Recipe: Prosciutto and Roasted Pepper Sushi Rice

the appetizer:

The Sushi Lover's Cookbook: Easy-to-Prepare Sushi for Every Occasion by Yumi Umemura, includes Japanese recipes like Basic Sushi Rice; Ceviche Sushi Rice; Pork Cutlet Tonkatsu Sushi; and Prosciutto and Roasted Pepper Sushi Rice.

Cookbook

Prosciutto and Roasted
Pepper Sushi Rice

Serves 4 people
Time: 30 minutes plus
45 minutes for rice preparation

A fresh, crunchy, slightly sweet yellow bell pepper seems like the very picture of natural perfection. But it can be improved upon. Roasting a bell pepper takes a little work, but it pays big dividends in the form of glistening, succulent, slightly sweet flesh. This chirashi sushi mixed sushi recipe calls for the roasted pepper to be marinated with sun-dried tomatoes, with the marinade itself finally providing the vinegary acidity to "sushify" the rice.

1 standard quantity Simple White Rice
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)
4 slices prosciutto ham, cut into bite-size pieces
3 or 4 sprigs of Italian parsley for garnish

1. Prepare the Simple White Rice.

2. Roast the yellow bell pepper. The simplest way to do this is to hold the pepper in an open flame with a pair of tongs until the skin is charred. Alternatively, you may blacken the pepper on a grill or under a broiler, placing it as close to the heat source as possible so that the skin chars without burning the tender flesh inside. Be sure to turn the pepper so that all sides are completely blackened.

3. Immediately after charring the pepper, put it in a plastic bag or a covered bowl—in other words, a container that will hold in moisture and heat with minimal ventilation while sitting on a tabletop or counter. Allow the pepper to sweat in its mini-sauna for about five minutes to loosen its skin.

4. Take the pepper out of the container, peel off the skin and remove the stems and seeds. Remove any stubborn bits of skin with a knife. Chop the succulent flesh into small pieces.

5. Mix the vinegar and the sugar. Add the minced tomatoes and the chopped roasted pepper. Let the vegetables marinate for about 5 minutes.

6. Pour the marinated vegetables and their sauce over the warm rice. Mix gently.

7. Turn the rice onto a serving platter and garnish with the prosciutto and the parsley.