Thin-Sliced Pork Nabe

It's getting cold outside and this time of year we find ourselves making a lot of nabe. The preparation is simple, clean-up is a snap. And, best of all, it's a delicious meal that everyone loves.

We start by putting a piece of kombu in water in a nabe and simmer it. While the kombu is simmering we cut any vegetables we have in the house. This day it was broccoli, leeks, Napa cabbage, shimeji and enoki mushrooms, and carrots.

We then take out the kombu and add the sliced vegetables to the water. We also add some protein, sometimes tofu or fish, but today it was thin-sliced pork.

And, for a dipping sauce, we love ponzu. Ponzu is sold at the supermarket but we prefer to make it at home. One part soy sauce, one part mirin, and one part citrus juice (something tart like yuzu or kabosu).

November Seasonal Japanese Seafood

Salmon roe, pulled out of its sac and simply marinated in the sweet soy sauce of Kyushu, is irresistible this time of year. We love it so much it is on the table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Crabs are also coming to market. Another highlight this time of year is fresh scallops and oysters, both best when raw.

Kawahagi may not be the most beautiful fish to look at, but when cut of its leathery skin, and served as sushi with its liver, it is heavenly.

Shirako, or milt, is often from cod fish, but Japanese chefs I speak with say that the best milt comes from fugu. Many people who try this love its creaminess and velvety texture. But, once you tell them what it is they sometimes change their mind. Here it is steamed and then served with a tart ponzu and grated daikon with chili.

Amadai  赤甘鯛  tilefish (Branchiostegus japonicas)                                       

Ankō 鮟鱇 monkfish (Lophiomus setigerus)　　　    　　　         　　

Asaba karei 浅羽鰈  rock sole (Pleuronectes mochigarei)                                 

Chidai   血鯛  crimson sea bream (Evynnis japonica)　　　 　              　　

 Hata はた grouper  (Epinephelus septemfasciatus)                                    

Hata hata 鰰 sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus)　　        　　　　　

Higedara ひげたらsnubnose brotula (Hoplobrotuda armata)　 　

Hi ika ひいか winter dwarf squid  (Nipponololig (Loliolus) japonica)     

Hirame 鮃 olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)　　           　　　　

Hotate 帆立貝 scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis)　　    　    　　　　　　　

Hon kamasu 本カマス barracuda　(Sphyraena pinguis)        　  　　

Hon kawahagi 本皮剥 thread-sail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer)  　

Ibodai　疣鯛  Japanese butterfish (Psenopsis anomala)　             　　　　

Ise ebi 伊勢海老  Japanese spiny lobster (Panulirus japonicas)  　                

Ishi karei いしかれい Stone flounder (kareius bicoloratus)                                

Itoyori　イトヨリGolden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus)         

Kanpachi  間八 amberjack (Seriola dumerili)              　　　      

Kou ika こういか cuttlefish (Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta)                      　

Kuro karei くろかれい black plaice (Pleuronectes obscurus)              

Kurumaebi 車海老   Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicas)

Kaki 牡蠣 oyster (Crassostrea gigas)                                                         

Matara 真鱈 codfish (Gadus macrocephalus)　       　　            　　　　　

Masaba  真鯖   Pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus)             　　 　

Matsuba gani  松葉蟹 spiny crab (Hypothalassia armata)　         　

Mebachi maguro  目鉢鮪 bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus)         

Medai  目鯛  butterfish (Hyperoglyphe japonica)                                       

Meita karei  めいたかれいfine spotted flounder (Pleuronichthys cornutus)  

Mekajiki  めかじき swordfish (Xiphias gladius)                      

Mongouika  もんごういか  cuttlefish (Sepia lycidas)　                        　　　　　　

Mutsu  むつgnomefish  (Scombrops boops)　　　　　      　　　　　

Nametagarei  婆鰈  slime flounder (Microstomus achne)　　 　　　　

Sawara  さわら Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)

Sanma　秋刀魚  Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)     　　　　　　　　

Shiba ebi  芝海老  Shiba shrimp (Metapenaeus joyneri）  　　　　             

Shiro ika  白烏賊swordtip squid (Loligo (Photololigo) edulis) or kensaki ika　　　

Shirosake  白鮭   chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)　　            　　

Souda katsuo  宗田鰹bullet mackerel (Auxis rochei)                                  

Sujiko  筋子  chum salmon roe　　　　　　　　　　　　             　　　 　

Sukesou tara  助宗たら pollock（Theragra chalcogramma)　　　　     　　

Suma katsuo  すまかつお  black skipjack (Euthynnus affinis)        　

Surume ika  スルメイカ　Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus)   

Tairagai  平貝 penshell (Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata)            　　　　　

Wakasagi  若細魚 Japanese smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis)                        

 Warasa  ワラサ  yellowtail  (Seriola quinqueradiata)　　　　　 　   　　

Yoshikiri same  よしきりさめ blue shark (Prionace glauca)              

Watarigani  渡蟹   swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus)                     

Zuwaigani  頭矮蟹  snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio)

Mushrooms Grilled in Foil

Earthy mushrooms are hard to miss in the market this time of year. At our local supermarket we can find brown and white shimeji, brown and white enoki, shiitake, eringi, maitake, nameko, and maitake. At the upscale department store we can find a few other types including the aromatic matsutake.

We like to keep mushrooms on hand as they are easy to add to miso soup, sauteed and served over salads or with pasta.

This recipe is not very Japanese, but easily finds its place on the Japanese table. Shimeji mushrooms are cut at the base and then separated into pieces and put in an aluminum foil packet. This is topped with butter and garlic slices, seasoned with salt, and grilled over the barbecue or in the toaster oven.

October Seasonal Japanese Seafood

At Tsukiji Market we are seeing many autumn seafood like oysters, wakasagi for deep-frying, and finally sanma for grilling with salt. Some of our favorite sashimi this time of year include katsuo, isaki, and if you get a kawahagi with a big liver we will mix the liver with soy sauce and dip the sashimi in the creamy mixture. Many of the fishy fish like saba, iwashi, and aji are in abundance.

Akagarei 赤鰈 flathead flounder (Hippoglossoides dubius)　　　　　　　　

Amadai 赤甘鯛 tilefish (Branchiostegus japonicas)

Ayu 鮎 sweet fish (Plecoglossus altivelis)

Bora 鰡 flathead mullet or Gray mullet (Mugil cephalus)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Chidai 血鯛 crimson sea bream (Evynnis japonica)

Hon kamasu 本カマス barracuda (Sphyraena pinguis)　　　  　　

Hon kawahagi 本皮剥 thread-sail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer)　　　

Hon shishamo 本ししゃもcapelin or longfin smelt (Spirinchus lanceolatus)

Ibodai疣鯛 Japanese butterfish (Psenopsis anomala)

Isaki 伊佐木threeline grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum)

Itoyori イトヨリgolden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus)

Kaki 牡蠣 oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Katsuo  鰹   skipjack tuna or oceanic bonito (Katsuwonus pelamis)

Kohada 小鰭   gizzard shad (Konosirus pumctatus)

Kurumaebi 車海老   Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicas)

Maaji 真鯵 horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicas)　　　　　　　　

Maiwashi  真鰯  sardine (Sardinops melanostictus)

Masaba真鯖   pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus)

Mebachi maguro 目鉢鮪 bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus)

Medai 目鯛　butterfish (Hyperoglyphe japonica)

Mekajikiめかじき swordfish (Xiphias gladius)　　　　　　　　

Sanma 秋刀魚 Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

Sawara さわら Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)

Shirosake 白鮭   chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Sujiko筋子 salmon roe still in the sac　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Surume ika スルメイカJapanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus)

Tachiuo   太刀魚   cutlassfish or largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus)

Takabe タカベ　yellow-striped butterfish (Labracoglossa argentiventris)

Wakasagi 若細魚 Japanese smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis)                                　　　　　　　　

Warasaワラサ yellowtail  (Seriola quinqueradiata)　　　　　　　　

Watarigani 渡蟹 swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus)    

Other fish you may see in the market

Ainame 鮎魚女fat greenling (Hexagrammos otakii）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Akagai 赤貝 ark shell (Scapharca broughtonii)

Asari 浅利 Japanese littleneck clams (Ruditapes philippinarum)

Ayu   鮎  ayu or sweet fish ( Plecoglossus altivelis)　　　　　　　　       　

Hotate 帆立貝 scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis)

Hoya ホヤ sea squirt (Halocynthia roretzi)

Kihada maguro 黄肌鮪 yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)　　

Kinki 黄血魚 thornyhead (Sebastolobus macrochir)

Kinmedai or kinme 金目鯛 splendid alfonsino (Beryx splendens)

Kurumaebi 車海老   Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicas)　　

Maaji  真鯵  horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicas)　

Madai 真鯛 sea bream (Pagurus major)

Makarei 真鰈 Japanese common flounder (Pleuronectes yokohamae)

Mebaru 目張 rockfish (Sebastes inermis)

Mirugai 海松食 geoduck (Tresus keenae)　　　　　　　　　　　

Sazae 栄螺 turban shell (Turbo cornutus)

Tairagai 平貝 penshell (Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata)

Tobiuo 飛魚 flying fish (Cypselurus agoo agoo)

Tsubugai   螺貝   whelk (Buccinum undatum)

Katsuo Sashimi

Katsuo, called bonito, or as my fishmonger husband says, skipjack tuna, is a meaty fish. It's in the tuna family and is a good fish to try as sashimi if you are looking to go beyond tuna and salmon.

At the market it can be sold raw, as this is, or as tataki where it is seared or cooked over a straw fire until just the edges change color.

We put this over chopped iceberg lettuce and wakamé. It is garnished with garlic sliced thin on the Benriner, grated ginger, and minced shiso. We dress it with soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar.

Yellowtail Sashimi

Young yellowtail, warasa, is just coming into the market. As the waters cool down the fish becomes fattier. Over time it becomes bigger and the name changes, eventually growing into a buri. The fattier fish we serve simply as sashimi. It's also lovely when made into teriyaki.

Here it is simply sliced thin and put over chopped iceberg lettuce and wakamé. For this we like a simple dressing of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and olive oil with some salt.

Moroheiya

Moroheiya is a leafy green that becomes very slippery when it is cooked. We have it growing fresh on the rooftop garden and use it often for soup. In the version above the soup is poured over boiled gyōza.

To make the soup pull off the leaves and rinse in water. In a pot over the stove cook the leaves in a chicken stock for about two minutes or until tender. Then mix in a blender and serve immediately.