Sushi -If you don't like raw fish, you can still love sushi

Sushi -If you don't like raw fish, you can still love sushi

 I just finished my first try at sushi.  I'm very proud of them.  I saw Chef Marimoto from the food channel do a similar one (much better though) with the same design.  I think for my first try they came out pretty well.  I served them with soy sauce & a creamy garlic sauce-not that typical a sauce, but sounded good to us.  They are Nori (seaweed wrap), filled with rice, broccoli stem and carrot cut into long thin strips (both barely boiled in water, then blanched in an ice bath).  It was fun to do.   They were done by first using just rice, (or rice with some rice wine vinegar to season) wrapped into the Nori wrapper.  Using a bamboo mat or even cling wrap will work.  Then carefully slice into quarters the long way.  Now start a new wrapper, place 2 of the long ¼’s upside down with the nori side toward you.  Then in the center, place your long thin vegetables and then the other 2 ¼’s into it with the rice towards you now.  Then roll up in the mat or cling wrap, trying to center the vegetables in the center to create somewhat of a flower look.    I love the way these look.  Next time, I may add some fish to them, probably cooked shellfish, as that’s my favorite.

Creamy garlic sauce- make a rue (butter and flour thickener) with ¼ cup of butter or margarine, and ¼ cup flour, add 4 cloves of garlic (best if roasted with a little olive oil in the oven for 35minutes on 350 degrees F), and ½ cup chicken stock, stir until smooth and thickened. Add 1/3-1/2 cup cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, a little dried mustard and nutmeg.