Balsamic Strawberry Tuna Maki

Balsamic vinegar is a multi-purpose culinary marvel. While often associated with tangy balsamic vinaigrette, it can also be reduced to a thick syrup in which the flavor becomes quite sweet. The syrup can then be used in savory dishes or even in sweet ones such as a topping for ice cream.
The inspiration for this sushi [...]

A Fabulous Make Your Own Hand Roll Party

Tips for your own fabulous hand roll party + game day inspiration 
A roll your own hand roll sushi party has become THE go to sushi party. The reason? For very minimal effort on the part of the guests as well as the hosts, this style sushi party is just as entertaining as it is easy. [...]

Uses for Mizuna/ Lap Chong Sushi Roll

 
Mizuna is a variety of green commonly found in mesclun salad mix. But if you’re fortunate enough to get some mizuna on it’s own, you’re in for a treat. It has a pleasant bitterness that is less sharp than arugula with a hint of mustard flavor. Naturally, mizuna makes a delightful salad when paired simply [...]

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Sushi Rolls

 
The butternut is perhaps my favorite squash variety. This creamy squash works well when the sweet nature is played up but tastes equally as good when prepared in such a way that the sweetness is balanced by something savory.
 
For this sushi roll, the butternut squash is simmered in a vegetable broth salted with a [...]

Soba “Sushi” Rolls

 
Technically, these nori wrapped vegetable rolls are not sushi as there is no vinegar dressed rice involved. Instead of rice, soba noodles, or buckwheat noodles, are tossed in soy sauce and sushi rice dressing then used as the base for this delicious futomaki style roll. Try these hearty rolls with your favorite vegetable combination. Or for [...]

Mango Pomegranate Tuna Maki

 
My local Asian market doesn’t regularly stock umeboshi paste, a tangy plum paste used to create the delicious ume-jhiso roll. Ume jhiso (or ume shiso) is a perfect combination of plum paste and shiso leaf, a type of Japanese herb that tastes like a cross between mint and basil. I try and stock up whenever plum paste makes an [...]

Suggested Sushi for Roogle Tasting

 
Some suggestions for those participating in the Roogle Riesling tasting
 
Free Sushi Booklet – Download a free, printable sushi instruction booklet with techniques, sushi recipes, step by step photos, a recipe for brown sushi rice, and much more.
Some form of sushi with crab is what I highly suggest. But it’s not the only thing that will pair [...]

Smoked Duck Nigiri with Cherries and Basil

 
Duck is perhaps my favorite non-traditional sushi ingredient and one that I have used for many years. To keep the duck tender for nigiri, I make use of the nami-giri technique – a type of wave cutting where the tip of a knife is rocked back and forth briskly while cutting, leaving the slice gently [...]

Toasted Walnut and Mushroom Maki

 
This vegan roll will tempt even the most die hard seafood and meat lover. Hearty portobello mushrooms are simmered in a soy sauce based broth and paired with pleasantly chewy oven dried tomato slivers and scallions. The finished product is then rolled in chopped toasted walnuts. When preparing the walnuts, be sure to use a knife to [...]

Kaki Futomaki (Oyster Roll)

 
Since oysters can be eaten raw or cooked, it would seem only natural that they would be incorporated into sushi. But oysters are rarely used in sushi applications. You may find the occasional oyster gunkan maki (raw oyster perched on top of a nori bound “battleship”) or even a snazzy “sashimi” with Japanese inspired condiments, though this [...]