Deconstructed “Boston” Roll Bento
One of my favorite rolls is the Boston roll. I know, it’s weird right? For someone who loves raw fish as much as I do, why would I want to eat something that’s as common as some shrimp, cucumber, mayo, and lettuce in a roll?
But by golly it’s right up there with a nice jalapeno yellowtail on my maki scale.
Today I did a deconstructed Boston roll bento. Kewpie mayo really does make it, but if you don’t have it, add a pinch of sugar to your regular mayo.
You might be curious about the golden tomato looking thing and it’s what’s called a cape gooseberry. It is also absolutely delicious. It’s very sweet, and definitely like a berry rather than a tomato, even though it’s part of the nightshade family like tomatoes. It’s a physalis, so part of the same genus as the tomatillo, so their growth habits, with their cute paper like lantern husks are the same. Tomatillos stay green, cape gooseberries turn into a deep, golden orange color and become very sweet (almost like candy!) with a tropical flavor profile like a mix between a strawberry and a pineapple. I grew some this year with limited success because it was too late in the season when I found them, but I saved the seeds and will start them indoors for next year.
These, labeled as “golden berries” were bought from my local grocery store.
I also added some of my home made olive oil crackers (you can find the recipe here). It’s a simple Christmas theme, and I used some cherry tomatoes and shiso to make a “holly.” The bear is holding a piece of cheese cut out like a Christmas tree.
Recipe:
- 1 cup white rice cooked
- 1/2 teaspoon sushi vinegar (optional)
- Shredded nori
- Sliced cucumber
- 5 large shrimp, cooked and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kewpie mayo
- Shredded lettuce (optional)
- Soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger
1. In a bowl, mix your chopped shrimp with the mayonnaise. Set to the side. Mix your sushi vinegar with the white rice and press the sushi rice into the bottom of your bento.
2. Sprinkle shredded nori on the rice. Add slices of cucumber and shredded lettuce on top and finish with the shrimp salad. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger (I pour a little bit of the soy sauce wasabi mix on top).