Wasabi Oil and Wasabi Ginger Marinade

Oh my goodness, what an amazing dance. We watched Dancing with the Stars tonight and the Jive that Joey and Kym performed was outstanding! I actually clapped spontaneously in my living room like they could actually hear me. What fun! I think I even picked up a couple of steps to add to our repertoire. We had sushi yesterday so, being the frugal gal that I am, I couldn't just toss the remaining pickled ginger, soy sauce packets and wasabi. Wasabi is a great element of flavor for many recipes. Here are two for you to try.
Wasabi Oil
Wasabi—that electric green pyramid that goes along for the ride with your sushi has the capability of detonating a small nuclear internal head rush if eaten too quickly. My friend Marita could bathe in it and not get enough- though I think a wasabi bath would make for too many overly tingly fingers and toes. This wasabi oil gives you the wasabi flavor while keeping your gray matter basically intact. Keep the extra wasabi from your sushi and use it to add that special spicy something to your next dish.
2 Tablespoon wasabi paste or more to your taste
1 Tablespoon mirin or sake
2 teaspoons sugar
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive or grapeseed oil
In a medium stainless non-reactive (steel or glass bowl), combine the mirin and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the wasabi and whisk well to blend. Whisk in the oil. Let the oil stand for 10 minutes before using. Be sure to whisk it up just before serving.

Wasabi Marinade
1 Tablespoon prepared wasabi paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped pickled ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil or wasabi oil
In a medium stainless non-reactive (steel or glass bowl), combine all of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour into a large ziploc baggie with the steak, chicken, tofu or other meat you are preparing for dinner. Seal the bag most of the way across and press out all of the air. Seal the bag completely and massage the marinade into the meat for a minute or so. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator. Chill until ready to cook. You can even freeze the meat in the marinade and thaw when you need it. Grill or roast the meat to your satisfaction. It's sooo good.

Thinking of Spring...and herbs for the garden

It's time to start thinking about spring. I may relapse into my love of winter again but it's fun to think about the possibilities for planting my kitchen garden. I have a delightful little rock bordered garden that rests just beside my deck. It is the perfect place for flowers, herbs and fresh garnishes for our table. This spring I'll be going up to Moose Crossing Herbs in Waldoboro to find some hardy new perennials to add this year. Oregano is on the list. I'll be adding another type of thyme and some pineapple sage. I'll have to set in some annuals as well. Of course there will be parsley, sage, rosemary and cilantro. Last year the cilantro reseeded from 2005. I love when that happens!
We went to dinner at Cam's tonight before attending the swing dance at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. It was great to see all of the college kids learning the steps to the shim-sham, jitterbug stroll and two hand slide variations. It is always a joy to see young men willing to learn how to swing. I always try to participate in the lesson so the leads will have a follow who can do what they tell them to do.
I am so proud to be a swing dancer!
Here is a recipe for an herb rub to get you thinking about spring- I've used fresh herbs here but have included options for dried just in case you need to resort to the winter option. Let's be the early bird- and look toward a beautiful, warm, green Springtime!

Herb Rub recipe

3 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme or 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days if fresh or up to two weeks if dried.
Rub on chicken, fish, or pork chops before grilling. It is especially nice if you mix the entire batch with 1/2 cup of olive oil and rub it on chicken breasts or two long narrow pork tenderloins. Let them sit, covered in the refrigerator for a day. Wipe most of the mixture off, discard the used herbs and grill the meat. Delicious!
Instead of using on meat: The fresh herb and olive oil mixture is also wonderful tossed with freshly cooked pasta and a handful of parmesan cheese or as a dip for crusty bread.

Savory Cocoa-Cayenne Rub Warms Up Chicken on a Very Chilly Day

Brrr! Sherwood spent the afternoon fixing the chain on his commuter bike. Yes, he is still commuting in the 10 degree Maine winter weather. His dedication falls somewhere between brave and brilliant. He came inside looking like a grease covered popsicle. Guy called from San Francisco- Hi Guy! He went for a hike today in shorts and a T-shirt. Gotta love global warming. Sherwood and I both spent time on the trainer, cycling inside to get our muscles moving. I rode first, then made supper while Sherwood did his time. I know how much he loves chocolate so I wanted to make him something special and warm with that exquisite hint of cocoabean. I combined a couple of recipes to come up with a dry rub that was scrumptuous on chicken breasts. It was spicy and savory with that complex layer of dark chocolate lusciousness. Sherwood added a bit of Beale Street Barbeque Sauce to his. We had creamy mashed potatoes and "summer" squash (to remind us all that it will acutally come sometime). The rub would also be great on pork tenderloin or your choice of ribs. If you're trying to impress a friend who likes chocolate -- this is the way to fit another course involving that mysterious bean into your menu.
For the dry rub: Grind together 2 teaspoons white peppercorns, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds and 3 Tablespoons sea salt. When you've ground them all together to a coarse dust add: 3 Tablespoons cocoa, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon cayenne. Mix all the ingredients well and set aside. When you're ready to make your dinner, scoop a couple of Tablespoons of rub onto a plate. Press your chicken or tenderloin into the powder, rolling it around to coat the meat. Massage the rub well so all surfaces of the meat are coated well with the rub. Drizzle meat with olive oil. Discard any rub left on the plate. Grill, Saute or roast the meat until done to your liking. If you have a favorite wet sauce you can serve it alongside for dipping. Delicious. If you prefer a more southwest flavor, substitute ground cumin for the cardamom. For a little extra spice add 1 teaspoon powdered chipotle pepper. Rubs are a great way to begin layering flavors in your meal. Use similar spices in your sauces to deepen the notes while adding other complimentary flavors to make your dish sparkle. Hooray for chocolate!