Cook Fresh Washoku Cuisine with Valentine Warner and Panasonic

Cook Fresh Washoku Cuisine with Valentine Warner and Panasonic

A day in Panasonic’s Test Kitchen with celebrity chef Valentine Warner left us feeling rather inspired. There is something satisfying about cooking fresh, restaurant standard food in your own kitchen, especially when celebrating a momentous occasion. However this can evoke the thought of slaving all day, left with lots of washing up and being left feeling inexplicably exhausted. However, Valentine Warner has some delicious, simple recipes which will have you cooking up a storm, in minutes with Panasonic’s essentials.

Washoku cooking is one of the hottest food trends around, and since Chef Warner spent some time living in Japan, it’s no wonder he has rather nifty knife skills and an extensive Japanese repertoire.

P6230283Valentine Warner shared his secret recipes and tips for cooking Washoku inspired cuisine. His top tips include using the freshest ingredients especially the soy sauce, and fish, to maintain the best taste and flavours. Invest in time saving, professional appliances which will help incorporate fresh eating easily into your daily routine.

The Crab Chawan Mushi is a fish custard, that sounds slightly unusual, however it’s a rather quiche like without the pastry. With oriental flavours coming through the seasoning it’s divine. Made in the Panasonic Combination Steam Microwave makes this dish quick and easy to prepare.

P6230245The Mackarel Tataki is flavoursome, delicious sashimi, served with Umeshu, a refreshing Washoku inspired cocktail that’s a perfect accompaniment. Panasonic’s Slow Juicer and Steam Combination Microwave are designed to provide fast and efficient preparation and cooking whilst maximising nutrient retention. 

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Recipe: Crab Chawan Mushi

Valentine Warner Panasonic japanese cooking Washoku recipe

Serves 4

You will need 4 medium sized ramekins

Ingredients: 

  • 4 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 350ml Waitrose Dashi Stock or other powdered fish dashi diluted in the given amount of water
  • 2 tsp cooking sake
  • 2 tsp fresh Japanese soya sauce
  • 150g white crab meat
  • 2 Spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced into rounds
  • Furikake Japanese sesame, sugar and seaweed seasoning optional. Can be replaced with toasted sesame

 Method:

  1. Turn Panasonic Steam Combination Microwave steamer onto full steam
  2. Very gently beat the eggs, but avoid frothing up the eggs as this will lead to unwanted air bubbles in the chawan mushi
  3. Slowly pour in the stock making sure the eggs and stock are well combined
  4. Add the sake and soya sauce and stir in
  5. Take the white crab meat and gently press it in some kitchen roll, so as to rid it of any excess wetness
  6. In the bottom of the four ramekins divide up the crab meat
  7. Pour over the egg and dashi mix
  8. Take the 4 soaked shitake mushrooms and press in paper as you did the crab meat
  9. Slice in 4 and lay the mushrooms in the top of the chawan mushi mix
  10. Cover each ramekin with a little cling film and poke some holes in the top
  11. Steam for approximately 15 minutes or until set with a faint wobble in the top
  12. Test if set, by poking with a chopstick
  13. Peel off cling film and set ramekins on plates with a teaspoon
  14. Scatter over a few finely chopped spring onions pieces followed by half a teaspoon of the sesame and seaweed seasoning (or toasted sesame seeds) sprinkled here and there
  15. Serve immediately

Recipe: Mackerel Tataki

Valentine Warner Panasonic japanese cooking Washoku sashimi

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons black or regular sesame seeds
  • 4 very fresh mackerel fillets, pin boned and skinned. Alternatively use 100g fresh tuna or salmon
  • 1 thumb of fresh root ginger, peeled and very, very, very finely chopped
  • 2 small teaspoon of fresh Dijon mustard – optional
  • 3 teaspoons good Japanese soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  •  Juice from 1 small lemon
  • 2/3rds of a sheet of toasted Nori seaweed, cut in 4 strips and stacked then snipped in thin ribbons. Do last minute so they do not get damp
  • 1 large spring onions, trimmed and very finely diced

Method

  1. Remove all the peel and pith from the lemon and juice in the Panasonic Slow Juicer
  2. In a small frying pan, toast the sesame seeds until light golden brown, then tip them out and leave them to cool
  3. Finely chop your fish with a very sharp knife into small cubes the size. Place in a small mixing bowl
  4. Gently stir through the sesame seeds, ginger, Dijon mustard, lemon juice soya sauce
  5. Divide on four small plates
  6. Deposit a nice little pile of chopped spring onion on each
  7. Scatter over a small handful of the Nori seaweed
  8. Dive in immediately

Recipe: Umeshu

umeshu Valentine Warner recipe Panasonic

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  •  125ml Umeshu sweet plum wine
  • 1/2 tsp yuzu (Japanese orange) juice Available in Waitrose
  • Ice cubes
  • Soda water
  • Fresh mint

Method:

  1. Whizz up some ice cubes in the Panasonic Blender
  2. In a highball glass fill halfway up with crushed ice
  3. Pour in half a teaspoon of yuzu juice
  4. Pour over the Umeshu plum wine and top to the rim with soda water
  5. Garnish with a big sprig of fresh mint pushed well down into the glass
  6. Push in a straw

The Panasonic range is so useful that, essentially no kitchen should be without. A perfect gift for newly weds or as a house warming gift.

  1. Panasonic Slow Juicer MJ-L500 | RRP £199.99
  2. Panasonic Steam Combination Microwave NN-CS894 | RRP £499.99
  3. Panasonic Food Blender MX-ZX1800 | RRP £399.99 | Available from August 2016.

Photograph Credits: Panasonic

Recipes: Valentine Warner in collaboration with Panasonic

*Disclaimer:  Concierge Angel were complimentary guests. However, all opinions and photos belong to Concierge Angel, unless otherwise stated and remain a trademark of Concierge Angel.