Tokyo Ramen Top Picks

These are David Chang's top picks for ramen in Tokyo. Tokyo ramen is known for its soy-based broth brought to Japan by Chinese immigrants more than a 100 years ago. Shoyu ramen is made from pork, chicken, veggies, konbu, bonito flakes and other dried fish. The standard bowl includes roast pork, scallions, nori and bamboo shoots atop curly noodles. The most recognizable image of ramen globally, says Chang. Looking forward.

• Jun-Ichi Shimazaki: chicken oil broth in a bowl varnished by nanotechnology (to be eaten in total silence)
• Yamagishi-San: a living legend, national treasure, father of Tsukemen style
• Yamada-San: wild style noodles, cabbage garlic and bean sprout
• Orkin: New York flavor in the heart of Tokyo
• Ryosei Mita: super-charged Rokurinsha atomic noodle slam

Swiss Meringue

Something I need to try, again thanks to Marie-Amelie.

85 gr egg white
120 gr icing sugar

1. simmer until thermometer reads 70 degrees
2. whisk until cool

Oat Bran Power

An absolutely delicious and satisfying boost for the morning. Thanks again Marie-Amelie for this recipe. The Richters are hooked.

1 1/2 tblsp oat bran
1 tsp chia seeds
1 1/2 tblsp goji berries
1 tsp agave nectar
1/2 glass almond milk
1/2 glass water
1 tsp flaxseed

1. put all ingredients except agave and flaxseed in pot and bring to boil then simmer on low for ten minutes
2. add agave just before the cereal thickens
3. sprinkle with flaxseed and serve

Telefonino

I'm proud to say that this is my favorite cocktail ever. I've had a special fondness for Italian aperitivi for many years, but this combo is the perfect balance.  The telefonino has been a staple at my beloved River Cafe in London for as long as I can remember. It's always the first thing I have at the bar before sitting down.  I've often wondered what the exact measurements were. A quick phone call to the bar tender last month finally confirmed this. I think Antica Formula vermouth makes a key difference versus Punt e Mes, or Martini as it has a stronger vanilla flavor. The other key ingredient of course is the Zucca, which is made from rhubarb.

20 ml Campari
20 ml Zucca Rabarbaro
15 ml vermouth Antica Formula
squeeze of lemon
top off with tonic soda (best quality organic, preferably a Japanese brand)

1. put ingredients except lemon and tonic in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a medium tall glass with fresh ice
2. add a squeeze of lemon, top off with tonic soda (just a quick tip of the bottle)

Red Quinoa & Buckwheat

I've found that the quinoa is very neat when cooked, producing very little mush that makes a breakfast cereal tasty. So i thought I'd add a bit of buckwheat to make it all more wholesome. I think this is one of my favorite breakfasts these days. Thank you Marie-Amelie for introducing me to the chia seed and gogi berri!

rice milk
4 parts red quinoa
1 part buckwheat
tsp chia seeds
tsp gogi berries
pinch maldon sea salt
honey

1. put rice milk and everything else except honey and cook for twenty minutes
2. add honey to taste toward end and stir 

Avocado, Broad Bean & Apple

I very much love this salad, bursting with freshness and flavor. From Bill Granger's London restaurant, apparently concocted shortly after his move to the UK from Australia.  I found some frozen Japanese broad beans which I shelled…they worked perfectly. I also used rucola instead of watercress, also turned out well.

2 ripe avocados
1 green / Granny Smith apple
handful of broad beans, shelled
2 large handfuls of watercress
1 tsp finely grated ginger
2 tblsp EVOO
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tblsp lime juice
maldon sea salt
lime wedges

1. prepare dressing by whisking together ginger, EVOO, sugar, soy sauce and lime juice
2. peel, stone and slice the avocado into relatively thick pieces
3. cut the apple into match sticks/ juliennes
4. arrange the watercress on a platter, top with avocado, broad beans and apple
5. spoon over the dressing and season with salt
6. serve with lime wedges

Courgettes & Almonds

Rummaging through and endless pile of paper, I came across a recipe scribbled down by a chef at Jackson Fillmore in San Francisco, must have been around 1999. Thank you chef! This is a very tasty recipe that I've made many times since then based roughly on this recipe. Now I can do it the proper way. Make sure the courgettes are julienned like match sticks.

slivered blanched almonds
courgettes
pecorino
parsley
EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. toast almonds in oil and remove
2. to see with julienned courgettes (skin on) and black pepper
3. plate & top with shaved pecorino 

Smoothie Fever

The list of smoothie choices from Kreation Juice in Santa Monica. What's better than a healthy smoothie on a sunny southern California morning? The last one is something I invented, and will call it the monkey smoothie.

• Red Velvet: almond milk, yoghurt, raspberries, vanilla extract, frozen banana (optional bee pollen for energy)
• Orange Sunrise: coconut milk, frozen mango, almond butter, frozen banana (optional horsetail for skin)
• Purple Passion: almond milk, blueberries, yogurt, frozen banana
• Yellow Diamond: coconut milk, frozen pineapple, almond butter, frozen banana (optional maca powder post workout)
• Pink Panther: almond milk, strawberries, frozen banana (optional chia seeds for stamina)
• Chocolate Lovers: almond milk, cacao, carob, frozen banana, natural peanut butter (optional goji berries)
• Green Dream: almond milk, green apple, frozen banana, kale, parsley (optional vital green powder)
• Acai Miracle: acai berries, rasberries, yogurt, home-made granola, frozen banana (optional goji berries)
• Awake: espresso, maca, coconut milk, frozen banana
• Monkey: rice milk, frozen banana, organic nutella to taste, cashews

Avocado & Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Sometimes it just dawns on you that certain matches are made in heaven. A creamy avocado tastes so good with a hazelnut oil-based vinaigrette. An old bistro classic for sure.

hazelnut oil
sherry vinegar
dijon mustard
ground black pepper
maldon sea salt
chives
parsley
best quality avocado

1. make your vinaigrette using all above ingredients, including chopped herbs
2. discard the pit and pour vinaigrette into the cavity of each avocado half

Polenta, Pesto & Haddock

Something I've been making a long time. Just realizing that it isn't in this blog. I made it the other night, and loving it. Key is to make sure the polenta has some crust.

polenta
EVOO
home-made pesto
smoked haddock

1. make large grain polenta with a smaller quantity of water so that it comes out very thick
2. spread onto a shallow pan so that you have a 1/2 to 3/4 inch slab, let cool to room temperature
3. smear some EVOO over the polenta, then grill it in an oven until golden
4. let cool, cut into 1" x 1" squares, spoon some pesto on top of each square, then a sliver of smoked haddock to finish

Haddock & Mash

Very happy with this one, created by your's truly. I had some rosemary-flavored mash left over from the raviolis I made, so thought I'd put it to good use.

new potatoes
butter
rosemary
smoked haddock
parmesan
parsley
tabasco

1. boil potatoes, peel and put into a blender mixed with melted butter that has been infused with lots of rosemary
2. put mash into ramekins at 250 degrees for 20 minutes until the mash browns a bit on the side
3. slice up haddock, mix some grated parmesan and parsley into it and add a few drops of tobacco
4. spoon this mixture on top of the mash and eat

Tonight's Dinner

Our second dinner of the year, with the Hoffmans. Wonderful guests, with food and wine palates to match.  Thanks to them for an out of this world white Bordeaux. I made a few things that I've not done in a while, but also a couple of new things too.  Next time, I need to put a bit more vinaigrette on the sea urchin & burrata. 

• polenta cubes with pesto & smoked haddock
• eel, salt-baked beets, horseradish creme fraiche
• sea urchin, burrata & yuzu vinaigrette
• seared tuna, avocado-lime veloute & coriander dressing
• scallop, edamame-parmesan puree, truffle vinaigrette
• squid tonnato
• rosemary mash potato-filled ravioli & porcini 
• celeriac, radish, pomegranate & truffle dressing
• Michelle's homemade hazelnut ice cream 

Firenze Salad Dressing

The salad dressing from our favorite Italian restaurant in Kaiserslautern, Firenze. They also managed to make us an amazing spaghetti moules, off-menu.

minced carrots
minced onion
minced garlic
chopped parsley
EVOO
balsamic vinegar to taste (they don't overdo it)
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. put all ingredients into a container and let marinate over night
2. blend then pass through a fine sieve
3. serve over a nice butter leaf lettuce