Daikon Fettuccine
July 30th, 2008 Posted in Cooking ideas
Browsing through Morimoto’s book — I will be reviewing this book soon — I was intrigued with his idea of using a vegetable peeler to peel off long strips of daikon to use as “fettucine.” They really DO look like fettuccine, despite the overexposure of the photo above. No cooking required: just soak the daikon strips in cold water while you assemble your “pasta.” For this one, I sauted shallots and tomatoes, then blended that with plenty of yogurt, a dash of coconut milk, and a healthy fistful of cilantro, and worked that into the “noodles.” Topped with umami salt and pepper. It fooled our guests, who were sure it was a classic basic summer fettuccine ensemble. Not that I was trying to fool them! It’s just fun to taste something that’s radically different from what you normally expect, given the appearance.
The crunchy, rawness of the daikon makes this dish really more of a salad than a pasta, and it’s excellent in hot weather. The idea is such an intriguing one: I can now imagine carrots, turnips, potatoes, kohlrabi, perhaps lightly blanched becoming fettuccine and getting varying treatments. Jicama too!
10 Responses to “Daikon Fettuccine”
By Deno on Jul 30, 2008
This is a beautiful dish. I like the coconut milk, tomato and cilantro combo alot.
Isn’t Morimoto’s book great! Nearly a gem on every page. I particularly want to make the fish cake noodles in this book. Maybe with Botarga, green onion and a touch of habanero…
Look forward to your review…
By Em on Jul 30, 2008
really cool. I’m sad that he is no longer competing in Iron Chef America.
I’ve been to both of his restaurants on east coast and both times, I had not only amazing foods but impeccable service. Every bite was so precious.
By Jess on Jul 31, 2008
I’ve done this with zucchini, thanks to a Cook’s Illustrated recipe. It works really well with those zucchini you missed so they grew to the size of your arm. Strip, salt, let sit 20 min., rinse, blanch and toss with warm pesto.
By Eric on Jul 31, 2008
Bottarga is one of the most umami-laden foods out there. Expensive, but so worth it, and you only need a tiny bit (for those who don’t know it, it’s fish roe — I think mullet — that’s been dried and then cured. You then shave it off with a microplane, much like katsuo, or dried bonito, which is also chock-full of umami). Deno’s idea sounds truly excellent.
Em — Morimoto is definitely still competing on Iron Chef! Thank god for that.
Zucchini strands sound good too — I’d be tempted to lay them out on a cookie sheet, spray with olive oil, and gently bake to slightly crisp them up. Must try!
By helen on Jul 31, 2008
I can imagine the flavours just looking at the photo!
My birthday just past, and I had asked my mother for a cookbook as a present. It was a choice between Morimoto and David Thompson’s Thai Food. I chose the latter - now I wish I had chosen the first!
By Em on Jul 31, 2008
Oops, my apology.
I’m glad to hear that.
By Sarah on Aug 1, 2008
I made the fettucine last night, and substituted basil and italian parsley from the garden for the cilantro, which has gone to seed. I decided to keep the tomatoes cold, so cooked up only the onion for a little sweetness…….didn’t fool the Mas, as he had seen the recipe, but he couldn’t guess the coconut milk in
the dressing….it was a hit! with thanks
By W on Aug 2, 2008
This sounds like a great idea and I look forward to trying this out as soon as I can. However, being a lover of pasta, I cannot bear the idea of a pasta dish without, well, actual pasta. So my variation would be to throw a little real fettucine into the mix and let people wonder why all the “noodles” don’t taste quite the same. Ha, ha!
By Marianne on Aug 3, 2008
What a coincidence,,,I just saw the episode on Emeril where Morimoto demonstrates that very same dish!!! I was tuned in just to see him……..now I wll really have to try it!
By Bron on Aug 6, 2008
Looks amazing - love the idea of the texture of this dish.
I have tagged you for a meme - hope you join in.
Bron