Recipe #2

If you're looking for something that seems difficult beyond compare but easy beyond imagination, something snazzy, fresh, and full of character, you need not look any further. Even though I wasn't brave enough to do the real deal, this version of sushi works really well. Play around with all kinds of modifications and tricks to customize it to whatever your taste may be. Personally, I dig lots of acidity and a kick of spice, so I added in some tabasco before I began rolling. I also love avocados and definitely recommend them as a great mellow touch of color that really clashes with the spice. In place of raw seafood, I used crab and salmon that were either cured or cooked. I found nori at a local oriental market, but I'm pretty sure you can find it in most grocery stores in the Asian food section. It'll come in thin, brittle sheets in a plastic package. (Don't worry, once it's wrapped around the rice, it'll absorb some of the moisture and become pliable.) 

Cheat's Sushi

- 10 sheets nori (Japanese seaweed)

- 1.5-2 cups chinese sticky rice, cooked 

- 1 Tbs rice vinegar

- practically any vegetable, cut into long, thin strips (avocado, carrot, cucumber etc)

- seafood (lox, crabmeat, shrimp etc)

- (optional: If you're using lox) cream cheese, cut into long strips

- any kind of seasoning/sauce (soy sauce, tabasco, wasabi, chili paste etc)

I actually tried out two different kinds of sushi, one has both rice inside/outside, and the other more simple one has only rice inside. The easiest way to go about rolling, is to first add the tablespoon of vinegar to your rice after it's done cooking and combine. Then, fill a bowl with cold water and put it by where you're planning on doing your rolling. (Since the rice will stick to your hands, you'll use the bowl of water for dipping your hands in between to get the rice off and make it easier to roll.) With one sheet of nori on your workspace, spread about a half inch layer of rice over the dry seaweed. Then, at one end of the sheet, place the long strips of vegetables, seafood, and add whatever sauce you plan on using. Begin rolling from the side with your ingredients, and the nori should stick to rice and become a sort of "log" of sushi. What I like to do is then roll it in some plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour. For the rice-on-the-outside version, I started out with a sheet of plastic wrap on my workspace instead of nori and first spread one less than 1/4 inch layer of rice. Then, I put the nori on top and continued with the usual layer of rice. (This version might need extra refrigerating so it can retain its shape.) To serve, unwrap from the plastic and slice into 1 in circles. (Serves 5)

Recipe #1

Now officially posting recipes with lots of pictures, the photographer that I am... This is possibly one of the simplest recipes you'll find, and perfect for lunch/dinner if you're not in the mood for something huge. Confession: the basic method of making crostini I read in a book somewhere but the bruschetta recipe is completely from scratch. 

Garlic Crostini 

- 1 loaf french baguette or any other long, crusty bread (if it's a little stale, that's ok for the recipe too)

- a few Tbs olive oil

- about five or six fresh cloves of garlic

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguette or bread you're using into about two inch thick slices. Place in a single layer onto a dark baking sheet into the oven for 10 min, flipping midway or until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and peel garlic, slicing each clove in half, widthwise. Then, with the sliced side down, rub the surface of each slice of bread with the garlic. If some actually gets grated on, don't worry about it. At this point, the bread should be hard enough to rub on the garlic without breaking. Brush with olive oil and put for another 10 min in a 400 degree oven this time (or until dark around the edges), turning midway. (Serves 5)

garlic crostini

Tomato Bruschetta with Parmesan & Mint

- about five large tomatoes

- thyme

- mint

- about 2 Tbs parmesan cheese, grated

- salt & pepper (to taste)

- cilantro

- half a lemon

- olive oil

Chop the tomatoes, seeds and all into 1 inch pieces. Chop the thyme, mint, and cilantro and add. Mix with the parmesan (more or less if you like) and season with salt & pepper. Add juice from half a lemon. (Tip: if your lemon is hard and not yet ripe, to get the most juice out, stick it in the microwave for less than half a minute.) Add a few tablespoons of olive oil until the mixture looks just coated and slightly glossy. Best on the garlic crostini. (Serves 5) 

bruschetta with parmesan and mint