Salisbury Sushi

From The Guild web series  

 

The Guild is a web comedy series created by the ever-awesome Felicia Day. If you're a nerd (and let’s be real, if you found your way here, you probably are), you might recognize her from the legendary Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. And if you’re an even bigger nerd, you might remember her as the potential Slayer Violet in the final (televised) season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But Felicia Day isn’t just a geek icon—she’s a self-proclaimed nerd extraordinaire, the mastermind behind The Guild, and the force behind Geek and Sundry. Honestly, she’s my hero and an inspiration to us all.

 

So, what’s The Guild about? It follows Codex, a hardcore gamer whose life revolves around an MMORPG (which is bit too relatable) until one of her guildmates unexpectedly shows up at her doorstep. Chaos, hilarity, and an avalanche of squeal-worthy cameos and references ensue. If you haven’t watched it yet, go do that immediately. Trust me.

 

Now, about Salisbury Sushi. In Season 5, we learn that guild member Tinkerballa is a Japanese orphan adopted by a sweet, well-meaning American family. Determined to keep their daughter connected to her heritage (bless their hearts), her parents whip up some, uh, creative fusion dishes—like “yakisoba with ham and ranch dressing.” Salisbury Sushi is one of their culinary masterpieces and, apparently, Tinkerballa’s favorite.

 

This recipe takes the idea and runs with it, stuffing a juicy, Japanese-inspired Salisbury steak into a sushi roll. Sounds a little weird? Sure, but it actually works. The flavors are really nice, despite my less than stellar sushi-rolling skills. Even if you want to skip the sushi rolling, the fusion-y Salisbury steak is fantastic on its own—especially with a side of steamed rice. Don’t believe me? That’s fine. More Salisbury Sushi for me! Sushi’d.

 

 

Ingredients

 

Supplies

• Sushi Mat (or helper mat)
• Sauté Pan
• Plastic Wrap

 

For the Seasoned Rice:

• 2 cups cooked Sushi Rice
• 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  
• 1 pinch Sea Salt (or to taste)

 

For the Meat Patties:

• 1 pound 80% Lean Ground Beef
• 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 Egg
• 1 tablespoons grated Fresh Ginger
• 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Mirin
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  

 

For the Salisbury Sauce:

• 1 Shallot, diced 
• 8 ounces Shiitake Mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoons Beef Bouillon Paste
• 3/4 cup Mirin
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon Corn Starch

 

For Assembly and Serving:

• 1 Avocado, thinly sliced
• 6 sheets Nori
• Furikake (optional)
• Spicy mayo, wasabi sauce, or another fusion-y condiment (optional)

 

 

Directions

 

 Prepare the Sushi Rice:

1. Season the rice with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Make sure the seasoning is evenly combined. Set aside somewhere warm and covered.

 

Make the Meat Patties:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, and mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Combine thoroughly.
2. Form the meat mixture into 4 patties and brown them in butter or oil for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Don't worry if they're not cooked through, you will be finishing them in the sauce.
3. Remove from pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

 

Prepare the Sauce:

1. In the same pan, add the onions and cook on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few more minutes.
2. Add a cups of water to the pan. To that, add the bouillon along with the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and ginger. Mix together and let simmer for a few minutes.
3. Combine corn starch with 2 tablespoons of the broth from the pan, then add that back to the sauce. Stir with a spoon until combined evenly.
4. Add the browned patties to the sauce and let simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes, until the patties are cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency.

 

Assembling the Sushi Rolls:

1. Use a sharp knife to cut the meat patties into long, thin strips.
2. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap to keep the rice from sticking. Place a sheet of seaweed over the plastic. 
3. Use your hands to spread the rice evenly onto the sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch of seaweed empty at the bottom.
4. Arrange the strips of meat patties with slices of avocado across the center of the rice.
5. Spoon some of the gravy, onion, and mushrooms over the meat and avocado strips. Do not overfill! You must be able to close the roll.
6. Lift the mat and roll over the filling once, pressing down. Unroll, then roll again towards the exposed end of the seaweed sheet to make a long roll. If necessary, moisten your hands with a little water to help seal.
7. Set aside and continue with the remaining sheets of nori, rice, and fillings.
8. When done rolling the sushi, use a sharp knife to cut the rolls into six pieces each.
9. Drizzle more sauce over the rolls. If desired, sprinkle rolls with furikake and/or enjoy with spicy mayo, wasabi sauce, or another fusion-y condiment on the side.

 

This recipe has been reformatted and reworded for clarity. Some adjustments have been made to the recipe for better results.