California Rolls via New Jersey

When we lived in southern California, I fell in love with sushi and sashimi. I could eat a boat load of sushi and an ocean of sashimi. Our favorite restaurant was Agoura Sushi in Agoura Hills. The place was about as big as a shoebox and always jammed packed. The wait never mattered. I would have stood around for hours to get a table.

Tonight, I tried my hand at the most elementary roll -- the California Roll - in honor of our 4 year stint in California. To my surprise, rolls are of so easy to make. They usually call for sushi rice. But since I was already making fried rice, I just doubled up the recipe. A couple unique ingredients, a bamboo rolling mat, little chopping and I was rolling away.

Rave reviews almost all around. My Middle One and even No Thank You Boy LOVED it. The last time No Thank You boy tried a California roll at our local sushi joint, he almost gaged to death. The piece was way too big. My Oldest passed on trying it. She had a bad experience with a recipe I tried a couple years ago for a Sushi Wrap sandwich that include rice and mayo. She still has flashbacks of that fateful night.

All in all, I think the recipe went great. I am even making it for a party we are attending this weekend. As soon as I find a good source for sashimi quality fish, I'll give that a whirl.

The New Jersey Roll

makes about 18 pieces

About 4 cups cooked rice, cooled to room temp.
1/4 cup sushi vinegar
Julienned carrot, red pepper, cucumber, and imitation crab
3 sheets of nori
soy sauce for dipping
pickled ginger
wasabi

Mix the rice and sushi vinegar. Place a sheet of nori on top of a bamboo rolling mat. Place about 1 and 1/4 of the rice on the nori and spread over 2/3 of the nori with damp fingers. Lay the carrots, red pepper, cucumbers, and crab about 1 inch from the bottom. Start rolling up the mat and gently press down to form a tube shaped roll. The rolls (covered with plastic wrap) can be refrigerated for a couple hours before serving.

To serve, slice in about 1 inch pieces. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi.