A dish of monkfish (US: angler fish) liver rubbed with sake and salt, thinly sliced, rolled and the steamed. It is said to resemble foie gras. One of the great chinmi, or delicacies of Japan.
Monkfish (US: angler fish). A fish with a sweet flavour and succulent firm flesh but with the ugliest appearance imaginable. The larger fish often have better flavour. It has a hideous head, which is why it is usually displayed without it, and a muddy colour. It is known as the anglerfish as it bears on its head a 'rod' and 'lure' which attract its prey. The meat of the tail is sweet and succulent - almost like lobster meat, entirely compensating for is appearance. The flavour may well be assisted by its own diet which is high in shellfish.
An, a sweetened smooth or crunchy paste of ground adzuki beans boiled with sugar with mitsumame, a dish of pieces of fruit or sweet beans with syrup.
Greencracked brittlegill. A variety of wild mushroom which, as its name implies, is a sort of olive green with darker green markings and with creamy brittle gills. Most brittlegills resemble other ones that are inedible and some will cause gastric problems. You can normally detect what type it is by the flavour. A tiny tasting will immediately reveal whether or not it is edible, but it is worth spitting it out immediately if you detect a bitter taste.
The aniseed funnel cap. This mushroom has a distincive pale blue colour of young specimens soon fading towards light grey. A couple of these will impart an almost liquorice flavour to a dish. Certainly not many are required but is a food addition to soups and stews.
Green perilla. Green shiso. A typical herb in Japanese cuisine, perilla has a distinctive flavour, vaguely reminiscent of rue, and is rich in carotene, vitamin C and iron. Select leaves that are fragrant and have a fresh green colour. Perilla is used chopped as a seasoning in chilled tofu, as a garnish with salads and sashimi, and in deep-fried dishes.
