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After much yelling an flailing from a certain bespectacled boy, I was finally able to get a hold of his cookbook. We all know I am not the culinary genius that Watanuki is, but I, and I am sure you, would love to try making some of the tasty dishes he has made in the xxxHolic series!


Table of Contents:
>Bento (rolled omelette, onigiri, karage, octopus dogs, inarizushi)
>Fondant au chocolat
>Kakigori (Japanese shaved ice)
>Mackarel with saikyo miso
>Nabe
>Ohagi
>Oden
>Reimen
>Roll cake
>Sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts)
>Soki soba
>Taichazuke with sea bream
>Teppan chicken
>Yakiniku

FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT

serves 6

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar

For the cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon instant vanilla pudding 1 teaspoon vanilla.


Preheat oven at 400 degrees. If you are heating the chocolate, make sure to use a pot or a system that safely allows melting without burning the chocolate. Once you have your pot, melt the butter in it. Add chocolate, salt and cocoa, and mix until smooth. Set aside.
Butter 6 ramequins, 3 inches in diameter. Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar. Gradually add the cornstarch and sugar. Continue beating until the whites are firm. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into the prepared molds.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
Top should be firm. Remove from heat and unmold immediately on the center of serving plates. Whip the cream with the sugar, vanilla pudding and vanilla. Pipe a star of whipped cream on each warm cake.

Mackarel with saikyo miso

4 black fish fillets, about 1/2 pound (230g) each
3 cups (800g) Saikyo Miso


Pat the fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Slather the fish with Saikyo Miso and place in a nonreactive dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave to steep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Preheat a grill or broiler. Lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets but don't rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill, or in a broiler pan, and grill or broil until the surface of the fish turns brown. Then bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Ohagi

Makes about 24 –28 balls depending on size.

2 cups mochi rice
1 cup regular rice
3 1/2 cups water
1 lb. azuki
2 ½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt


How to Prepare the Tsubu An :
1. Soak azuki overnight.
2. Drain. Add enough fresh water to cover, and bring to a boil.
3. Cook 10 – 15 minutes and drain the water. Repeat three times.
4. Add water to cover the fourth time and cook until beans are very soft. Add more water as it evaporates.
5. Without straining azuki, add sugar and salt.
6. Cook over slow heat, stirring constantly until thick enough to hold shape.
7. Cool and use for ohagi.


How to cook Rice :
1. Wash rice until the water is clear.
2. Drain all the water.
3. Then add 3 ½ cups of clean water.
4. Cover saucepan and bring to a boil.
5. Then turn heat very low and steam 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


How to prepare the Rice Balls:
1. While still hot mash rice grain partially with wooden rod or spoon dipped in water to prevent from sticking.
2. Make rice balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter with palms of hand, dampened with salted water.
3. Cover rice ball with a layer of an. (Koshi an may be used instead of Tsubu an)


Wet a clean cloth napkin and wring it out thoroughly. Place napkin over one palm ( hands should be totally dry) and spread 2 tbsps sweet bean paste over napkin on hand. Place rice ball in center of bean paste, the wrap napkin completely in a even a layer as possible. Gently wrap the rice ball with bean paste. With light pressure form a ball. Rinse the napkin thoroughly and wring it out between each use. Repeat process for each rice ball.

Reimen

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp sesame paste
lemon juice squeezed from 1/2 lemon
Optional: sesame oil
Optional: grated ginger or garlic

Mix above ingredients well and refrigerate. Pour over noodles and toppings to serve. Note: If sesame paste is not available, you could omit it, but the bottom line is that the amount of soy sauce, vinegar and sugar is 1:1:1. If too strong, add some water or Chinese soup stock. A little mustard would give a nice kick. NOTE: Reimen is essentially a variation of the Korean cold soup naengmyun, which is super good on a hot summer day.

Sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts)

Salad oil for deep frying
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a skillet, heat oil to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, and vanilla. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is smooth. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into the hot oil; fry until golden brown and doughnuts rise to the surface. Makes 4 dozen.

Taichazuke with sea bream

3 cups cooked rice (doesn't necessarily have to be Japanese rice)
Fish (salmon/seabass/bream), sliced thinly
Genmaicha (green tea roasted with rice) or any green tea
Toasted sesame seeds
Nori, cut into thin strips
Minced garlic
Minced ginger
Fish sauce
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Wasabi

Marinate fish with a bit of lemon juice, ginger and sesame oil for 10-15 mins. To prepare broth: Pour about 6 cups hot water over 3 spoonfuls green tea leaves and leave to steep. In a pan, spray some sesame oil, and lightly fry minced garlic, ginger and some sesame seeds until fragrant. Pour in green tea and let simmer over low heat. Add in 1 teaspoonful of soy sauce and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Add in salt to taste. Simmer for 4-5 minutes covered. Poach the fish in the broth. Divide rice into 4 bowls. When fish turns opaque, place on top of rice. Pour the green tea broth over the rice. Garnish with liberal amounts of nori strips and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. If you wish, put a lump of wasabi at the side (it a nice, tangy flavour but too much will bring tears to your eyes).

Yakiniku

(To be updated)