About a week ago, I was giving serious consideration to turning life as I know it upside-down and heading to a cattle call for a chance to be included in the next crop of reality TV cooking show contestants. After careful consideration (and careful reading of the fine print legalese on the application form), I decided not to go after a spot on MasterChef, but I did gain something from the decisionmaking process – a new recipe.
As part of the audition process for MasterChef, each contestant is required to bring a pre-prepared dish to the audition. Contestants are not permitted to prep or cook any part of the dish at the audition; all work must be be done off site. Although some leeway is allegedly given in the judging because of the fact that applicants have to wait for hours at a time, I’m sure the judges would wonder about a contestant’s judgment if he/she presented a dish that was only at its peak under specific temperature conditions. The instructions suggested packing the prepared dish in temperature-controlled containers, such as coolers and ice packs for cold dishes and heat wraps for hot dishes, so I wanted to make something that would be OK in a cooler whose temperature regulation might crap out after six hours of waiting in queue.
Although the show’s producers wanted contestants to present their signature dishes, my signature dish – linguine with radicchio and cream - would taste like raw sewage if not served piping hot (OK, not raw sewage – but the flavor and texture would be less than ideal). I challenged myself to come up with something that would be OK served either slightly chilled or at room temperature. I thought of making the Seared Sesame Tuna and Gingered Pumpkin that I cooked in “Around the World in Eighty Bites – Japan,” but my mom advised against it, her reasoning being that A) seared tuna has been done a thousand times, and B) it is not the best example of my cooking style.
Had I decided to audition for the show, I needed a dish that would make me stand out from the crowd and truly shine. I was less concerned about perfect execution than I was about creativity – perfect execution can be achieved through practice, but creativity and the ability to be inspired are things that can’t be learned. I also wanted to stay true to my culinary roots, so I was determined to cook something using Italian ingredients and/or techniques. Something based on risotto, another one of my go-to dishes, seemed like a good starting point. That’s when it hit me – Italian “sushi!”
My plan was to wrap cold risotto around a filling of sliced roma tomato, then roll each “log” through a layer of very finely chopped fresh basil. Each roll would be sliced into small cylinders, much like maki rolls, and they would even look like maki sushi – green basil exterior, white risotto base, and the red tomato in the middle would resemble the filling in a tuna or salmon maki roll. I’d make plain risotto with only a few teaspoons of grated parmesan – no other additions – so that the flavors from the risotto would not overwhelm the other ingredients. I conducted my experiment last night, and it worked beautifully.
I made the risotto using Japanese short-grain sushi rice, not because I thought it would work better, but because yours truly didn’t check her pantry before creating a shopping list. I assumed I had risotto rice…you know what they say about assuming. Risotto made using sushi rice tastes just like the real thing, but I’ll have to try this recipe again using real risotto rice to assess the texture and determine which rice is more suitable for this recipe. Also, I made the first roll using only minced basil for the exterior, but I discovered that combining the basil with a few flakes of kosher salt helped the basil better adhere to the rice. Be sure to use wax paper to make the rolls – the rice will stick to foil or plastic wrap.
Try this recipe if you’re feeling creative – the result is a delicious cold dish perfect for an antipasto course!
Italian "Sushi"
3 cups cold plain risotto
1 or 2 firm roma tomatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1 bunch fresh basil, very finely minced
Kosher salt flakes
Place about 1/3 cup of the risotto on a sheet of wax paper 4-5 inches wide. Using the curved back of a large spoon, press the risotto into a rectangle approximately 2.5” X 6” and about 1/3” thick.
In the center of the risotto rectangle, place two of the tomato strips lengthwise.
Bring the ends of the paper up and together so that the long edges of the risotto rectangle touch, then roll the remaining edges of the wax paper between your thumbs and index fingers so that the rice comes together around the tomato strips and a long cylinder is formed (as shown in photo, left).
Spread the basil and a pinch of kosher salt in a thin, even layer on a cutting board. Bring the risotto roll, still wrapped in wax paper, to the edge of the cutting board, then unroll it and guide the risotto roll onto the basil layer, rolling it through the basil so that the minced leaves cling to the rice.
Once you have rolled the risotto through the basil, place the risotto roll on a clean surface and slice it crosswise into 1-inch cylinders. Place them cut-side-down on a platter.
Repeat these instructions until all of the risotto is used, then serve with Garlic and Caper Dipping Sauce, and eat using chopsticks.
VARIATION: To make an entire spread of Italian “Sushi” rolls, vary the fillings, the exterior herbs, and the dipping sauces. For fillings, try strips of roasted red or yellow bell pepper, smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced prosciutto or mortadella, anchovies, preserved lemon peel, or marinated portabella mushrooms. For the exterior herbs, try minced oregano, parsley, mint, arugula, or tender young chicory leaves. For dipping sauces, try balsamic vinaigrette or bagna cauda, a hot dip based on butter, olive oil, and anchovy.
Garlic and Caper Dipping Sauce
¼ cup olive oil
2 T. dry white wine
1 T. grated pecorino romano
1 T. finely minced salt-packed capers (do not rinse salt)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well with a fork or small whisk, let stand for at least 15 minutes, whisk again, and serve with Italian “Sushi.”
