85th Edition: [Echigo's Seasonal Delights and Local Sake: Ika no Sumi Keyaki-dori Store] × Junmai Ginjo Gokujo Yoshinogawa
October has arrived, and autumn has finally come to Nagaoka. The lingering summer heat has subsided, and the mornings and evenings in Niigata are suddenly noticeably cooler. At the brewery, we have new harvest rice from Settsuya, grown by Yoshinogawa Agricultural Products. On October 24th, our "New Rice Brewed Junmai Sake" will be released from the brewery. Delicious autumn flavors such as new rice and new sake will be appearing one after another. And of course, it's the season when we crave warm sake. For your autumn outings, please be sure to stop by the brewery or the Yoshinogawa CoCoLo Niigata store at JR Niigata Station. We are waiting for you with delicious sake!
Now, in this segment called "Tipsy OneDish," we visit restaurants and bars in Niigata Prefecture and ask them to come up with snacks that pair well with Yoshinogawa sake. The restaurant that will be preparing the dishes for us this time is located in Chuo Ward, Niigata City.Echigo's seasonal delicacies and local sake: Ika no Sumi Keyaki-dori StoreThis is [Name of chef/person]. This time, they prepared dishes that pair well with the premium Junmai Ginjo Yoshinogawa sake!
"Junmai Ginjo Gokujo Yoshinogawa" is brewed using 100% locally grown Gohyakumangoku rice, offering a refreshing and elegant aroma and a mellow, deep flavor. In 2024, it won the "Gold Award" at the Wine Glass Delicious Sake Awards.
The chef who prepared the dishes for this occasion was from Chuo Ward, Niigata City.Echigo's seasonal delicacies and local sake: Ika no Sumi Keyaki-dori StoreThis is [restaurant name]. It reopened in December 2023 after renovations, and it seems that a wide range of customers, from young women to business people and families, are visiting. In addition to the counter, there are various rooms of different sizes. On the second floor, there is a room that can accommodate up to 70 people. You can enjoy seasonal local fish and ingredients in the cuisine, and the sashimi platter always includes Nanban shrimp (sweet shrimp), which is a representative ingredient of Niigata. You can enjoy not only seafood dishes, but also meat dishes using "Murakami beef".
For this occasion, we asked Chef Seiichi Tanaka to prepare a dish that would pair well with the premium Junmai Ginjo Yoshinogawa sake: "Seafood and Chrysanthemum Flower Sauce Steamed Egg Custard."
Now, let's get straight to the recipe!
★Ingredients★ (4 servings)
Seafood mix (shrimp, squid, clams): 170g
Spinach (frozen): 20g
Shimeji mushrooms: 1/4 pack
White dashi: 2 tablespoons
・Water: 400cc
・Eggs: 2 pieces
<For thickened sauce>
• Persimmon root: 30g
White dashi: 2 teaspoons
・Water: 140cc
Salt: 1 pinch
Soy sauce: a small amount
Vinegar: appropriate amount
• Cornstarch slurry: 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons water
<How to make>
1. Thaw the seafood mix in water, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and arrange it on a plate.
2. Place the shimeji mushrooms and spinach in the bowl together.
3. Mix the beaten eggs with the white dashi and water mixture, then strain the mixture.
POINT: FilterThis results in a smooth texture.
4. Pour the strained egg mixture into a bowl.
POINT: You can make bubbles disappear by applying a lighter or similar object, which will improve the appearance.
5. Bring water to a boil in a pot, place the container inside, and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
POINT: Cover with kitchen paper and place the lid on top of the chopsticks.
6. Bring water and vinegar to a boil, lightly blanch the oysters, then rinse them in cold water and drain well.
POINT: Adding vinegar removes bitterness and results in a beautiful color.
7. Add water to the white dashi, then add a pinch of salt and a little soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Turn off the heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Stir lightly and cook briefly.
POINT: Adding the cornstarch mixture after turning off the heat helps prevent lumps from forming.
8. Plate and serve!
In Niigata, this dish features "kakinomoto," a familiar autumn ingredient, thickened with cornstarch dissolved in water and placed on top of chawanmushi (savory egg custard). The crisp texture of the kakinomoto is preserved in the wobbly chawanmushi, seasoned only with white dashi, evoking the feeling of autumn's arrival. The umami of seafood and mushrooms melts into the custard, and the refreshing aroma and mellow taste of chilled "Junmai Ginjo Gokujo Yoshinogawa" sake are a perfect match. If you like, adding wasabi will give it a spicy kick that will make you want to drink even more sake. Although it is not on the à la carte menu, you can enjoy it as part of the course meal during this season. Please enjoy it at the restaurant.
And here's another recommendation from the shop!!
- Seared Pacific saury sushi roll (limited time offer)
This year's saury catch is abundant, resulting in large, fatty fish that are perfectly combined with crisp vinegared rice to make pressed sushi! The surface is lightly seared to bring out the fat, allowing the delicious flavor of the saury and the refreshing taste of the vinegared rice to spread, and before you know it, you've devoured a whole roll... After a bite, savoring the premium Junmai Ginjo Yoshinogawa sake will reset your palate, allowing you to enjoy a variety of other dishes even more.
The details of this event will be broadcast on NST from 6 PM on Saturday, October 11th.Smile StadiumIt will be broadcast within "[program name]!". It will only be broadcast within Niigata Prefecture. For those outside the prefecture, please check the YouTube channel "I love Niigata! ChannelYou can view it at [link/website].
「Echigo's seasonal delicacies and local sake: Ika no Sumi Keyaki-dori Store」
[Address] 2-137-37 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
[Telephone] 025-255-0112
[Business Hours]
17:00 - 23:00 (Food: Last Order 22:00, Drinks: Last Order 22:30)
[Regular holidays]
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