California Sushi Canapés Recipes

CALIFORNIA SUSHI ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine rice and water; let stand for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes., Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved., Transfer rice to a large shallow bowl; drizzle with vinegar mixture. With a wooden paddle or spoon, stir rice with a slicing motion to cool slightly. Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist. (Rice mixture may be made up to 2 hours ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with a damp towel. Do not refrigerate.), Sprinkle toasted and black sesame seeds onto a plate; set aside. Place sushi mat on a work surface so mat rolls away from you; line with plastic wrap. Place 3/4 cup rice on plastic. With moistened fingers, press rice into an 8-in. square. Top with one nori sheet., Arrange a small amount of cucumber, crab and avocado about 1-1/2 in. from bottom edge of nori sheet. Roll up rice mixture over filling, using the bamboo mat to lift and compress the mixture while rolling; remove plastic wrap as you roll., Remove mat; roll sushi rolls in sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make eight rolls. Cut each into eight pieces. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger slices if desired.

CALIFORNIA ROLL SUSHI

Steps:

• Wash the rice in several changes of water until the rinse water is no longer cloudy, drain well, and place in a covered pan or rice cooker with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover the pan. Allow the rice to simmer until the top looks dry, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let stand for 10 minutes to absorb the rest of the water.
• Mix the rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved, and stir the mixture into the cooked rice until well combined. Allow the rice to cool, and set aside.
• Mix the imitation crabmeat with mayonnaise in a bowl, and set aside. To roll the sushi, cover a bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap. Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the plastic wrap. With wet fingers, firmly pat a thin, even layer of prepared rice over the nori, leaving 1/4 inch uncovered at the bottom edge of the sheet. Sprinkle the rice with about 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and gently press them into the rice. Carefully flip the nori sheet over so the seaweed side is up.
• Place 2 or 3 long cucumber spears, 2 or 3 slices of avocado, and about 1 tablespoon of imitation crab mixture in a line across the nori sheet, about 1/4 from the uncovered edge. Pick up the edge of the bamboo rolling sheet, fold the bottom edge of the sheet up, enclosing the filling, and tightly roll the sushi into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Once the sushi is rolled, wrap it in the mat and gently squeeze to compact it tightly.
• Cut each roll into 1 inch pieces with a very sharp knife dipped in water.

CALIFORNIA SUSHI CANAPéS

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water and the rice to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Transfer to large bowl, tossing rice with chopsticks or 2 forks to cool slightly. Gradually add vinegar, tossing constantly. Cover bowl with damp towel; cool rice about 45 minutes or until room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together sauce ingredients. Cover; refrigerate until ready to assemble canapés.
• Cut cucumber into 32 slices, each about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange on serving platter. For each canapé, place 1 piece of nori on each cucumber slice. Top each with about 1/4 teaspoon sauce. Scoop rice using 1 measuring teaspoon, pressing rice against side of bowl to pack into spoon and hold shape of spoon. Carefully remove rice from spoon; dip flat side into sesame seed and place, flat side down, on sauce. If necessary, carefully reshape rice with fingers. Top with bell pepper or other toppings (or a combination). Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

CALIFORNIA SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• Rinse rice until water runs clear. Combine rice and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is completely absorbed and rice is soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Use a wooden spoon to transfer cooked rice to a non-metal bowl and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute more. Combine vinegar mixture with the cooling rice a few tablespoons at a time until rice is coated; you may not need all of the vinegar mixture. Set aside to finish cooling completely, about 15 minutes.
• Place a sheet of nori on a sushi mat with the rough side facing up. Place a small bowl of water nearby. Use wet hands to evenly spread a handful of rice onto the nori. Arrange cucumber and crab across the nori, about 1/2 inch from the edge closest to you. Roll the wrap starting at the close edge and rolling away from yourself. Press and roll again to seal. Repeat with remaining nori, rice, cucumber, and crab.
• Dip a sharp knife into water and slice each roll into 8 pieces, rinsing the knife after each cut to prevent sticking.

CALIFORNIA "SUSHI" RICE SALAD

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, cook rice in water as directed on package. Spread rice in 13x9-inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until completely cool.
• Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Microwave 20 to 30 seconds; whisk until sugar is dissolved. Stir in gingerroot.
• In large bowl, toss cooled rice with vinegar mixture. Stir in cucumbers, carrots, green onions and crabmeat; mix well. Top with avocado.

SENSATIONAL CALIFORNIA SUSHI SQUARES

Steps:

• Spread plastic wrap over the buttom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan.
• Sprinkle seasme seeds evenly over the buttom of the pan.
• Spoon half the rice over the sesame seeds. Dampen your hands with cold water and press the rice down into an even layer.
• Cover the rice layer with the nori sheets.
• Peel the avocado. Cut the avocado into thin strips and layer over top of the nori.
• Mix the crab, mayonnaise and green onion together. Spoon over the avocado layer and spread evenly.
• Peel the cucumber. Cut the cucumber lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut the cucumber into thin strips and layer over top of the crab meat.
• Spoon the rest of the rice over the cucumber layer. Dampen hands with cold water and press the rice down into an even layer.
• Cover the last layer with plastic wrap. Set another 9 x 13 inch pan on sushi and press down firmly.
• Put pan in the fridge for two hours.
• Take buttom layer of plastic wrap and invert pan on to a cutting surface.
• Using a VERY sharp knife, cut into 64 squares. Wipe your knife after each cut and dip into cold water before each cut.
• Arrange on a platter and serve with soya sauce and wasabi.
• Other Sushi Combination Ideas .
• Boston Rolls - Scallion, Crab, Salmon.
• Egg Salad Rolls - Hard-Cooked Eggs & Mayo, Green Onion Strips.
• Holiday Rolls - Cranberry Salsa, Turkey Strips, Cream Cheese Strips.
• New York Rolls - Sliced Apple, Sliced Avocado, Smoked Salmon.
• Pesto Rolls - Pesto, Turkey or Chicken Strips, Cream Cheese Strips.
• Philadelphia Rolls - Smoked Salmon (thin sliced), Cucumber, cut into strips, Cream Cheese, cut in long, thin strips.
• Smoked Salmon Rolls - Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese Strips, Cucumber Strips.
• Summer Melon Rolls - Prosciutto, Melon Strips.
• Shrimp Rolls - Shrimp, Cream Cheese Strips.
• Texas Rolls - Sliced cooked beef, Cucumber, cut into strips, Spinach Leaves.
• Tuna Salad Rolls - Tuna Salad, Lettuce Leaves.
• Veggie Rolls - Pesto, Cucumber Strips, Tomato Strips, Mushroom Strips.
• Veggie Rolls II - Mushrooms Strips, Egg, scrambled, Scallions or Roasted Sweet Peppers.

NAKAGAWA'S CALIFORNIA SUSHI

Steps:

• Cut seaweed into smaller rectangle measuring 6 by 7 inches. Place rectangle on bamboo rolling mat.
• Dampen fingers in cold water to prevent their becoming sticky. Place about 2/3 of rice on top of seaweed and flatten with fingers to cover seaweed edge to edge and corner to corner. Use only enough rice to make thin, even layer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Turn rice and seaweed over onto mat. With dampened fingers, spoon more rice onto upper third of seaweed rectangle. Do not use excessive amount. Arrange avocado strips end to end to border bottom of rice. Arrange strips of fish end to end to parallel and border avocado. Spoon roe in a thin layer to parallel fish cakes. Roll seaweed inside rolling mat to make a neat, round, compact package with rice as outside coating.
• Transfer package to smooth, flat surface. Cut in half crosswise. Place two halves side by side. Cut pair crosswise into thirds to make 6 neat rounds. Serve on platter with small mounds of wasabi and pickled ginger.