Asian Risotto: Sushi Rice, Shrimp, Thai Basil, Shiso, Yuzu

asian risotto, shrimp risotto

Asian Risotto
Sushi Rice with Rosé & Sautéed Shrimp
Flavored with Thai Basil, Shiso, and Yuzu
Chiffonade of Shiso Garnish

Continue reading “Asian Risotto: Sushi Rice, Shrimp, Thai Basil, Shiso, Yuzu”

Asian Pizzette


Congratulations, you’re one step closer to becoming the next Food Blog Star!
Your entry has advanced to the next round of Project Food Blog 2010.
Your next challenge? “Recipe Remix.”


Challenge Prompt: One recipe, 72 variations! We’re challenging each of you to put your own spin on the same recipe. How you do it is up to you. Will you try out some molecular gastronomy techniques? Share a super-secret trick? Or re-envision the dish from a different perspective? You’ll be asked to put your own spin on Pizza. For the purpose of this contest and challenge, we are defining pizza as having a solid base, a sauce and at least one topping. Get super creative or just share your secrets for the very best results. (from foodbuzz here)

Thank you to the folks at foodbuzz for hosting such a unique and well-executed competition. It has been a blast! The serendipity of participating in this contest has been the introduction to so many creative bloggers! To my readers, thank you for your warm comments and enthusiasm, as well as taking the time  to vote and support Taste With The Eyes. Voting for this round is now open through Thursday, October 21. Please come to the Pizza Party, and vote for your favorites!

Finally, another note of thanks to my dear friend Gina and and my favorite local restaurant, Gina Lee’s Bistro in Redondo Beach, for the inspiration to remake their terrific dish, Chicken Katsu with Soba Noodles, into a pizzette! I have been meaning to share my noodle cakes made with udon noodles and chow mein noodles – usually topping them with sautéed mushrooms or spinach. The buckwheat soba noodle cake makes an earthy base for the juicy chicken katsu cutlet, and the flavors from three vibrant sauces and colorful slaw work very well together in this Asian Pizzette. I think Gina would approve.


buckwheat soba noodle cake
macadamia nut chicken katsu, yuzu tahini sauce, sweet ginger soy
tri-color slaw, rice wine chile syrup, daikon sprouts

Continue reading “Asian Pizzette”

Kefta Tagine with Chickpeas and Yuzu


Tagine of Spicy Lamb Meatballs
With Chickpeas and Yuzu
Served Over Couscous
Garnished with Red Chile, Cilantro, and Mint

The inspiration for this awesome recipe came from the little cookbook, TAGINE: Spicy Stews from Morocco, by Ghillie Basan. They used this dish for the photo on the cover of the book. It looked so tasty, within minutes of pulling this book off the shelf, I was off to the butcher for some fresh ground lamb. And since my yuzu tree is full of ripe fruits, I decided to use yuzu (a Japanese citrus) in place of the lemon in Ghillie’s recipe. I made some other changes to her basic recipe, including the omission of butter and the addition of chickpeas. With all the spices, herbs and citrus, this dish is a real winner.

Continue reading “Kefta Tagine with Chickpeas and Yuzu”