Ingredients
Maybe it's taking things for granted, but Alexander the Great would have liked these olives. The seasonings are straight from his place and time - Greece at about 320 BC. Besides being classic finger food, these are a good foil for the cheese and tomatoes, coarse bread and cool wine. Since the olives keep about two weeks in a refrigerator and leftovers will be welcome, it is a generous recipe.
We often overlook the bell pepper, which bestows an uncanny, slightly smoky sweetness to a dish.
Place 2-3 chicken balls on a small skewer or toothpick, then sprinkle on the Japanese red pepper powder, if using, and serve.
When this roll comes together, it's almost like a stained glass window. You can see the shrimp, mango, and herbs through the thin rice paper wrapper.
Ingredients
This is a succulent rustic lunch or light supper. The aromatic, bitter flavor of the hyssop combined with the sweetness of the peppers and ripe tomatoes is delightful. Make sure you serve this with some crusty fresh bread so you can mop up the juices.
When raising three rowdy boys, Daisy Kushino often made this classic Japanese American dish: it was a cinch to make and an easy dish to feed them while they were sitting in a highchair or at a picnic. Mochiko chicken is probably adapted from tatsuta age, Japanese marinated fried chicken, and is very versatile: serve small pieces as finger food or cut the chicken into bigger pieces for a main course. Flour made from Japanese sweet rice (which is similar to glutinous rice) is called mochiko flour or sweet rice flour and can be found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets. Look for Koda Farms Blue Star Brand which comes in a white box.
This is a lovely, light vegetarian supper. The preparation is simple because, quite frankly, the meatiness of the mushrooms against the cool, delicate greens and the mellowness of good cheese cannot be bested.