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Sushi with Smoked Steelhead and Black Rice

And a few with seaweed salad, too.

Sushi is one of my favorite vehicles for good ingredients. I try to stay open-minded when shopping for sushi fillings, so I can buy whatever looks best that day. I usually pick some kind of seafood, usually either avocado or mango, and usually green onion. Sometimes there's a special bonus to go on top, like kiwi or fish eggs.

Recently, while scouring sushi fillings at Market of Choice, the guy at the fish counter convinced me to try the hot-smoked Steelhead. This was a revelation. It tasted a lot like your every delicious hot-smoked salmon, but it was less salty and had more salmon flavor. It's going to be hard to stay open-minded when shopping in the future; I'm going to be heartbroken if they're out of this stuff.

This may look like a big charred tongue, but I assure you it's pure gold.

I sliced this up with some green onions and avocado. I also got some Seaweed Salad from Fisherman's Market... it's the best.

I cooked some black rice, let it cool, and folded in a splash of seasoned rice wine vinegar. I layered saran wrap on my bamboo sushi-rolling mat, and we were in business.

Ready for rolling.

The black rice looks like caviar in this photo.

This meal put us in such a good mood that we didn't bother kicking Kenna off the table, where she clearly is not allowed. Jess did poke her belly a lot, though, because she deserved it.

The Recipe:
5 sheets of nori
1 c black rice, cooked
2 tb rice vinegar (pre-seasoned, or add a pinch of salt and sugar)
1 filet of smoked Steelhead (or whatever looks good), sliced into thin strips
1 small avocado, sliced into thin strips
5 green onions, trimmed
  • Fold 2 tb of seasoned rice vinegar into the rice and let it cool.
  • Put a piece of saran wrap over a bamboo rolling mat.
  • Place nori on the mat. Spread a layer of rice over the bottom portion, and add fillings on top. Grab the bottom of the mat and use it to slowly roll your sushi away from you, tucking it in as you go. At the end, dab water along the final strip of nori to seal the roll.
  • CAREFULLY slice your rolls. A really sharp serrated knife works best for me. Eat any pieces that don't end up looking beautiful, and put the rest on a serving plate to share with your dining partner.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A+
Overall reason: THE SMOKED STEELHEAD. My previous sushi endeavors have averaged A-.
Time to prepare: 1 hour, plus time to let the rice cool.
Husband quote: "There's blackberries in this sushi!?"









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