cook

 

I found some old dishes that were tucked away in the back of my china cabinet. I had not used them in awhile.  They are Made in Japan, probably from the Art Deco period or a little later. I got them in a thrift shop.  Paid less then $10 for the set of five.  They are not fine china by any means but I like the bold design and black and dark persimmon colors. I try to figure out what I can serve in them.  It's fun to give the plate a priority over the food for a change.  I look at the wavy lines on the plate and I think about possibilities. Then Burdock comes to mind. Taking burdock shavings and deep frying them in sesame oil makes beautiful crispy chips with soft curves.  You serve the chips while they are piping hot otherwise they will go limp.  I season them with salt and pepper and with red cracked chili pepper when I want them to be hot.  It's delicious and a perfect match for this beautiful dish.