New Year is the biggest holiday in Japan. We cook new year dishes and just keep eating and drinking all day for at least the first three days of the new year. Although I am staying in Los Angeles this year, there was no way I could miss this tradition.
Tonight, we hosted a Japanese new year dinner party. Eight friends got together and we had an incredible time together.
I prepared all the dishes and I was so glad that everybody seemed to enjoy them so much!
Kamaboko (fish cake) by Suzuhiro (import from Japan), and my homemade Date-Maki (rolled egg and fish omelet), followed by Sake-steamed Chicken and Edamame Salad.
Very classic Kuri-Kinton (chestnuts and sweet potato puree), and Game-ni (vegetable stew)
Ni-Buta (Braised Pork), finished in the oven with Yuzu Jam, followed by Duck Breast with Red Wine-Soy Sauce.
Kinoko-Okowa (mushroom rice). I posted its recipe on toiro's website.
Ozoni (vegetable soup). Traditionally, this soup is served with the baked mochi (rice cake), but I did not include mochi because I used sweet (mochi) rice in my mushroom rice.
What an incredible lineup of all the wines we had!
1996 Bruno Paillard, Champagne Brut (Reims)
2003 Nigl, Riesling-Privat (Senftenberg-Kremstal, Austria)
2006 Herve Azo, Chablis
1996 Domaine Germain, Beaune 1er Cru, "Cent-Vignes"
1998 Michel Colin-Deleger, Chevalier-Montrachet
2001 Camille Giroud, Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru, "Les Malconsorts"
1998 Falletto (di Bruno Giacosa), Barolo
2001 Lignier-Michelot, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru, "Les Faconnieres"
Katana Spirits, "Shochu-Ume" Eau de Vie
We had the best new year celebration!
