I'm realizing more and more how much I love a blend of Asian and European cuisine, particularly Japanese and French. For me, traditional French can be too heavy and time-consuming, while traditional Japanese manages to be complicated even in simple dishes and ingredients are often hard to find at best. Asian fusion, especially when influenced by French and Japanese specifically, is just the perfect blend for me in both challenge and flavor.
At Chinois, we had Seared Ahi Tuna, Scallops Pad Thai, and Szechuan Beef. I loved watching Kara taste pad Thai for the first time after trying to stick to what she knows and loves by ordering scallops. Everything was amazing.
So here's what I made the next two nights:
Miso-Glazed Black Cod
Black cod is also known as sablefish and butterfish and it is completely different from the more common cod found in most grocery stores. We're really learning a lot about our fishes lately. Here, this rich fish is marinated in a sweet miso sauce (for up to 3 days!) and served over a miso-vinaigrette and topped with micro pea shoots and carrots tossed in yet another dressing. Lots of emulsifying going on here! I've often tried to replicate Cheesecake Factory's Miso Salmon and never got it right. This is far superior, so the mission is finally accomplished. I served it with Basmati and Wild Rice Pilaf.
Chinois Chicken Salad
This one's a pretty classic Chinese chicken salad, but the Asian dressing is really good and I roasted a whole chicken stuffed with aromatics, so it wasn't the dry strips of white meat you usually get in a Chinese chicken salad. Chicken, Napa cabbage, cilantro, romaine, and snow peas, garnished with peanuts, sesame seeds, and chow mien noodles (should have been fried wonton strips, but I was getting tired of cooking at this point).
