All Recipes by Eric Gower    

Kabocha (Japanese Squash) and Bacon Salad. This dish gets high marks on the visuals, and is good year-round. It makes a fine meal with a cup of soup and some crusty bread.   INGREDIENTS 1/2 medium kabocha (Japanese squash), skin removed, cubed into small, bite-sized pieces 6 strips thick bacon 1 cup red cabbage, finely sliced into thin ribbons 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander 1/2 cup carrot juice 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon naam pla 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + another 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil freshly ground pepper    INSTRUCTIONS In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat, and add the kabocha. Coat all pieces well, and add some pepper. Lower the flame a little, and saute them for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the carrot juice, bring to a boil, cover it with a lid, and turn down the heat very low. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the liquid disappears. Transfer to a large bowl and add the soy sauce, naam pla, and extra oil, and mix thoroughly. In another small frying pan, quickly cook the bacon over medium-high heat, until browned and crispy. While it cooks, chop up the cabbage. Make a bed of the cabbage on a plate, and spoon on some kabocha. Chop up the bacon, and sprinkle it over the kabocha. Top with the coriander/parsley.   SAKE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS (by John Gauntner) With its vibrant visual appeal, and is range of contrasting flavors, this dish is a lively one, and interesting to pair with sake.  A neutral-flavored sake will ride the fine line between the kabocha and the bacon, and a lively sake will mesh with the colorful appearance and distinct flavors.   At the 800wine.com online store, try Mukune "Root of Innocence" Junmai Ginjo (Osaka). This sake sits at just the right place on the sweet-dry continuum to resonate with the kabocha-carrot juice and the bacon-naam pla-soy sauce at the same time. It also has a livelier than average fragrance that subtly complements the colorful appearance.     Copyright 2001 Eric Gower