Cooking Show: $513 vs $21 Salmon Dinner

Introductions

• Yuji

  • Professional chef
  • Ingredients worth $513

• Daniel

  • Home cook
  • Ingredients worth $21

Chef Yuji's Plan

• Dish: Roasted K cured Sakura masu Donabe
• Ingredients from Japan: Wild cherry salmon (Sakura masu), clams, muscles
• Additional components:
  • Koshi rice in Donabe
  • Pickled Renesco and water radish
  • Soy-marinated salmon roe
• Special techniques: Cure in kombu, roast clams, and make a special broth
• Estimated ingredient cost: ~$197 (incorrectly calculated to $513)

Daniel's Plan

• Simplified recipe using pantry and local grocery store ingredients
• Basic salmon dinner with simpler techniques
• Estimated ingredient cost: ~$25

Steps Taken by Daniel

Salmon Preparation

1. Breaking Down the Whole Fish

   • Remove head and collar
   • Separate meat from bones
   • Portion fillets (2-3 oz pieces)
   • Remove extra bones (using tweezers)

2. Curing the Salmon

   • Apply salt to the fillets
   • Place on paper towel, refrigerate for 30 minutes
   • Use dry kombu for curing; refrigerate for 12 hours

3. Making Broth and Rice

   • Roast salmon bones
   • Combine clams and kombu in cold water, bring to a slow boil
   • Remove clams as they open
   • Add roasted bones to broth, cook for additional 30 minutes
   • Cook Koshi rice in broth using Donabe

Pickled Vegetables

1. Ingredients: Carrot, broccoli, Romanesco
2. Process: Peel, chop, combine with salt, sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil
3. Pickling: Let vegetables pickle while salmon cures

Roasting the Salmon

1. Preparation: Place fillets on rotisserie-like setup
2. Cooking: Oven at 500°F for 8-10 minutes

Presentation

• Assemble dish in Donabe
• Add clams, pickled vegetables, and marinated salmon roe

Steps Taken by Chef Yuji

Salmon Preparation

1. Separating the Skin

   • Clean bones and fillets
   • Crisp the skin in oven with parchment paper

2. Making the Burger

   • Use brown rice to make rice buns (shape & refrigerate)
   • Prepare and cook veggies for burger filling
   • Marinate salmon roe (soy sauce, mirin, sake)

Additional Components

1. Caramelized Orange Teriyaki Sauce
   • Melt sugar, add orange peel, soy sauce, and vinegar

Rice

1. Cooking: Use Koshi rice and special broth in Donabe

Final Assembly

1. Assembling Rice Burger
   • Fry rice buns with sesame oil
   • Caramelized orange teriyaki sauce, layers of salmon and veggies
   • Side of pickled veggies and crispy salmon skin

Taste Test and Reactions

• Both chefs taste each other's dishes
• High praise for flavor and presentation
• Daniel impressed by clam-infused broth
• Chef Yuji fascinated by the rice burger and caramelized sauce
• Mutual appreciation and positive feedback