Pickle Day: Hard-Boiled Eggs

John has pickled hard-boiled eggs before, but with beets and far less heat. I wanted to try Lisey's version, which rocks the hot peppers, wasabi and umami-laden wakame , among other things. By neccessity, I had to substitute fresh banana peppers for jarred ones and severely lessen the amount of wasabi, but hopefully these will turn out well.

• 12 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled (we had two casualties, and so only used 10 + a stray half-tomatillo)
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 strips wakame
• 4-6 leaves red cabbage, sliced
• 4 hot banana peppers
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2-2/3 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. wasabi (used the tube kind)
• 2 tbsp. + 1-1/2 tsp. pickling spice

Hard boil eggs (I use a simplified version of Julia Child's method - put in water, bring to boil, cover, remove from heat, let stand 17 minutes, put in ice bath for 2 minutes), then cool and peel them. Add to jars along with garlic, wakame and cabbage.

Bring vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, salt, wasabi and pickling spice to a boil. Pour into jars, completely covering everything and leaving 1/2 inch room at the top.

Seal, cool, then refrigerate. Wait at least 72 hours.

Miso...Diligently Posting Recipes

Thankfully, the local organic grocery store now has all the ingredients for miso soup (well, except for the dashi. But they do have dried bonito flakes, which I'll try once the mix runs out). Though my heart still belongs to instant ramen, I've been having miso soup - with or without rice - as a light breakfast or a pre-gym snack; some of it was in today's Mr. Bento, as well.

NOTE (Mar. 3): As part of his Miso Soup Project, Japanesefoodreport.com has a handy post on 54 different ways to cook miso soup.

This is a basic recipe - possible additions include chopped spinach (probably added after the tofu) and various kinds of fresh or dried mushrooms.

• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp. hon-dashi granules
  
• 2-3 oz. firm or extra-firm tofu (most recipes use more, but I'm not a huge fan)
• 2 5-inch lengths of dried wakame, cut into inch-long strips (most recipes use less, but I'm a fan)
• 3 tbsp. white miso paste
• 3-4 scallions, chopped

Soak wakame in cold water for at least 30 min.

Put water in a pot, then add hon-dashi granules. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for a minute or two.

Alternate preparation for the stock, adapted from the package of bonito flakes I bought: Put 4-5 pieces of kombu in 4 cups of water, then bring to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of bonito flakes. Remove from heat, then strain out both the kombu and the flakes.

Cut tofu into 1/2 in. squares, or whatever size you fancy. Drain wakame. Add both to pot. Turn heat to low and simmer for a few more minutes.

Ladle some of the liquid into a bowl, then dissolve the miso paste into it. Stir the miso mixture back into the soup.

Turn off the heat, then add the scallions.