Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg (ゆで卵)

I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year.  Mine was filled with wonderful food, lots of presents, great friends and family.     hm….maybe a few too many cookies and chocolates!    Is there such a thing as too many cookies and chocolate?  hahaha… I guess not.   



Nothing is more comforting than having a bowl of hot noodle soup after the holiday feast. Noodle soup gotta be one of the top 3 of my favorite brunch items. I hope some of you had a chance to make the Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze in my previous post. Actually, I do make that pork roast from time to time. Because I can use whatever left over to make this Miso Pork Noodle Soup. Plus, my little boy is a big fan of noodle soup, especially when I serve it with the pickled daikon (the yellow half circles you see on the small plate).



This Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg is super simple to make. If you know how to boil water, you can make this noodle soup! No kidding. I love soft boiled eggs, if you are serving them to young kids, elderly or pregnant ladies in the house, just make sure you get the pasteurized eggs so everyone can enjoy a soft boiled with the peace of mind.



The trick to prevent cracking on the egg shells is to place the eggs in the cold water before heating your pot. When it’s the doneness you want (I cooked mine 3 to 4 minutes more after the water comes to a full boil), remove the eggs from the pot and run under cool tap water until the eggs are completely cool to the touch. That way, the eggs shells will peel off nicely and won’t stick to the egg whites.



In this particular noodle soup, I thinly sliced the Roasted Miso Pork Loin I had along with some Japanese fish cakes (they comes in all kinds of shapes and colors).  Add the soft boil egg and some bok choi and you are all set.  The pork slices were still very juicy and tender even after reheating in the miso soup.   My little boy declared he can (and wants to) have this noodle soup every day and won’t get bored! 

Thank you for stopping by today and I wish you all a prosperous 2012!  Happy New Year.  





Miso Pork Noodle Soup with Soft Boiled Egg (ゆで卵)
(Printable Recipe)
4 Servings

2 eggs
4 servings of egg noodles or ramen (I used fresh egg noodles)
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons instant dashi granules (This is what I used)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons red miso paste (Such as this one)
1 bunch of bok choy
some ready to eat fish cakes (Kamaboko), whatever kind you prefer
12 thinly sliced Roasted Miso Pork Loin

In a medium saucepan filled with cool tap water, place the eggs in the pot before heating on the stove.  When the water comes to a full boil, let the eggs cook another 3 to 4 minutes (depending on how cooked you want your eggs to be).  Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and run them under cold tap water until completely cool to the touch.  Remove the shells and cut each egg in half, length wise.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles to el dente according to the package’s instructions.  Remove noodles from water and equally divide them into 4 serving bowls.

In another clean medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth with the dashi, soy sauce and miso paste to a boil.  Place the bok choy, fish cakes and roasted miso pork loin slices into the broth.  When the broth returns to a boil, remove from heat and arrange the veggies, fish cakes, pork loin and soft boil egg on top of the noodles.  Equally divide the soup in each bowl and serve hot.


This recipe is shared with:

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorite
Pink Saturday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U
What's Cooking Wednesday

Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze

If you haven’t decided what entrée to make for the Holiday Dinner, here’s a simple and scrumptious recipe for you.  Honestly, I’m not a big fan of turkey.  They often turn out to be on the 'dry' side rather than juicy and moist.  With that said, I still have to fine tune a turkey recipe.  But I’ll save that task for next year.  This Christmas, I’m totally all over the Oink! Oh, I mean pork.   



This Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze recipe is wonderful.  Not only that it’s super easy to make, it’s also very favorful.  The meat will turn out tender, juicy and moist.  Want to join me into the kitchen?  Come check it out.

First, we need to hold the pig hostage!  Tie it up so that it does not run away.  Well, actually, the kitchen twine helps the pork loin to stay in its beautiful shape after roasting.  Whatever the case is, tie it up!



Up next, keep the pig happy!  We will need some flavorful marinate to do that.  The red miso paste in this recipe is one of the star ingredients.  You might notice from my recipe below that I didn’t use a lot of salt in the marinate because both the miso paste and soy sauce will add saltiness to the meat.



Now, give that pig a mask and a massage!  Smear the marinate onto the pork loin and put it into a ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.  Gotta keep the pig cool!



To make this pig even happier, feed it with some Asian pears!  These pears are crisp, sweet and juicy.  Very different than the skinnier, mushy, green and red version you normally see in the markets.  If you haven’t try these Asian pears before, you need to hung them down and give them a try.  They are delicious as is, and really work wonderfully in this recipe by adding some natural sweetness to the glaze. 



When you are ready to roast, tuck the pig in along with the Aisan pears, onions and chicken stocks.  Let the pig get its beauty sleep in the oven.  Well, more like a nap, I should say.  I have a 3 1/2 pound pork loin and took me 60 minutes to cook.  Make sure a meat thermometer reads 145 degree F when inserted at the thickest part of the meat. 



The whole house smells wonderful when it’s roasting.  When it’s ready to get out of the oven, I couldn’t help but inhaled deeply before I take the whole dish out.  It’s amazing how scrumptious it is.  See how beautiful the pig turns out after its beauty nap?



Let the loin rest on the chopping board covered with a foil for at least 3 minutes.  Now, the pig is happy, relax and satisfy.  You can untie it and serve.  It’s not going anywhere except to your tummy.  And you’ll be one happy camper, or kidnapper.



I reduce the sauce a little and add another tablespoon of miso paste to finish off the glaze/gravy.  These pork loin are wonderful over rice, noodle, or mash potatoes, whatever you prefer.  After I finished my plate, I wanted my beauty nap too!



I’m sharing this recipe with Kitchen PLAY this month.  The National Pork Board is also sponsoring a delicious giveaway at Kitchen PLAY.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win a National Pork Board prize.  If you’re joining in the fun, please review the complete contest rules before entering.  Good luck!








Roasted Pork Loin with Miso and Asian Pear Glaze
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients:

3 ½ pound pork loin
1 large Asian Pear (Korean Pear), cored and cut into small chunks
1 small onion, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon red miso paste

Marinate ingredients:

1/4 cup red miso paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing Rice Cooking Wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and split in half
2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into small chunks
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white ground pepper

In the bowl of a small food processor, ground all the marinate ingredients until it’s a smooth paste.
Tide the pork with a kitchen twine so the pork remain its shape after baking. Place the pork in a large zip log bag with marinate paste. Squeeze out excess air in the bag and close the zip. Move the pork and marinate around so all surface of the pork is covered with marinates. Place the bag in a container and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven at 350 degree F. Place pork loin along with all marinate onto a large glass baking dish (mine is 8 by 10 by 2-inch). Arrange Asian pear and onion on the sides of the pork. Pour chicken stocks onto the pork. Bake for 60 to 70 minute or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degree F in the thickest part of the loin.

Remove loin onto a cutting board and cover with foil to rest for at least 3 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer sauces, pears and onion from baking dish to a small sauce pan and cook on high heat. Reduce the liquid by 1/2. Stir in a tablespoon of red miso paste, to taste. Then, puree reduced stock, pear and onion until smooth.

Cut pork loin into desired thickness, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch. Drizzle gravy/glaze over pork and serve over rice.


This recipe is shared with:

Foodie Friday
Fresh Bite Friday
Full Plate Thursday

Yuzu Gin & Tonic

I can’t believe there are only a few days left before Thanksgiving (for those who live in the States)!  Are you ready for the celebration, gathering and fun?  I know it’s quite chilling out there especially for those who live in areas that have already started snowing.  If you are one of the 'lucky' few, you would probably consider serving a pot of hot apple ciders during your gatherings instead.  However, I think it’s also important to offer a variety of drinks at a party.  I mean, what is a celebration without a signature cocktail, right?  With your heater at full blast, I’m sure some of your Guests would appreciate a refreshing cocktail while celebrating the holidays with you.    



I got a bottle of yuzu juice from a Japanese supermarket recently.  Originally, I purchased the yuzu juice to marinate some fish (I’ll post that recipe in the future).  Yuzu is a citrus fruit and plant originated in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit with an uneven skin, and can be either in yellow or green color depending on the level of ripeness.  The citrus flavor from a yuzu is very distinctive.  It’s a combination of tart, slightly sweet, and a hint of bitterness flavor.  In my opinion, it’s perfect for this cocktail!  If you can't find a Japanese or Asian market that carry the yuzu juice, you can also purchase it online here.



This Yuzu Gin & Tonic is super easy to prepare.  Which means it is perfect for parties and gatherings! Here’s what I did.  I used an 6-ounce glass, filled with about 1/4 cup of crushed ice.  Add 10 splashes of yuzu juice (about 1/2 teaspoon), then add a shot of dry gin.  Last but not least, fill the glass with tonic water.  That’s it.  It’s unbelievably refreshing and tasty.  I’ve been enjoying this goodness ever since the first time I’ve mixed this cocktail up accidentally.



Below is a close up picture of the yuzu bottle.  Make sure to get the 100% yuzu juice but not yuzu marinate or anything that has a “filler”.   If you look closer, you can see that I have almost finished the entire bottle already.  Gosh, I better get a new bottle before it runs out.  The yuzu juice is great in this cocktail and many marinate recipes.



I hope you’ll try this easy and refreshing cocktail this holiday season in your gatherings.  Remember, know your limits and drink responsibly.  The most important thing is to have a fun and safe holiday.  I want to thank you all of you for reading and stopping by today.  I wish you and your family a fun, festive, and blessed Thanksgiving!  Don’t forget to count your blessings.  I know I have a long list and many reasons to be grateful for this year.  Happy Thanksgiving!







Yuzu Gin & Tonic Printable Recipe
Serves 4 (feel free to double or triple the recipe for gatherings)
1 cup of crushed ice
2 teaspoons of yuzu juice
4 shots of dry gin
2 cups tonic water
4 citrus peel (for garnish)

Equally divide the crushed ice into 4 (6 ounce) glasses.  Add 10 splashes (about (1/2 teaspoon) of yuzu juice into each glass.  Then add a shot of dry gin in each glass and fill the glasses up with tonic water. Top with a citrus peel for garnish.  Enjoy!


This recipe is shared with:

Tuesday Talent Show
On the Menu Monday

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Tiramisu—Happy Anniversary

Last October, my husband and I celebrated our 6th wedding Anniversary at Maison Riz, a French and Japanese-fusion restaurant.  With our busy schedule this year, we went somewhere nearby instead.  Don’t you see a trend here? Yes, we both love Japanese food.    On the Maison Riz's post, if you scrolled all the way down to the dessert plate, you’ll see the little green cake in the middle.  That was an amazing piece of Green Tea Tiramisu.  Yes, this recipe is a replicate of that dessert.  It’s so wonderful that I just have to recreate it again.  Why did I waited for almost a year to make this dessert?  I'll explain to you later on in this post.



Tiramisu in Italian means “pick me up”.  Traditionally, this famous dessert is made of ladyfingers dipped in a mixture of espresso and liquor, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, cream and mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder.  The texture is so soft and fluffy, hence, it’s called “pick me up”.  I’m sure many of you have tried this dessert at a restaurant or even made some at home.  If you’re a Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) lover, you’ve got to try this recipe out.  Even if you’re not a big time fan for Green Tea, this is still an amazing dessert.



So, why did I waited for almost a year to make this Matcha Tiramisu?  Actually, I have wanted to make them for a long while.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time tracking down the ladyfingers in the neighborhood markets.  I tried homemade ladyfingers and my Tiramisu turned out to be a mess!    Luckily, one of my good friends knew I was on the quest to hunt down the ladyfingers and she came to the rescue and got me a huge package!  I’ve made a few batches of the traditional Tiramisu and a couple of batches of these Matcha version and they all turned out amazing!  Thank you for the fingers, my dear friend!



A message for my hubby: The past seven years has been nothing but amazing memories.  After having our first condo, changing of career, having two gorgeous kids, moving to another house, and starting an MBA together (yes, together because I feel like I’m taking the courses with you, Honey), I realized I love you more and more every day.  Thank you, my caring and loving husband for this amazing journey together.  I look forward to celebrate many more anniversaries, to accomplish many more milestones, and to grow old (if we’re not already old) with you together. 








Matcha Tiramisu Printable Recipe
Makes 9 by 5-inch
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Matcha powder, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
12 to 14 Savaiordi ladyfingers


In a medium pot, fill with 2 inches of water, set a mixing bowl over the pot of water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.
Add egg yolks, salt and sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture thicken and lighten. When lifting the whisk, the mixture should fall back on itself looks like thick ribbons. Place the bowl over an ice bath to cool.

In a small pot, bring the milk to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of Matcha Powder and vanilla extract until melted and no lumps. Transfer to a shallow dish and let it cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peak forms. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat mascarpone cheese until smooth. Gently fold the egg mixture into the mascarpone until incorporated. Then fold the cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture until well combined.

To assemble, line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wraps, allowing the excess to hang over the ends and sides. Quickly dip both sides of the ladyfingers in the Matcha mixture (just long enough to moisten the cookies without making them soggy) and place them on the bottom of the pan. Spoon 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture on top of the cookies, smooth the surface and sprinkle the top with Matcha powder. Dip the remaining cookies and place on top of the cream. Spoon the remaining mascarpone mixture over the cookies. Smooth the top and fold the plastic wrap to cover the cream. Refrigerate for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Your patient will be rewarded. Before serving, dust with more Matcha powder and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.


This Recipe is Shared with:

Sweet Treat Thursday
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweets for Saturday
Anything Goes
MomTrend's Friday Food

Ohshima—Restaurant Review

[Warning: If you're not comfortable seeing live or whole seafood ingredients: including heads and tails, you might want to click away now.  Otherwise, keep on reading for some good eats.]




I used to live just 15 minutes away from a Japanese community in Los Angeles and pretty much surrounded by authentic Japanese restaurants.  After moving to the Orange county, I haven’t really had Japanese food until my visit to Ohshima.  Ohshima offers a wide variety of Japanese cuisine, both cooked and raw, a full menu from appetizers to desserts.  But if you plan to dine at this place, “Omakase” at the sushi bar is highly recommended.




Omakase (お任せ) is a Japanese phrase that means "I'll leave it to you". The expression is used at sushi restaurants to leave the selection to the chef.  The chef will generally present a series of plates, beginning with the lightest fare and proceeding to heaviest, richest dishes.

As noted on the menu, the nigiri sushi of the Omakase already came seasoned.  You don’t need to dip them in the soy sauce, really!  You can truly taste the natural sweetness of the fish/seafood and all of them were awesome and super fresh.  My husband and I both ordered the 12 pieces Omakase…and we ended up having more than 12!   

We’ve been to Ohshima in two separate occasions.  On our first visit, we enjoyed the Omakase at the sushi bar.   The second time we sat at the table and ordered from their regular a la carte menu and both were excellent.  First, I’ll post the pictures of the Omakase.

Please excuse the quality of these photos.  As they were taken from a cell phone, not my regular camera.

First, we started with a small plate of complimentary pickled veggies. 



A glass of cold sake for each of us.



The chefs working behind the sushi bar, busy preparing our food!  They were very friendly and attentive.



We started off with Diver’s Scallop.  Super fresh and sweet.  The tangy Yuzu is a perfect match for it.



Up next was Sea Bass. Refreshing and sweet.



Spanish Mackerel.  You can really taste the ocean from this Mackerel.



Toro (fatty tuna) charred with blow torch.  Any food involved a blow torch is just delicious.   Charring really added a nice smoky flavor to the fish.  I love the contrast of texture from the charred and raw flash.



Baby Yellowtail. Another "melt in your mouth" goodness.



Cherry Salmon.  Not your usual Salmon.  It's flown in from Japan.



Amberjack.  Sweet, fresh and great texture.  The flash is a bit firmer from the rest.



Sweet Shrimp Inari.  Yes, it was still swimming a minute before it was served.  The flash was still “moving” when it was on our plate.  The Chef was behind the counter holding the tail of the shrimp so we could take a picture.



Sweet Shrimp Inari.  It's about the freshest as it can get.



Deep Fried Sweet Shrimp heads. So crispy and light.  I love it because it’s not greasy at all and you can eat the whole thing including the tentacle.



Bonito Nigiri.  Great flavor.



Albacore with Secret Garlic Sauce and Chips.  So pungent, rich and flavorful.  The crispy garlic chips on top made a nice contrast in the texture and add another level of garlic-ey deliciousness.



Black Cod charred by a blow torch.



Uni (Sea Urchin) was super fresh and melt in your mouth.



Blue Crab Handroll, a nice way to conclude the savory part of our dinner.



Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Smoothie.  The chocolate cake was moist and delicious.  Perfect pairing with these Vanilla Smoothie.



All the seafood were made with quality ingredients and super fresh.  However, it’s a bit on the pricey side.  But you really paid for what you get.  Our bill for two including sake and dessert came a bit under $160 total, including tax. 

Up next, our second visit with a la carte items.

We started off with Home Made Marinated Uni.  Fresh, sweet, rich and delicious.  The seaweed salad on the bottom made a nice contrast on the texture.  The fresh wasabi on top compliment the Uni nicely.




Seaweed Salad.  A very refreshing salad.  I love the crunchy and bouncy texture from different type of seaweeds in this salad.  The amount of dressing was just perfect.



Baked Scallop Crabmeat Wrapped in Salmon.  It’s wonderful and unique.  The Crabmeat and scallop “stuffing” is chopped and wrapped with a piece of salmon fillet and baked to perfection. You can really taste the crabmeat and scallops inside.



Miso Duck and Forbidden Rice.  The duck was beautifully done.  The blackberry sauce was divine and compliment the duck nicely.  The duck was succulent and juicy. The Forbidden Black Rice has a great texture similar to brown rice and a mild nutty flavor, the perfect bed for the duck.



Last but not least, the Amberjack Collar.  I had yellowtail collar many times before so I opted to try the Amberjack Collar this time.  This fatty fish collar was perfectly done.  The collar was boiled to perfection with a minimal of seasoning.  It’s served with grated daikon, along with some light soy sauce and a wedge of lemon.  The portion was generous.  Basically, it was half of the fish head along with the collar instead of just the collar.



We also ordered Udon noodle soup and a Toro cut roll (nothing special on these two).   The total bill was low $70s after tax.  We didn’t order sake nor desserts this time because the kids were rushing us to go home after they were done.

Conclusion: Ohshima is an authentic Japanese restaurant that serves fresh and quality seafood and many unique a la carte dishes.  The dining area is rather small though.  There are only about 12 sushi bar seats and less than 10 tables all together.  You might want to make a reservation before you go or be there early to avoid the line.  Also, there’s no high chair nor booster seat available at the restaurant.  Despite these drawbacks, My husband and I DO plan to go back there again in the future. There were quite a few more other items on the menu we would love to try on our next visit.    

Ohshima

1956 N Tustin St
Orange, CA 92865

(714) 998-0098

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