Friday, October 9, 2009

What’s Cooking at the Academy of Culinary Arts: Vegetable Sushi

Garden Vegetable Sushi
This video features Chef Bruce Johns from my alma mater, with a recipe from the Academy of Culinary Arts in NJ. Chef Johns demonstrates how easy and fast it is to prepare Garden Vegetable Sushi Maki. Maki is sushi rolled in nori (seaweed) that is served cut into bite size portions. Maki sushi does not contain raw fish and can be served as a delicious, low fat, healthy appetizer or light bite.

Putting it all together
You will need:
  • Nori (dried seaweed)
  • Rice (preferably brown)
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Garden vegetables
  • Fresh herbs of your choosing
  • Wasabi paste
  • Pickled ginger
  • Soy sauce (reduced sodium)

You will also need a sushi mat to roll the sushi, but can use clear wrap or a clean dish towel if you don't have one. Sushi mats, wasabi (horseradish paste), and nori can be found in Asian Markets, some Natural Food stores and usually in Asian sections of most supermarkets. Nori is available toasted or un-toasted, and tastes best toasted. Un-toasted nori has a slight chewy texture. To toast nori, place it on a baking sheet and briefly heat it in a 300°F (150°C) oven for approximately 5 minutes, or if you have a gas stove, hold the nori with tongs and pass it over the flame until it turns green in color.
  • For best flavors, Chef Johns precooks garden vegetables over dry heat. He roasts red peppers and grills carrots, yellow squash and zucchini before incorporating them into the sushi roll.
  • White sushi rice can be substituted with organic, short grain, brown rice.

Once you get practice with the technique, you can become quite creative, varying your selections for filling ingredients and combination's.
Favorites in our house include: Kappa maki (cucumber rolls) and California rolls (crabmeat, avocado, cucumber). Have fun!



Related Links:
SushiEncyclopedia.com: Sushi Recipes and information
Maine Coast Sea Vegetables: Toasting Nori
Academy of Culinary Arts: NJ Culinary School

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