Fans around the world know Chef Masaharu Morimoto for his calm, confident presence amid the chaos of kitchen stadiums on Iron Chef and Iron Chef America. Fewer people realize that the chef celebrated for his inventive East-meets-West cuisine originally dreamed of playing professional baseball in Japan. A shoulder injury ended that path, and Morimoto turned to cooking, earning recognition in his native Hiroshima before rising to international stardom. Morimoto Waikiki at the Waikiki Edition, part of Ian Schrager and Marriott Hotels’ luxury portfolio, is the latest venue to showcase his signature culinary style.
Angry chicken Serves 4
For the chicken:
2 3½- to 4-pound chickens, quartered
1 cup spicy yogurt marinade (recipe follows)
Trim excess fat from the chicken, rinse, and pat dry. Place the chicken quarters in a large bowl and pour over the spicy yogurt marinade, turning the pieces so they are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
About 1 hour before serving, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange the pieces on one or two half-sheet pans. Discard the used marinade.
Roast the chicken for about 40 minutes, until the meat is tender, lightly browned, and the juices run clear when the thighs are tested with a small knife tip. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
For the spicy yogurt marinade:
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups hot sauce, preferably Frank’s
1 1/3 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup soy sauce
Grind the peppercorns, cumin, coriander, and cardamom in a spice grinder. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Add the hot sauce, yogurt, cream, and soy sauce, whisking until smooth and well combined. Divide the marinade into two equal portions: one portion to marinate the chicken and the other reserved for the sauce.
For the sauce:
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup spicy yogurt marinade (reserved)
For the garnish:
1 fresh lime
While the chicken roasts, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat and reduce it until it measures approximately 1 cup. Whisk in the reserved 1 cup of spicy yogurt marinade and heat gently just until warmed through—avoid boiling to prevent the yogurt from separating. Keep the sauce warm.
To serve, pour the warm sauce around the roasted chicken and offer lime wedges for squeezing over each portion.
Tuna pizza Serves 4
For the pizza:
4 7-inch flour tortillas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup eel sauce (found in Asian grocery stores)
10 ounces sashimi-quality tuna, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
Anchovy aioli (recipe follows)
Baby cilantro, for garnish
Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium heat. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil and spread a thin layer of eel sauce on one side. Grill each tortilla for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping and rotating frequently, until crisp and marked with grill lines. Repeat for the second side. Transfer the crisp tortillas to a wire rack to cool.
For the anchovy aioli:
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a food processor, blend the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, anchovy paste, and soy sauce until smooth. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil and vegetable oil slowly until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To assemble, arrange the thinly sliced tuna across the crisp tortillas. Scatter jalapeño slices, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives over the tuna. Drizzle anchovy aioli artistically over each pizza and garnish with baby cilantro. Serve immediately.
Daikon pasta Serves 4
1 pound fresh daikon
1 14½-ounce can plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Peel the daikon with a vegetable peeler, discarding the outer skin. Continue peeling lengthwise into long, narrow ribbons that resemble noodles. Soak the daikon ribbons in a bowl of cold, salted water for 15 to 20 minutes to crisp them up.
For the sauce, drain the canned tomatoes, reserving about half of the juice. Mash the tomatoes with the reserved juice by hand until you have roughly 2 cups of tomato mixture.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a vigorous boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Drain the daikon ribbons and pat them dry on a kitchen towel. Add the daikon to the sauce and toss gently over medium heat for just about 1 minute, taking care not to break the ribbons—cook only until heated through. Serve the daikon pasta immediately.