush and carrot flower. There are instructions for garnishes in this intermediate class coming soon.

Tilapia nigiri

Tilapia is a good example of the thinner fillets you may find when purchasing fish. When slicing, cutting angles will be different from the previous examples for salmon and ahi loins. Once you get the hang of the different knife angles for slicing this fish, you will find Tilapia one of the easiest fish to prepare, using the techniques you already know from the basic sushi class.

This Tilapia is a frozen imported product especially for sushi. The flavor is mild and the texture similar to red snapper, although slightly firmer. It has nice color contrasts of white and pink. After you have made nigiri sushi toppings the remaining pieces are delicious in tempura. It can be seasoned with a dash of chili oil, or combination of shredded daikon and Sriracha chili sauce as in the nigiri photo. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Spicy Scallop sushi cup

Sushi magic Nigiri maker will combine rice wasabi and seafood together in one process however it will also make rice balls for special techniques and recipes like sushi cups. Cut a strip of Nori
1 ½ inches wide. Place a rice ball on its side at the end of the nori strip. Align the base of the rice with the bottom edge of the nori. Place a few rice grains on the other end of the nori. Roll up the rice keeping nori pressed close to the rice with your finger. At the end of rolling up the nori strip, press lightly so that the rice grains glue the cup together. Stand the cup upright, using a teaspoon with spicy scallop filling.

Spicy scallop filling
¾ cup bay scallops (steamed or raw its your choice)
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 heaping table spoon, mayonnaise.
Cooked or raw bay scallops are mixed with the mayo and chili sauce.

Roast Beef with Wami Sauce

Use very lean sliced roast beef. Roll up the beef slices loosely and place on top of rice ball, sprinkle some chopped green onions on the top then glaze with Wami sauce (see sushi sauce section)

Wami Sauce for roast beef nigiri

• 6 Oz. Sweet Mirin
• 3 oz. Cooking Sake
• 5-6 oz. Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon Wasabi

Place all ingredients except Wasabi in a non-stick saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to 50% volume. Not too much heat as Sweet Marin has sugar content, don’t caramelize it. When reduced blend in the Wasabi, and simmer for a minute. To thicken;

• 2 Moderately heaped teaspoon of corn starch
• 2-tablespoon cold water

Blend together and slowly stream into the sauce bring back to a simmer for 1 minute, add enough cornstarch mix to thicken to a gravy consistency. Cool then pour on top of beef Wami Nigiri (see recipe in meat lovers section) this sauce is also good on grilled salmon.

Spicy Italian sausage nigiri with red bell pepper and ginger

Grill sausage until completely cooked. Let them cool enough so you can handle and slice them, slice diagonally to create a pleasing shape. If you slice thin you can combine them with rice in the nigiri maker, or if you like thicker slices, make rice balls first (see page 14 of your sushi handbook), place warm sausage on top. Depending how spicy hot the sausage is, apply wasabi accordingly.

Slice bell pepper in rings then cut the rings in half, if needed trim to a pleasing shape to fit on top of sausage. Serve with wasabi pickled ginger and soy sauce. Each sausage sushi can be eaten with a pinch of ginger, or place a pinch of ginger on top of each sushi before serving. This sausage ginger and bell pepper mix, taste good together.

Radish decoration

Wash and clean radish, slice off enough of its base to stand the radish up. Cut the top off to expose the white center about the size of a nickel.

Using an apple corer (the one I use has a small diameter cutter, made by Hamilton Beach) Push the cutting end as straight as possible down into the radish. Continue pushing carefully, stop about 1/8 inch from the base, and remove the cutter.

With a pairing knife make even, vertical cuts down the side of the radish. Making sure to finish the cut about 1/8 inch from the bottom. Make similar evenly spaced cuts all the way around the radish.

Place radishes in a bowl of cold water leaving enough room for radish to blossom into a small red and white flower. Refrigerate overnight, the cut petals with slowly spread out.