Craig Claibornes Sushi Rice Recipes

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
• Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
• Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
• Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
• Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.

PERFECT SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander until the water runs clear. Combine with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. Cool until cool enough to handle.
• In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool, then stir into the cooked rice. When you pour this in to the rice it will seem very wet. Keep stirring and the rice will dry as it cools.

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.

COOKED RICE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until wilted.
• Add the rice and stir to blend. Add the broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cover. Let simmer exactly 17 minutes.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Put rice into kettle and add cold water to cover, stirring rice. Continue letting water run over rice until water runs clear. Drain well.
• Put rice into clean kettle and add 3 cups cold water. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Cover kettle with lid and bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and let rice simmer 20 minutes. Do not uncover rice as it cooks.
• Remove rice from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
• Empty rice into bowl, preferably wide and made of wood. Gradually add vinegar, turning rice with wooden spoon so vinegar is evenly distributed. Traditionally rice should also be fanned as vinegar is added so it cools quickly. Smooth rice into thin layer and let it stand until thoroughly cooled.