Sushi. A recipe for Futo-maki sushi and more.

Sushi is such an armonic, balanced, healthy, beautiful and amazing combination of elements! Please, Japanese readers and bloggers, forgive my impudence... I'm sure you prepare it better and you have the proper names for all its variations; I just can't help it: I fell in love with it, and I want to share it with you.

To my understanding, Sushi is a typical Japanese food based on rice flavoured in vinegar and raw fish or seafood. There's many other additions to these basic ingredients such as vegetables, mushrooms, omelet, algae, roe...

It's such a delicious and different way to cook for me. When I prepare Sushi, I also have the feeling I'm producing a work of art, do you feel the same? And the result is so gorgeous and showy that your table will shine with a different and oriental light! All my family loves it!!!

This time I used salmon roe, salmon, tuna, avocado, algae nori, japanese rice, and red shrims. If you have a fishmonger whom you trust, then buy the ingredients fresh and freeze them for at least 24 hours, in order to kill those little bastards; I'm talking about the little tinny worms or larvae that could make you sick. You could get Anisakiasis if you eat the fish/seafood raw and it hasn't been freezed before.

It takes a bit of time but it's one of those dishes that lets you enjoy it together with the family, you cook it in advance, place it on the fridge and eat it in company... I hate it when everybody is seating at the table and you (me, the cook) goes from the kitchen to the table, half bottom seated and the other half thinking about what has left over the heat.


Futo-maki sushi


Ingredients for 4 servings: To cook the rice: 350 grs of japanese rice (I buy the Blue Dragon brand), 420 ml of water (to cook the rice), 5 tablespoons of Rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, a bit of salt. 
To fill the Futo-maki sushi: a little can of Salmon roe, 50 grs of fresh Tuna, 50 grs of fresh Salmon, half an avocado, 3 or 4 nori algae.
To prepare the Ebinigiri (shrimp over rice): 8 fresh red shrimps. Peel the skin off, make a cut over its back, take its intestin away and let both sides open. Keep fresh until you put them over the cooked handful of rice.

• First of all prepare the rice: Wash the rice under tap water until all the starch is gone, then let it rest for half an hour in a strainer.
• Prepare a pot with the water and throw the rice in. When it starts boiling count 10 minutes with low heat and the lid on. Then keep away from the heat, let the lead on for another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the sushizu: Pour the vinegar in a bowl, add the sugar and stir until it disolves, add a bit of salt and reserve.
• Place all the rice in a big bowl. Carefully add the vinegar to the rice. Move the rice with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Reserve.
• Extend the bamboo mat over the clean counter. Place a nori algae on top with the shinny surface under and spread a thin layer of rice over it. Remember to leave the last space of algae free of rice (1 cm. aprox). Use your finger to moisten this part so that we can seal the futo-maki later.
• Cut the tuna and salmon in sticks of 1/2 cm. aprox and place over the rice from right to left. Do the same with the avocado.
• Roll the mat and close the futo-maki sushi. Cut in slices and prepare a tray with it. Reserve in the fridge until the moment you eat it.
• You can play with the ingredients and make some out of shiitake or omelet or cucumber. But, please try the ones with salmon and roe.

Don't forget about the Soy Sauce!!!!!

I'm sending over my Futo-maki sushi recipe to Anita's Kitchen and her first Food Event: APS Rice. C'mon there's still time until February 9th, send your recipes too :D. Who doesn't have a recipe with rice?

If you are interested in the way we cook the rice here in Spain... a complete different method... but also delicious ;D. You can try with this other rice dishes. My favourites:

Black Rice. Actually, it's white but it get's dyed with the little squids ink.
Seafood Paella. With step by step instructions. If your man hasn't asked you to marry him... he will after lunch!
Lobster's soupy rice. The most of the most... I am married ;D.

Canadian Yellow pages have tones of information about Sushi restaurants. Follow the link and find your favourite there!

Avocado and Anchovies Sandwich - Bocata de Aguacate con Anchoas

Doesn't it look delicious? Well, it not only looks that way... it was absolutely gorgeous!!! Soooo good, so quick and so healthy :D.

I'm a bit stressed lately because my husband's birthday is getting near. He will be 50!!! Isn't that a special moment in everyone's life? I want it to be superb and therefore I'm planning a trip and some remarkable gifts... which I won't tell you now (I don't want him to read this and find out the surprise).

Today, I was in a hurry and this was my lunch: A delicious and quick Sandwich. All the elements here play contrasted flavours and textures. Simple and nutritive.

Wouldn't you give it a try? Take one ripe avocado, 3 cherry tomatoes, 5 black olives (without the bone), a can of Serrats Anchovies and a baguette. Spread the avocado on top of the bread, slice the tomatoes in half, decorate with the anchovies and the olives. Use some of the anchovies olive oil to dress it all and.... Bite!

The Anchovies can is also a gift from Serrats, they are high quality: the best fish meat preserved in olive oil and a bit of salt. They gave this sandwich a wonderful twist. Try them and spread the word :D.

I am not returning your visits and it upsets me a lot... I'm really grateful to those of you whom keep coming back. THANK YOU!

Buen provecho ♥

As I couldn't make it with Joan's Culinary Tour 2010 Mexico and Avocado comes from that wonderful country, please pay a visit to her Roundup and find there more and variated Mexican food :D.

Stuffed Galets in a Salad

These shell shaped pasta are called Galets here in Catalonia. They are the pasta we throw into our Christmas rich Stock.

This year, the city of Barcelona has used them as an icon for the Holidays. They were giant and strategically set in different hot city spots! Beautiful at night with their lights on. Food and Gastronomy is right up there!!!

SERRATS preserved products got in touch with me before Christmas and sent me a fabulous set of Preserved Tuna  products: I should come up with a recipe and send it over to them. The truth is that I have been soooooo busy during the holidays... I guess like everybody else with family coming now and then to celebrate these special days... that, I haven't been able to seat and blog about the glorious food we had.

So, here you have to start with, a light and delicious salad to help clean your system after the heavy food sessions we just went through.

Have it during the holidays or just right after if there's some Galets leftover.

Stuffed Galets in a Salad.
Ingredients for 4 servings: 12 galets (or some more just in case they break during the boiling), 4 piquillo peppers, 100 grs of Serrats Special Tuna: Bonito del Norte, 2 boiled eggs, 2 garlic cloves, different kinds of lettuce, salt and extra virgin olive oil.

• Carefully boil the Galets in salty water. Follow package instructions and strain. Pour some olive oil over them to avoid them to stick together. Reserve.
• Drop some olive oil in a sauce pan. Peel and cut the garlic cloves and when fragant add the piquillo peppers. Stir for 2 or 3 minutes at medium heat and reserve. Discard garlic and cut the piquillos in small pieces.
• Boil the eggs and when cold, peel and grate inside a big bowl. Add the piquillos, the tuna in small pieces and mix.
• Stuff the Galets with the mixture and present over a lettuce salad. Dress with salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Happy New Year to you all!!!!

Hopefully, I'll be back to normal blogging next week.