SAMPLE RECIPES

Quinoa Power Bowl with Braised Tofu

VEGAN, GRAIN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE

The recipes that make up this dish are in essence pretty simple. They are just a couple of ingredients each. But when you bring the mosaic of recipes together, you get a symphony that is greater than the sum of its parts. To me, that’s what makes Washoku & bento cuisine so deeply satisfying.

Ingredients per Person

• 2/3 cup Toasted Quinoa (115g)

• 2/3 cup Kale with Pepita Gomashio (35g)

• 1/2 cup Kabocha Potato Salad (150g)

• 1 Tbsp Pickled Red Onion (12g)

• 4 oz Braised Tofu (100g)

• 1 oz Firecracker Sauce (30g)

Instructions

Prepare the sub recipes. Plate and serve!

Meal Planning Guide

• Make Pickled Red Onions the day before so that the flavors have time to marry. Or better yet, keep a jar on hand at all times!

• Toasted Quinoa, Kale with Pepita Gomashio and Kabocha Potato Salad can all be prepared in advance since they keep well in refrigeration!

• Braised Tofu can be served hot or room temperature, depending on your preference.

Note: Some of the recipes below require a password to gain access.
Password: bento-forever

Sake Pairings

Chiyonosono “Shared Promise” Junmai
Serve room temperature in wine glass or pottery with an unglazed, rustic texture 

The creamy texture and gentle sweetness of sweet potato are front and center with nuanced umami notes of white mushroom and floral hop aromas evocative of pilsner beers.  Shared Promise pairs perfectly with the kabocha potato salad and highlights the sweet, tangy flavors coming from the firecracker sauce and pickled onions.

Fukucho “Forgotten Fortune” Junmai
Serve slightly chilled in a wine glass 

This sake’s uniqueness comes from the heirloom strand of sake rice called “Hattanso” — which was extinct until single handedly revived by female sake brewing pioneer Miho Imada.  Because of the delicate minerality of the revived rice and the ultra-soft water of the Akitsu region, this sake is surprisingly crisp and gentle at the same time! Its notes of dried pineapple, chalk, and white flowers play beautifully with the vinegar and mustard notes in this dish as well as the creamy texture of the kabocha and potato.

Kawatsuru “Olive” Junmai Ginjo
Serve chilled in a wine glass 

The fruity, grassy notes on this sake are due to the yeast being isolated from Sanuki Olives, the first olive to be cultivated in Japan over 100 years ago on the island of Shikoku.  Bright and green without a hint of bitterness, this sake is a great foil to the supple, vegetal qualities of the kale salad, pepita gomashio, and pickled onions.

Autumnal Bento Feast

GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE

Delight dinner guests with an elevated arrangement of Japanese bento specialities using a variety of seasonal produce. Pulling together these six recipes requires earnest effort, but the majority of the work can be done in advance which will free you up to be present with your friends when they arrive!

Ingredients per Person

• 4oz Crispy Skin Salmon

• 2/3 cup Japanese Rice

• 1/2 cup Grilled Kale

• 1/2 cup Carrot Parsnip Kinpira

• 1/2 cup Persimmon Shira-ae

• 1 cup Miso Soup with Mushrooms

Dietary Notes: This menu is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. To offer a vegan option, simply replace the salmon with a fresh half of avocado. Fan the avocado after slicing and sprinkle with nori furikake for a stunning presentation.

Instructions

Prepare the sub recipes. Plate and serve!

Meal Planning Guide

• The dressing for the shira-ae salad is better once it’s chilled so be sure to make it in advance.

• Be sure to marinade the salmon at least for one hour (or overnight).

• The grilled kale and carrot parsnip kinpira are warm salads that can be prepared up to a couple hours in advance and served at room temperature.

• You can make the rice a couple hours ahead of time and keep in the rice cooker on ‘keep warm’ or in a heavy-lidded donabe until ready to serve.

• You can prepare all of your mise en place for the miso soup ahead of time so that all you need to do when it’s time to plate is ladle the warm broth into each bowl.

• You can slice the persimmons ahead of time but wait to toss them with the shira-ae dressing until it’s time to plate.

• The salmon should be served soon after cooking, so it’s best to make this menu with a friend, so that one of you can take the lead on plating while the other one sears the Crispy Skin Salmon. As long as all the other components are plated, the salmon can go right on top of the rice and dinner will be ready!

Sake Pairings

Tentaka “Hawk in the Heavens” Tokubetsu Junmai
Serve room temperature in wine glass or unglazed ceramic 

With classic umami aromas of braised shiitake mushrooms, walnut skins and bittersweet chocolate, this sake finishes with a surprisingly decadent pistachio gelato flavor and mouthfeel - which accentuates the tenderly-braised parsnip in the kinpira as well as the nutty, smooth quality of the shira-ae dressing.  

Kanbara “Bride of the Fox” Junmai Ginjo
Serve slightly chilled in wine glass

I love how the notes of autumnal fruit and grilled nuts play off of the persimmon shira-ae. Bride of the Fox also has a distinctly maritime umami and lingering sweetness that goes beautifully with the charred salmon skin. Although this region of Japan is known for clean, crisp styles of sake this brew bucks the trend with its fleshy, vibrant fruit characteristics with steady umami woven throughout. Sake’s answer to Oregon Pinot Noir and French Red Burgundy. 

Yuho “Rhythm of the Centuries” Kimoto Junmai
Serve room temperature in wine glass or unglazed ceramic

Aged 4 years, the mature notes of this sake present as honeyed and accentuate the characteristics of ripe Fuyu persimmon as well as the toasty edges coming from the charred salmon skin, crispy nori, caramelized root vegetables, and toasted sesame seeds. This sake is brewed by a proudly irreverent woman who entered the industry in an unexpected way; her sakes, accordingly, are brewed in defiance of tradition, imprecise and endlessly soulful.