Pride

[enurmi]

Quite an accomplishment, I say. Three and a half months, much anxiety, thoughtful consideration every day, over 12 hours of prep: this is only part of what went into this dinner.

*Skip this part if you just want to get to the food*

I've always been reluctant to consider myself talented or anything special or proud of my cooking; first it was that anyone could follow a recipe, then it was that anyone could research, or anyone could tell what flavors went together. But I think I've finally reached the point where I can say that I am proud of what I've done, and I'm not going to degrade my accomplishment any longer! So there. I hope this doesn't sound arrogant or anything, but it's just a realization for me, so I thought I'd right it down. I mean, ten courses with NO source recipes is not something just anyone can do without a lot of care and thought, especially at my age, so I'm really pretty happy with myself. Excuse me, again, if this seems proud or distasteful. This has been such a fantastic learning experience for me, and such a huge task, and a such an evolution!

*Done!*

So anyways, here is the menu of my perpetual thought; I can't believe it's finally done!

Japanese Tasting Menu

Amuse Bouche-- pickled radish* with caramelized green onion on a sesame-rice cracker

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Vegetable Wontons with Sesame-Ginger Broth-- wontons filled with mung sprouts, water chestnuts, green onions, celery; broth boiled with a knob of ginger with grated ginger added; served in a chinese soup spoon in a bowl with sesame oil and black sesame seeds, then the broth was poured over it

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Blood Orange-Daikon Salad-- with a blood orange-sesame vinaigrette

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Seared Tuna with Vegetable Slaw-- tuna was marinated in a wasabi-soy marinade and then crusted with black and white sesame seeds and seared for 30 sec each side; slaw was similar veggies to the wonton filling cut differently with added carrots and a rice wine vinaigrette

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Intermezzo-- green tea with shiso**

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Somen with Enoki-- quick boiled somen with fried enoki on top, a little broth, black sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sea salt

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Chicken Breast with a Snow Pea Slaw-- chicken marinated with green tea and ginger, snow peas with black sesame seeds and rice wine-sesame vinaigrette

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Intermezzo II-- blood orange granita

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Duo of Desserts-- asian pear-green tea gelee; napoleon of caramel-crusted rice-sesame wafers, whipped cream, and ripe pears

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Postprandial Candy-- my version of candied blood orange rinds

*My WF is not very good, apparently, and so I was forced to substitute easter egg radishes for daikon in all my recipes

**Same deal, so I used mint instead of shiso

Oh, and one of the two guests brough the wine-- a sauvignon blanc which was apparently very good and went well with every dish.

The night went off essentially without a hitch-- the dishes were appreciated, I think, and there was only one little mishap, which didn't even have anything to do with cooking. Somehow, after lighting the candles in the centerpiece, the matchbook sort of exploded in my hand, giving me a nice, nasty burn right on the inside of the knuckle of my left index finger.

And then afterwards I ate the rest of the enoki, fried up and added to a little somen, sesame oil, black sesame seeds, the rest of the chicken chopped up, and sea salt, with the rest of the veggies on the side-- delish.

Any thoughts?

[racheld]

I can only say WOW! What an accomplishment!!

And will there be recipes? Please?

Welcome to eGullet---you're off to a flying start.

[enurmi]

Thanks!

If anyone wants recipes, I'd be happy to post what I have-- which isn't much, but I can at least give ingredients and outlines of how they are cooked!

[Dasha]

Oh, that sounds soooo good! Do you have any pictures to share? I find that half the fun of Japanese food is the beauty of it...