The wife surprised me with a financial windfall tonight: two scholarships that will help keep our heads above water in her final year of vet school. A cause to celebrate, no?
Of course. So, having not had sushi in months (that shit be expensive, yo!), we strolled down the street to our favorite raw fish place: Fuji Mountain.
Did I mention it was only 5:45? I felt like we were an old, married couple in Florida. Alas, Fuji did not have an early bird special.
Although it is Restaurant Week here in Philly (three courses for $30 at select restaurants), we bypassed the specials in order to split a sushi plate. Sixteen pieces of sushi, a spicy tuna roll, and a shrimp tempura roll. Mmmmmmmm, rolls.
As usual, all was excellent. I even got a bonus when the wife didn’t want to finish her share. That’s right: extra sushi for me.
There was one weird piece which I couldn’t quite identify. It looked to be the consistency of squid, but it was definitely softer, like fish. I expected to hate it, but it turned out to be my favorite of the plate.
Don’t you love little surprises?
Categories: Philadelphia · Restaurants
Tagged: Fuji Mountain, sushi
So, have you all tried this recipe yet? If so, you will have discovered that it’s the bomb! Seriously, it’s just about my favorite meal.
Like most of the recipes that will appear on this blog, it’s a hand-me-down from dear, old Mom. Although, I hope she’s not reading this, because she wouldn’t appreciate being called “old.” But I mean it in the most endearing way possible.
Anyway, since the wife is a semi-vegi (no cows, no pigs), I usually substitute ground turkey for the meatloaf mixture. Maybe I’m too used to it this way, but it’s damn good. Of course, the original formulation will yield a more rich stuffing. You may also need a crash cart.
Generally, I’m a Parmesan freak. I only use the real stuff on pasta (procured from DiBruno Brothers, natch). But when I’m using it more as an ingredient, I have been known to use the tube stuff. I know my Italian relatives are spinning in their grave, but I’ve made my peace with it.
Biggest danger in this recipe: the sauce. Mine tends to be on the soupy side. I need to let the water evaporate off in the last ten minutes to get it back down to an acceptable viscosity.
Let me know how yours turn out.
Categories: Recipes - Observations
Tagged: ground turkey, parmesan, stuffed peppers
Ingredients:
Meat Mix
- 1 LB mixture of beef, pork & veal (meat loaf)
- 3/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup milk (adjustable)
- dash salt & pepper
Other
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic
- 1 - 2 TSP oregano
- 1 small can tomato sauce (Contadina 8 oz.)
- 1/2 cup water
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, egg, salt & pepper and enough of the milk to moisten the mixture. It should be the consistency of cooked oatmeal. Add meat into breadcrumb mixture and combine together with fork or clean hands. Put aside.
Wash peppers. Cut out steam, leaving a round hole big enough to spoon in meat mixture. Clean out all seeds and soft tissue. Stuff peppers with meat.
In a large, coverable skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium flame. Brown stuffed peppers on all sides. Add sliced garlic to pan and saute until softer. Add oregano, tomato sauce and water. Mix ingredients together and reduce heat. Simmer for 1/2 to 1 full hour.
If the sauce is too soupy, cook a little more uncovered until sauce is thicker. To keep sauce from burning, add water a little at a time.
Serve over rice.
Read my observations.
Categories: Recipes
Tagged: breadcrumbs, ground meat, parmesan, rice, stuffed peppers
