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"Yoshoku" is a genre of food in Japan that describes a dish with a Japanese take on a Western dish. Of the recipes I have shared here on Table Talk, "korokke" would be a typical example. There are restaurants that specialize in "yoshoku" dishes that have been around for ages. These places are still so popular that you would actually find lines to get in during busy lunch hours.
Various types of "yoshoku" are often made at home, too, making them comfort food, and leaving a strong impact on children growing up. When asked what their favorite food is in general in Japan, many would probably give you a name of one "yoshoku" dish. That’s how much "yoshoku" is embedded in Japanese culture.
Today I would like to introduce another one of these comforting "yoshoku" dishes: macaroni gratin.
Gratin, which originated in French cuisine, typically is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs, mixed with bits of butter, and then heated in an oven or under the broiler to form a golden crispy crust on top. The ingredients can be any type of vegetable or meat (the French often use potatoes and cream) but the most common Japanese gratin is made with macaroni and chicken in a white creamy sauce. It is often made with sautéed shrimp, too. It’s warm and comforting without being too heavy. I would say it is a fancy version of an American mac-n-cheese. If I were to have a child, instead of opening up a box of that orange macaroni and cheese package, I would like to whip up a batch of this recipe. Chicken gratin definitely ranks high in the ranking of children’s favorite food here in Japan.
Feel free to substitute the chicken with shrimp or even canned tuna. Most recipes calls for sautéed sliced onions, but in my household, we omit this since both my husband and I think the crunchiness of the onion interferes with the smoothness of the cream sauce and the texture of the cooked macaroni. For extra color and nutrition, adding boiled broccoli or peas might be a good idea. Be as creative as you like. When something is mixed with cream sauce, topped with cheese, and then baked till crusty and crunchy on top, how can you go wrong?
Chicken and Mushroom Gratin
Cooking time: One hour Serves 4
Ingredients: 200g chicken thigh 1 package mushrooms (or 1 canned mushroom) 150g macaroni 50g cheese (any type you like) 3 Tbs. butter 3 Tbs. flour 3 cups milk (room temperature) Salt and pepper to taste
1) Melt butter in a frying pan. Add flour and cook well until smooth.
2) Add milk little at a time. Stir constantly and let the sauce thicken. Set aside.
3) In another pan, cook chicken and little bit of oil. Add mushrooms. Sautee.
4) In a pot of boiling water, cook macaroni according to the time on the package.
5) In one of the pans/pots used above or in another large bowl, combine cream sauce, chicken & mushrooms and macaroni. Stir well and coat the macaroni with sauce.
6) Pour the mixture into 4 separate ovenproof dishes. Shallower the better.
7) Sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese. (For extra crunchiness, sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the cheese.)
8) Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 200 degrees oven or until the top is golden brown.
9) Garnish with dried parsley.
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warispeace
After the Pacific War ended and the school lunch programme was introduced, both because of the poverty at the time and the US seeking new markets, children in Japan ate bread and powdered skim milk, and later soft creamy noodles. It is likely the custom of eating gratin, indeed a more flavourful improvement, grew out of "kyushoku" (school lunch) habits.