The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen: Inspired New Tastes

by Eric Gower, Fumihiko Watanabe (Photographer)

The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen is a coup d'etat. Its elegant, easily prepared, and highly original dishes combine Japanese and Western elements in ways that produce compeletely new tastes.
Author and Chef Eric Gower artfully combines staple ingredients or seasonings from Japanese cooking-like edamame, shiitake, ginger, or soy sauce-with the easygoing, flexible approach of his native California. His dishes are born of passion for good home-cooked food and experimentation over 15 years
spent living in Japan. He achieves his big flavors with citrus fruits, vinegars, ginger, shallots, fresh herbs, and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper.

Edamame Mint Pesto with almonds and garlic is an aromatic and satisfying departure from the usual basil. Tofu Salmon Mousse, lightly flavored with walnuts, is a smooth, rich-tasting spread for thinly-sliced toast and perfect for a Sunday brunch. Scallops with Miso, Ginger, and Ruby Grapefruit is an
unforgettable blend of flavors, with citrus offsetting the deeper miso.

Many of the dishes can be made in ten minutes, and can be paired with a salad and bread to make a meal.

While incorporating Asian ingredients, the author tailors the recipes directly to American kitchens, and frequently offers suggestions for substitutions, such as fresh tarragon in place of shiso seeds.

Genres: Cookbooks

112 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2003

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first cookbooks I ever purchased for myself. I love the style of both his writing and cooking--preparations tend to be simple and fresh, with wonderful and sometimes unexpected flavor combinations. I have loved every recipe that I've tried from this! Each recipe also comes with a suggested wine pairing.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite book of mine--Gower does an excellent job of combining different ingredients for unique dishes that change up traditional Japanese cooking. I have made several of the recipes from it including this Asian Pesto Udon (http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...) and have loved all of them. Recommend this or Gower's newer book "The Breakaway Cook"

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far, I've tried two recipes in this book and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It's Japanese fusion and too new age-y for me, I think. I may try a few more recipes from the book, and if they turn out great, I will up my rating.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I like the shitake pesto, udon with figs and herbs, mint-cilantro udon with fresh ginger and meyer lemon, baked onion chicken with umeboshi and shiso, boozy japanese potatoes (yum!), orange tarragon cauliflower simmered in sake, and the greens and oranges.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a cookbook, Breakaway is a STYLE of cooking which promotes eating fresh and flavorful food. In this book Gower incorporates some great Japanese flavors into wonderfully simple recipes. Brilliant and tasty.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

exciting new combinations of food