Zoni Recipes

OZONI (MOCHI SOUP)

Steps:

• Make the chicken stock: Rinse the chicken parts. In a pot, bring the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 quarts water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent a full boil (which would cloud the broth).
• Strain the broth and discard the chicken or reserve the meat for another use. Add the mirin to the broth and set aside.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the satoimo and blanch until the skin is soft enough to slip off easily, about 3 minutes. Drain the satoimo, then use a spoon to scrape off the skin. Slice the satoimo into ¼-inch-thick rounds, then transfer them to a small saucepan. Add enough of the chicken broth to cover. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.
• In lacquerware soup bowls or other small bowls, neatly arrange mizuna, satoimo and 1 or 2 slices of Naruto. Peel one or two long strips from the yuzu, then cut the strips very thinly crosswise. In a medium saucepan, reheat the chicken stock. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• To serve, heat the mochi until puffy and soft, for a few minutes in a toaster oven or under the broiler, or 30 seconds on high in a microwave, and add it to the bowls. Immediately ladle about 1/2 cup hot broth into each bowl - before the mochi hardens - and garnish with a pinch of yuzu peel.

ZUNI CAFé'S RED ONION PICKLES

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice berries, chile, star anise, bay leaves and peppercorns in a 4-quart (or larger) nonreactive pot at least 10 inches in diameter. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Cover pot, turn off heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
• Peel the onions, trim ends and slice crosswise into 3/8-inch thick slices. Separate into rings, discarding any green centers or leathery outer rings.
• Bring the brine back to a boil. Add onions and turn off heat. Stir with a wooden spoon to submerge onions. Leave to steep, covered, until mixture cools.
• Transfer onions and brine to pint jars and refrigerate for at least a day before serving.

ZONI

Steps:

• To Make Dashi: Rinse kelp and pat dry. Place kelp in a medium size pot, along with the 3 cups of water. Steep in the water for 3 hours.
• After steeping, bring the water with kelp in it to a boil. Then remove and discard the kelp. Remove the water from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Place the fish flakes in a pot of water. Bring the pot of water to a boil. When the shavings have sunk to the bottom of the pot, strain, reserving the liquid. This is the dashi, the basic broth for Japanese soups and dishes.
• While making the dashi, place the spinach in a small pot of water and bring to a boil. When the spinach is cooked, drain well.
• Pour salt, thin soy sauce and sake in the heated dashi. Ladle the soup into bowls for servings. Into each bowl place one piece each of mochi cake, spinach and fish paste. Put a piece of citrus rind in each bowl.

ZONI

Steps:

• To Make Dashi: Rinse kelp and pat dry. Place kelp in a medium size pot, along with the 3 cups of water. Steep in the water for 3 hours.
• After steeping, bring the water with kelp in it to a boil. Then remove and discard the kelp. Remove the water from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Place the fish flakes in a pot of water. Bring the pot of water to a boil. When the shavings have sunk to the bottom of the pot, strain, reserving the liquid. This is the dashi, the basic broth for Japanese soups and dishes.
• While making the dashi, place the spinach in a small pot of water and bring to a boil. When the spinach is cooked, drain well.
• Pour salt, thin soy sauce and sake in the heated dashi. Ladle the soup into bowls for servings. Into each bowl place one piece each of mochi cake, spinach and fish paste. Put a piece of citrus rind in each bowl.

JAPANESE ZONI

Steps:

• Combine water and seaweed; bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 an hour.
• Add in the onion, soy sauce, sake, and spinach; bring to a boil.
• Add celery and salt; mix well.
• Garnish with lemon zest and serve.
• Enjoy!