Recipe: Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes ("Hoe Cakes")

I remember eating these often at my grandmothers' and great grandmothers' houses growing up - each time they'd never be made exactly the same, which admittedly was kinda the fun in it ;) Honey was the common accompaniment, usually fresh honey given to us by beekeepers in the family living nearby. As I got older, maple syrup or molasses would show up as an option, but I usually stuck with honey. And butter - at least a little bit :). They were usually topped with fresh sliced peaches or blueberries or blackberries from grandma's yard if served in the morning - they'd be a little less sweet and be served plain if in the evening. The version below is definitely slightly sweet. However, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I've reduced the sweetness down to a level I consider somewhere in between the "morning" and the "afternoon" version. I also remember cornstarch being used to add density - but I'm leaving that to the rice flour in my version (you can go with an almond or other nut flour instead of rice flour, just be prepared for a "nuttier" taste).

Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes ("Hoe Cakes")

Ingredients

2 cups of buttermilk

4 tbsp. of unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups of cornmeal

2/3 cup of rice flour

1 1/3 tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 large eggs, beaten

Vegetable oil cooking spray (for the griddle)

Directions

Whisk together all dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk all wet ingredients together in another bowl thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk thoroughly until all dry ingredients are thoroughly combined into the batter. Let the batter sit in the bowl for approximately 15 minutes (this will lead to fluffier cakes).

Spray non-stick griddle or large skillet with cooking spray. Heat griddle over medium heat. Whisk the batter one last time to re-combine after resting. Once griddle is hot and slightly smoking, use a 1/3 cup measure and pour out 2 cakes into the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on the first side, carefully flip and cook 2 minutes on the other side. Place onto a wire rack while cooking the remainder of the cakes. Top with fresh fruit, sifted confectioner's sugar, honey, molasses, or syrup of your choosing.

Makes approximately 12 - 14 cakes.

Recipe: Miso Glazed Black Cod over Soba Noodles

I've honestly had so many different versions of this dish because it is one of my favorites in Japanese cooking. I've made some modifications to make it easier for we American cooks to recreate the dish. I also add a spicy note to mine that is not typical in most Japanese versions. Also, the citrus is not common either - but I think it just adds excellent flavor to what is a relatively oily and fatty fish. "Black Cod" is the American name for the sablefish and it is very common and accessible here on the West Coast. On the East Coast, sea bass is likely more accessible and can be used. However, regular varieties of "cod" should not be used here - they won't be able to stand up to the marinating and glaze process. Some recipes go from marinade right to cooking - others from glaze to cooking. Personally, I find the combined process produces the most intense flavor and goes best with the heartier soba noodles.

Miso Glazed Black Cod over Soba Noodles

Ingredients

Marinade

2 cups of water

1 cup of dashi stock

3/4 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup fish sauce

8 small thai chiles, minced

Glaze

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 cup red miso paste

2/3 cup sake

2/3 cup mirin

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of orange zest

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon corn starch

Main

2 lbs. of sablefish (black cod) filets

16 oz. of cooked soba noodles

2 cups of chopped bok choy, steamed

2 cups dashi stock

2 tbsp. black sesame seeds

2 teaspoons togarashi powder 

Directions

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Place fish filets into the marinade, cover, and marinade at least 8 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk all ingredients of the glaze together in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking until the glaze mixture reduces to about 1 1/2 cups and easily coats the back of a spoon, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove fish from marinade onto paper towels and pat dry thoroughly. Heat an oiled outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan to medium high heat. Coat filets thoroughly in the reserved glaze. Place on the grill for 2 - 3 minutes on each side to sear. Transfer to a casserole dish and baste each piece in the remainder of the glaze. Bake an additional 10 - 12 minutes until fish is cooked through, turning over halfway through cooking time.

Place equal amounts of soba noodles, bok choy, dashi stock, sesame seeds, and togarashi powder into large bowls and toss to mix. Place a fish filet on top of each bowl. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Agedashi Tofu

This is simple Japanese comfort food. The tofu stays soft and silky on the inside while the outside gets a nice coating that holds up to the very flavorful broth. This is one of my favorite Japanese recipes and my version is replicated from memories of very good versions I’ve had in Japan and elsewhere. The garnishes are very important to the overall flavor of this dish - so don’t leave them out! Normally served as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants, this can also be a main course by increasing the portion size or part of a light lunch with a few pieces of fresh sashimi or small portion of cooked fish.

Agedashi Tofu

Ingredients

Sauce

1 lb. (16 oz.) of soft tofu

1 1/2 cup of dashi stock
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Tofu

1 egg
1 cup rice flour
3 - 4 cups of rice bran oil or vegetable oil (for frying)

Garnish

1/2 cup diced scallions
2 tbsp katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
1 1/2 tbsp grated daikon radish
1 4” square sheet of nori (dried seaweed) cut into thin strips
1 tsp togarashi powder (Japanese hot pepper powder) or crushed red pepper

Directions

Wrap tofu in two dishcloths. Place a heavy weight on top of the tofu (like a cast iron skillet) and leave to drain for approximately 30 minutes. Cut tofu into 1 1/2 inch cubes.

Beat the 1 egg thoroughly in one bowl. Place the rice flour in another bowl. Heat the oil over high heat until the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees. Coat each piece of tofu thoroughly in the rice flour, then coat in egg allowing any excess to drip off, then coat again in rice flour. Place immediately into the hot oil and fry until medium brown, turning as necessary. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil when done. 

Whisk dashi stock, mirin, soy sauce, water, and rice vinegar together in a non-reactive (glass/plastic) bowl. Place in microwave and heat for 45 seconds. Whisk again for a few seconds.

Pour equal amounts of the stock mixture into each serving bowl. Evenly divide tofu pieces among the bowls and place on top of the broth. Garnish each bowl with the scallions, bonito flakes, daikon, nori, and shigarashi. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 appetizer servings or 2 light meal servings.

Recipe: Dashi Stock

This stock is used everywhere in Japanese cuisine. This is my version that I’ve gotten to based on trial and error. Once you get the hang of making this stock, you can adjust the ingredients to fit your own taste.

Dashi Stock

Ingredients

3/4 cup of konbu (dried kelp) cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 cup of enoki mushrooms, kept whole but packed to get a full 2/3 cup
1/2 cup of dried bonito flakes, packed
2 quarts + 1 cup of water

Directions

Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add all remaining ingredients and reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cover pot and simmer for approximately 1 hour. Drain through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or coffee filter.

This stock can be kept in the refrigerator for 4 - 5 days, in the freezer indefinitely.

Makes approximately 2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of stock.

Prep Class: Dashi Stock

Dashi stock is to Japanese cooking as master stock is to Chinese cooking as our unique mirepoix of bell peppers, onions, and celery is to Southern cooking.  While the stock is starting to show up in dishes in restaurants all over the country, it is an essential ingredient to so many Japanese dishes that it's honestly quite impossible to do most Japanese recipes without it. The origins of the stock date back as far as the year 790 A.D. However, exactly how to make it became information trapped in the heads of generations of Japanese men and women who passed the what and how down through their own children as oral history. It wasn't until 1907 that a Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikeda, embarked on a series of experiments to break down what actually went into the dashi stock of his own wife and mother. This discovery led to recipes finally being written down and became the catalyst for the convenience versions.

The goal of dashi stock is to achieve the critical "umami" flavor of Japanese cuisine - the aroma and taste of "meatiness" in a dish without actually using any meat ingredients. This is achieved through increasing the glutamate content of a dish - and dashi stock is very high in glutamates. While there are various dashi powders, starters, etc. that can be found in Asian markets here and are also popular in Japan, it's so ridiculously easy to make your own dashi stock that I recommend skipping the convenience versions.

Thankfully, the core ingredients for dashi stock have become more readily available in the US due to the rising popularity of Japanese and Japanese-influenced cuisine. The stock at its core contains only three ingredients - dried kelp (konbu), bonito flakes (dried fish skin), and filtered water. Some versions also add enoki, maitake, or shiitake mushrooms to further increase the umami element.

My next post will give you my version of dashi stock. I will then follow up with my versions of two popular Japanese recipes that require the stock.