New Year’s Eve Menu

2009 is coming to a close. Our calendars will need to be changed, reflecting the new year, 2010, that will hopefully be full of great things for many. To help start your year out on a positive note, I have put together a menu for your New Year’s festivities made up of items from Tokyo Terrace. These can almost all be done in advance (with the exception of the drinks) and are easily made for large groups. Click on the links below for the recipes! Here’s to a happy New Year for you all! Kanpai!

Cocktails

Pomegranate-Spiked Champagne

A beautiful, festive way to ring in the new year. Simply add pomegranate juice to your champagne along with some pomegranate seeds that are lifted by the bubbles to the top of the glass.

Sparkling Sangria with Cranberry and Orange

Vibrant colors make this sangria a perfect punch to serve in a large glass bowl.

Shibuya Punch

A simple, lively, alcohol-free possibility made with pomegranate juice, vodka (optional), mint and tonic water.

Sparkling Grapefruit

The bright, tart flavor of pink grapefruit paired with sweet ginger-ale is an easy cocktail to serve for any party. Another visually stunning drink that dresses up the party spread!

Martini Bar

What could be easier than a do-it-yourself martini bar? Your only job is to set up the tools for your guests to make their own fun martinis! Make sure to read about the decorating tips in the post to make the bar really elegant and fun.

Small Bites

Sweet Potato Chips with Miso Dipping Sauce

These chips and dip are a healthy addition to the menu and can be made a day in advance. Make sure to let the chips cool completely and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Bell Pepper Bites

These ridiculously easy and tasty bite-sized bell pepper snacks are colorful and easy to prepare. Just cut the bell peppers the night before, then pop them in the oven per the recipe just before guests arrive.

Oven Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Spread

This creamy, tangy goat cheese spread is well-balanced with sweet, juicy oven-roasted tomatoes. Roast the tomatoes a day or two before your party and you will have an elegant and delicious appetizer ready in no time on party day!

Empanadas

There are so many great things to say about these empanadas. Because they are baked rather than fried, you can assemble and cook them the day before the party, leaving only a quick reheat for the big day to crisp the crust and warm the filling. Pop them in a 315F oven for about 15-20 minutes and you’re all set!

Scallop & Corn Gyoza

The filling for these delicious gyoza can be made the day before. Get a helper to fill the wrappers and seal them the quick and easy way with a fork. The best way to make them in large batches is to steam them rather than pan fry them (makes them healthier too!)

Desserts

Rustic Pear Tart

Make this super simple crust for the pear tart a day or two before. Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Let the dough sit for a few minutes before rolling it out to ensure it doesn’t crack. Honestly, this is the easiest dessert I’ve ever made and I find it doable to make 2 for the day of a party.

Lemon Curd & Espresso-Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts

This great recipe from The White on Rice Couple works perfectly in miniature servings. The light, creamy flavor of the lemon curd is an amazing pairing with the rich espresso-chocolate ganache.

Brown Sugar Shortbread with Fig Jam

This is another great do-ahead recipe! You can roll up the logs of cookie dough and cook them as you need them, or make a batch or two the day before the party that are ready to put out on the table at a moment’s notice! Use any kind of jam you have on-hand.

Kobe Beef Eggs Benedict

Rich, flavorful, decadent, and sinful. These are applicable adjectives for today’s recipe. In one of my early posts on Tokyo Terrace I explained my love affair with eggs benedict. There is something about Hollandaise-smothered eggs, meat and bread in one delicious bite that is irresistible to me.

With this love in mind, I made eggs benedict with an Asian twist for our Christmas Day breakfast. Instead of Canadian bacon, or smoked salmon like my previous recipe, I added slices of juicy Kobe beef. Let me just say: YUM! The beef was lightly seasoned before being tossed in a screaming hot pan where a beautiful brown crust formed and filled the kitchen with an amazing aroma.

Kobe beef is from Kobe, Japan where the cows are apparently massaged with sake and fed beer daily, resulting in intense marbling and rich flavor. In the U.S., Kobe beef is insanely expensive, but it is much more affordable in Japan. People are easily duped into buying beef that is called Kobe but really is not at all. If you can, do some research before trying to buy this kind of meat. To read more on Kobe beef, click here.

The poached eggs came out with perfectly fluffy whites and creamy, gooey yolks that soaked into buttery toasted bread. I know- it sounds deadly, right? Well, in case you haven’t had enough of intensely rich food, I’ve got a great recipe for you!

The recipe below is quite involved, but that’s only because there are several steps. If you are intentional with the timing of each step, it works out well. And don’t be afraid of Hollandaise sauce! It really is pretty easy to make from scratch. If you have a packet in your cupboard for the sauce, back away slowly. Just try it this way and I promise you will never go back!

If you can’t find Kobe beef, don’t worry. You can use sliced filets instead, or any other type of beef you prefer. I promise, if you make this recipe you will love it.

Please feel free to share your favorite decadent breakfast in your comments below. If you have links to blog posts, share those as well! I’d love to see what everyone else is enjoying for breakfast this season.

Kobe Beef Eggs Benedict

Makes 4 servings

8 slices Kobe beef (or other cut of beef)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

4 eggs

8 slices of French bread

4 teaspoons unsalted butter at room temp

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) of unsalted butter, melted

4 egg yolks

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

A few drops of Tabasco Sauce

Salt

Combine the salt and pepper, onion powder, cumin and paprika in a small bowl and sprinkle each piece of beef on both sides. Heat olive oil in a medium heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on both sides (about 2 minutes per side) and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

In a heat proof bowl over a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard until creamy and pale yellow. (Be VERY careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water in the boiler or you will have scrambled eggs. Not good in this situation…) Add a pinch of salt and whisk in. Carefully remove the bowl from the heat, slowly stream in the butter and continue to whisk. (I used an electric whisk because it is WAY easier.)

Season with the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce and stir in chopped parsley. Cover the sauce with tin foil and set aside until ready to use. You can gently reheat the sauce over low heat in the double boiler if necessary before using.

In a medium saucepan, fill with about 4 or 5 inches of water. Bring the water to a slow, steady simmer. While you wait for the water to heat up, toast and butter the bread. Set 2 slices of the bread on each of the serving plates. Working with two eggs at a time, gently break the eggs into the water, skimming any white foam off the top of the water as the eggs cook. The eggs should take about 3 minutes to be properly poached. Gently lift the eggs out of the water and place in a small bowl and repeat the process with the remaining eggs. *Alternatively, if you are making this for a large group or are uncomfortable poaching eggs, you can simply fry the eggs.

Assemble each plate by doing the following: Place one slice of beef on each slice of bread. Top the beef with the eggs then spoon the Hollandaise sauce over the whole thing. Garnish with paprika and extra chopped parsley or chives. Enjoy your artery clogging breakfast!

Cocktail Friday: Dragon Fruit Mojito

I am so full. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were packed with delicious meals and I am officially stuffed. Like a turkey. With this in mind, the cocktail for this week is light and refreshing and even a little bit on the healthy side!

There is a grocery store in Miyazakidai, about 10 minutes from our apartment by train, that seems to always have unusual items in the produce department. From green papaya to star fruit and pomegranates, I have found things here that I’ve never seen in other Japanese-style grocery stores. It’s like Christmas every time I walk through the doors and the first place I go is the self-named “obscure fruit spot.” I love it.

During my most recent visit to this store, I found the mystical dragon fruit! This was exciting after seeing dragon fruit in several other blogs over the past weeks. I have to confess that I had never tried dragon fruit until this week. I know. Sad, isn’t it?

The bright pink skin of the dragon fruit against (in this case) the black speckled white flesh is truly beautiful. In order to get some of the vibrant pink color into this cocktail, I muddled two pieces of the skin in the bottom of the glass with the fruit, lime juice and mint leaves. When that didn’t work as well as I wanted it to, I added a touch of cranberry juice. Just enough to add color without taking away from the clean taste of the dragon fruit.

With a texture similar to soft kiwi, dragon fruit has a gentle sweetness that is not overpowering. The flesh is soft enough to scoop out with a spoon. I wonder, what would happen if you froze half of the fruit? Would it be like sorbet? I’ll give it a try today and get back to you…

If you don’t like the “floaties” in this cocktail, you can blend the dragon fruit and press it through a strainer into your glass. However, I don’t think it will give you the same results in taste or presentation.

Cheers!

Dragon Fruit Mojito
Makes 1 drink

2 tablespoons fresh dragon fruit flesh
2 strips dragon fruit skin
12-15 mint leaves
2 oz white rum or vodka
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
ice
3 oz Tonic or soda water

In the bottom of a glass, muddle the dragon fruit flesh and skin, mint leaves, and lime juice until well combined and fragrant. Add the vodka to the glass and stir to combine. Add ice to the glass and top with tonic or soda water. Garnish with a lime wedge and extra mint leaves.

Roasted Kabocha Soup (and a Christmas Story from Tokyo)

Sometimes it is easy to forget how amazing living in a country like Japan can be. I never feel that I “fit in”, but I have become comfortable as an outsider. I find myself waiting for the train, looking in at the people sitting in the cars wondering what they are talking about, thinking about, or worried about. I wonder why they live in Tokyo. What do they do for work? What will they have for dinner tonight?

It’s funny. I’ve always been fond of people watching, but here I feel like I’m looking through train windows constantly. Looking at an entire culture that I don’t fully understand through a train window as I’m standing on the platform. In an instant I have to move on and start thinking about the next window. The next car. The next train.

During my first Christmas abroad, I am feeling a number of things. I long for my family to be close at this time of year. However, I am endlessly thankful for my wonderful husband and the time we have been able to share this holiday season. I miss snow. I miss crackling fire places and my Uncle Steve’s prime rib. Still, somehow, in the midst of a place so strange and unusual, I am able to find the Christmas spirit. In a country where 1% of the population are Christian, I have found the genuine reason to celebrate.

Tonight, Brad and I went to Ebisu and Roppongi to view some amazing Christmas light displays. We were both in awe of the sparkling lights giving a soft glow to the tall buildings of Tokyo. This was not, however, what put me in the Christmas spirit. What put me in the Christmas spirit was the small changes in everyone around us; seeing the hundreds of couples holding hands in public, smiling at strangers, and genuinely enjoying the spirit of the season. Whether they knew it or not.

I had not intended the recipe today to be tagged to a long story, but I had to share that experience with you all. There is always something new to be appreciated. No matter what your surroundings happen to be. Just take the time to look through those train windows.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programing…

So, to end this last post before Christmas Day, I bring you a classic recipe with a Japanese twist: Roasted Kabocha Soup. A Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin. Roasting the Kabocha brings out a sweet, smoky flavor that is perfect for a hearty, healthy meal. This could even be a great addition to your Christmas Day spread as a simple, warming side dish.

Merry Christmas to you, my dear readers. Thank you for helping to make this year an amazing one! Here’s to the coming year!

Roasted Kabocha Soup
Serves 6

2 lbs Kabocha or other winter squash (such as acorn or butternut)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth, plus extra to adjust thickness at the end
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
6 Tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F.

Cut the Kabocha in half, place in a baking dish and drizzle the cut sides with olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for about 1 hour. *Check occasionally to ensure it does not burn.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt the butter. Add the onions, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat until softened. When the Kabocha is done, scoop it out of it’s skin and add it to the pot. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 30 more minutes over medium heat. After the 30 minutes is up, make sure the carrots have softened. If they need more time, give it to ’em!

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. Add the white pepper, salt, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and honey. Season to taste with salt or other spices if necessary. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish each with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of paprika and parsley. Serve immediately.

Ingredients Cafe in White Bear Lake, MN

During the first two weeks of December, I traveled to my hometown of White Bear Lake, Minnesota to visit family and friends. While I was there, I made it a priority to visit some favorite restaurants in the area. Delicious meals, stimulating conversation, and the great atmosphere of these restaurants make them perfect for cold, snowy days when you want to cozy up to some good food.

Just across the street from Ursula’s Wine Bar and Cafe (a favorite hangout of mine) is Ingredients Cafe. Ingredients is what I would describe as a contemporary comfort-food focused restaurant. From elegant entrees and trendy cocktails to a simple but ravishingly delicious grilled cheese and tomato soup combo, Ingredients does a wonderful job creating subtly delicious food in a way that is clearly heartfelt.

Chickens, beautifully prepped

During this particular visit to Ingredients on a day when snow was gently falling in White Bear Lake, I was lucky enough to be served a heaping, delicious bowl of mussels. I adore mussels. But if they are over cooked, not fresh, or just paired with the wrong ingredients, mussels can lose a lot of their unique sweet flavor and delicate texture.

These mussels were perfect. Cooked in a coconut milk broth accented with juicy red tomatoes, fresh cilantro, spicy jalapeño, and rich chorizo, the flavors worked perfectly together without competing with the tasty, soft and pillowy mussels.

After the mussels, I indulged in one of Ingredients‘ desserts. Their “Chocolate Tart with Raspberries Three Ways” was beautifully presented on a clean white plate. The bright color of the raspberries in their 3 forms (sorbet, coulis, and fresh) bounced off the dish.

Chocolate tarts tend to have a heavy texture, but I found this particular tart to be surprisingly light, although it was still dense with delectable flavor. As you can see, I had no problem finishing it.

Ingredients makes their own fresh bread on a daily basis, although I just missed being able to sample any this time around. In addition, the well-stocked bar is staffed with ridiculously friendly (and knowledgeable) bar tenders. Thursdays are $5 martini nights (my personal favorite time to stop by.) I would highly recommend the French Sidecar.

As always, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Ingredients. Tony, a head chef at Ingredients, was exceptionally accommodating and a pleasure to work with. Thanks to everyone who helps make Ingredients another great place to visit in downtown White Bear Lake! I know I will be back again (at least when I make the long journey from Tokyo to Minnesota!) Click on the image below for some extra photos of my Ingredient’s visit:

Ingredients Cafe, White Bear Lake, MN