Over a year ago I experimented with laser-cutting nori, the dried seaweed paper used commonly in making rolled sushi.  Because nori is flat, thin and dry, it cuts extremely well with a laser and I was able to get extraordinarily high-resolution cutouts.  Because I didn’t always have access to the laser, I wanted to find a way to keep producing cut nori at home – and I found one.  The QuicKutz Silhouette SD Digital Craft Cutting Tool ($199) is a computer-controlled craft cutter designed for cutting paper and light cardstock.  It works by moving the material backwards and forwards while moving a very sharp blade side to side (and up and down).  Although the nori was too brittle to handle intricate cutting on the Silhouette, I was still able to successfully cut a few dozen different patterns.  If you want to experiment with this technique at home, a craft cutter is the way to go.

The picture at the top is (what I’m calling) Butterfly Shrimp.  It’s wholly impractical, a little ridiculous, and really funny.  I’ve also created an edible butterfly using wasabi as the body, with two wings skewered in. 

The next images are of the most intricate pattern I attempted to laser-cut.  It’s an amalgamation of traditional Japanese stencil designs.  I think of this nori sheet as a kind of edible doily… a garnish that is ornate to the highest degree.  It casts cool shadows, too.

The same sheet, folded on itself.  Wouldn’t that make beautiful sushi? (click for many more photos…)

How about a doily that goes on top of the plate?  I can imagine a server pouring hot broth directly on the seaweed

Below are the pictogram instructions for using chopsticks. I thought it would be fun to laser-etch them onto nori, then wrap them around a sushi roll. It’s a commentary on etiquette, if you’re searching for some deeper meaning.

The next two images are of different types of dried seaweed.  I didn’t cut or etch these pieces, but I thought they looked so beautiful and wonderfully textured that I had to snap photos of them. 

I also thought it would be playfully ironic to put the image of a fork somewhere it doesn’t belong (no, not on your ass.) 

Here’s a shot of uncooked sushi rice.  I had always assumed that rice was pill-shaped, but interestingly each grain has a curved chunk missing at one end.  There’s something that I really love about that shape – it’s kind of tooth like, but also kind of futuristic.  Though, perhaps I’ve just been staring through my lens too long.

I also thought it could be practical to label sushi rolls right on the nori, especially for kaiten (conveyor belt) restaurants.  Unfortunately, as soon as the nori gets wet from the moisture in the rice it becomes very elastic and the letters and shapes distort easily.  It does work pretty well for box/pressed sushi.  In the photos below, I’ve labeled two slabs of tuna.

Here’s the back side of the photo above.  It’s like looking in on the Red Light District of the fisherman’s wharf. 

I do think that there are good applications for laser-cut and laser-etched foods, nori or otherwise.  You may recall that I used this technique to garnish a duck consommé a while back.  Unfortunately, do to the elasticity of damp nori, this technique only works well on dry surfaces, which most sushi preparations are not.  I plan to experiment in the same way with phyllo dough  – my plan is to build a Moroccan-inspired “lampshade” out of a single layer of baked phyllo.  We’ll see how that works out!

Although the title sounds like the beginning of a bad personals ad, this recipe couldn’t be more innocuous.  I wanted to play with the notion of a classic shrimp cocktail, and somewhat by accident (and inspired by a brainstorming session with Jethro), I realized that I could dehydrate cocktail sauce and produce something that looked quite a bit like prosciutto.  Prosciutto-wrapped shrimp is a great dish on its own, and on first glance, that’s what this dish might appear to be.  However, in a single bite, you’ll quickly identify the unmistakable flavor of cocktail sauce.

Method:

1. Spread cocktail sauce (bottled or homemade – I’ll admit to using bottled) in a thin, even layer on a piece of parchment.  Make the layer just thick enough that there are no holes or gaps in coverage. 
2. Dehydrate in a food dehydrator at 135F for 2-3 hours or until it is dry to the touch.  If you don’t have a dehydrator, you may be able to achieve similar results in a low oven with the door cracked slightly.
3. Carefully peel the parchment away from the dehydrated cocktail sauce.  It will peel away just like a fruit leather.  Place the cocktail “leathers” on a silpat or another sheet of parchment – they will stick to counters and cutting boards.
4. Cut the leather into strips, 3/4” wide by 7” long (for medium shrimp – adjust the size as needed). 
5. Cook shrimp using the method of your choice.  Refrigerate until cool.  Wrap the shrimp in cocktail leather.  Serve, and watch for the look of surprise on the faces of your guests.

Makes: 2 sensible salads
Total kitchen time: 30 minutes

Shopping List:

• 1 head Boston Bibb or Butter lettuce, washed and coarsely chopped
• 1 dz. medium uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp. red chili oil (or more, if you like it extra hot)
• 1 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3 tangerines
• 1/4 cup guava nectar
• 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 2 tbsp. slivered almonds
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Rinse and thoroughly dry the shrimp.  In a medium bowl, mix together the shrimp, garlic, red chili oil and 1 tbsp. of olive oil, plus a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Set aside.
2. Suprême the tangerines.  Suprêming, in this case, means removing the meat of the tangerine from any pith, rind or connecting membranes.  All of that stuff is stringy and bitter we’re only after the best parts.  To suprême a tangerine, use a pairing knife to cut off the rind.  Don’t peel it off like you were going to eat the tangerine as a snack, actually carve it off with the knife.  You’ll end up taking off a little meat with the rind – this is fine.  Once the rind is totally removed you’ll clearly be able to see each section of fruit divided by a membrane.  Slice into the fruit on either side of each membrane to remove just the good parts.  Discard the rest.
3. In a small saucepan, combine about 1/3 of the tangerine slices with the guava nectar on medium heat.  Cook just until it begins to reduce, about 10 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add the shrimp and sear on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
5. Plate up your salads with the shrimp, avocado, remaining tangerines, slivered almonds and sesame seeds.  Dress with the tangerine-guava dressing and salt and pepper the whole thing to taste.

If you aren’t in a shrimp mood, you can substitute in just about anything you’d like: seared tuna, grilled chicken, tofu, swordfish… you name it.  Open up a nice, fruity white wine and enjoy your evening of healthy living at its best!

Makes: 4 self-defense skewers
Total kitchen time: 20 minutes

Shopping list:

• 1 dz. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
• 6 slices Prosciutto de Parma
• 4 bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water
• 1/4 tsp. ground mace
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp. blackberry preserves
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped mint leaves
• 3 tbsp. tawny port
• sea salt, to taste

1. Preheat your grill on medium high.
2. Slice each piece of prosciutto lengthwise and carefully wrap it around a shrimp.  Skewer the shrimp through the tail and the thickest part so it stays securely on the skewer.  Repeat for the remaining shrimp, three to a skewer.
3. Lightly salt and pepper the wrapped shrimp skewers.  Then, sprinkle with the mace.  Adjust the amount to your personal preference – remember, this stuff is pretty strong.  Refrigerate the skewers until you’re ready to grill.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the blackberry preserves, chopped mint and port.  Heat until boiling over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.  If you’re sauce is slightly lumpy or coagulated, pour it into a small food processor and run on high for 90 seconds. 
5. Grill the shrimp skewers over high heat for 1 minute or so per side.  They won’t take long, so be careful not to overcook.  Plate up and enjoy!

Of course, these skewers would pair nicely with melon or cilantro as well.  Just be careful – those are weapons you’re holding.  Hot, delicious weapons.  Mmmmm….

Serves: 2 Nice People from Nice
Total Kitchen Time: 30 minutes

Shopping List:

• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp (20-30 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
• 1/2 lb small red potatoes (you can also use fingerling potatoes)
• 1 head butter lettuce (sometimes labeled Boston or Bibb; if you use Iceberg, you’re not allowed to make this salad ever again.) cleaned and torn
• 1 large handful arugula
• 1/2 cup Niçoise olives (substitute with Kalamata in an emergency)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp. high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Clean and halve the potatoes.  If the potatoes are more than an inch wide in any dimension, halve them again.  Big potatoes are not good for salad, but you probably knew that.
2. Par-cook the potatoes until tender using your favorite method.  I like to submerge the cut potatoes in a shallow microwave-proof dish and nuke for a few minutes.  Also feel free to steam or boil the little buggers.  You’re looking for a doneness of fork-tender, but not quite to the point of cracking or falling apart.
3. Using a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, sauté the potatoes with a very small drizzle of olive oil until they start to pick up a little color.  Set the potatoes aside and keep ‘em warm.
4. Make the dressing.  Combine the garlic, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice and honey in a small food processor.  Pulse for a while until it is emulsified.  Salt and pepper the dressing to taste.  Add half of the vinegar and taste again.  Adjust the final flavor by adding the remaining vinegar, a little at a time, until you’re satisfied or too hungry to care anymore. 
5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once the butter is hot and a little foamy, add the shrimp and cook until they have turned completely pink, but not much longer than that.  The shrimp will finish cooking very quickly, so be careful not to over-exercise your sauté skills there, captain Benihana. 
6. Arrange the salad with the lettuce, arugula, potatoes, olives, shrimp and dressing.  Top with a small amount of parmesan cheese, if you’d like.

This salad is also excellent with salmon, if you’d like to continue the variation on a theme.  If you’re looking for a salad with a little more, well, meat, look no further.