Making a 'Feast' with Domestic Rapeseed Oil & Honey Dip

I am feeling excited right now, as if I had just discovered a treasure map.
Why is it so delicious just by mixing domestic rapeseed oil and honey?
It makes me want to blurt out that famous line, 'What is this?!'
As I wrote in my previous essay, this rapeseed oil has a wonderful aroma.
It has a light richness, as if the savory scent of seeds carefully roasted in a kiln and slowly pressed is gently layered with the taste of vegetables.
When you add honey to it, the nuttiness and richness melt together, creating a mellow flavor. It's exquisite.
-- I wonder what it would be like to use this as a dip just as it is.
Once that thought occurred to me, I couldn't sit still, and during a break in the snow, I ran out to buy some cruciferous vegetables.

I got some nanohana (rapeseed blossoms), baby turnips, Brussels sprouts, and even some red-hearted radishes because I was drawn to their color.
Now, what should I do?
Come to think of it, when I visited Yamanaka Oil Store, the proprietress, Kimiko Asahara, said something like this:
'Many customers say it's a waste to apply heat to good oil. But it's actually delicious when you cook with it, too.'
Indeed, I was one of those people who thought that way.
I thought that if you use it raw in dressings or mixed dishes, you can preserve the aroma, but if you heat it, the aroma will fly away and the flavor will change. I worried that the level of deliciousness would drop.
However, the proprietress's advice put me a bit at ease. I think I'll use it for grilling today.

I cut the quite mini-sized baby turnips and Brussels sprouts in half to make them look cute. If you use baby turnips with the leaves attached, you'll want to wash them thoroughly because dirt easily gets trapped at the base of the leaves.
If you steam them in the microwave for about a minute beforehand to make them easier to cook through, all you have to do is coat the pan with domestic rapeseed oil and grill them just enough to get a light sear, and they will turn out tender.

Finally, I sprinkled just a tiny bit of salt made from seawater, and for now, I popped one hot piece into my mouth.
'Oh, wow...'

Because the nuttiness of the oil has become mellow, it draws out the sweetness of the vegetables beautifully.
It gently wraps around the individuality of the vegetables, giving the flavor depth.
The unique domestic rapeseed oil has transformed into a flavor that shines as a brilliant supporting actor.
When you eat this with the 'domestic rapeseed oil & honey dip' mentioned at the beginning, it's also great.
It starts to feel like a dessert.

This is interesting.
I realized that before I knew it, I had become absorbed in exploring domestic rapeseed oil, and I felt a little happy.
-- I'm hooked.

Let's try making the main dish entirely with rapeseed oil as well.
I made a dish that, when written down, sounds a bit excessive: nanohana grilled in rapeseed oil, wrapped in pork, grilled again in rapeseed oil, coated in a rapeseed oil sauce, and eaten with a rapeseed oil dip.

But look at this. Even though I used so much oil, it's strangely not greasy at all.
And what's more, the dip goes so well with it.
Even though I only added a little bit, this sweetness and aroma give an 'extra special feel' to an everyday dish.
Even though I just mixed it, it tastes incredibly luxurious.

A dip that makes a sweet song of spring flow deep in my ears.
Is this also the work of domestic rapeseed oil?

I seem to have completely become a traveler on a treasure hunt.

February 27, 2025

<Recipe>

[Ingredients] Serves 2
Pork loin slices: 4 thick slices (or 8 thin slices)
Nanohana: 4 stalks
Domestic rapeseed oil: 1 tsp for grilling nanohana, 1 tbsp for grilling meat
Honey: 1 tbsp
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Salt, potato starch: as needed

・Dip
Domestic rapeseed oil: 1 tbsp
Honey: 1 tbsp

1. Wash the nanohana, place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and steam in the microwave (600W for about 1 minute).
2. Place 1 in a heated frying pan and quickly grill while lightly coating with 'domestic rapeseed oil.' Sprinkle with a little salt.
3. Lay out the pork loin slices on plastic wrap, wrap the 2, coat with potato starch, and grill with a little extra 'domestic rapeseed oil.'

4. Turn off the heat and temporarily remove the meat to a plate. Add soy sauce and honey to the oil remaining in the pan and mix well, then turn the heat back on, return the meat, and grill to coat with the sauce*. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

5. Serve with a mixture of 'domestic rapeseed oil' and honey as a dip.

Slice the red-hearted radish, microwave for 1 minute, wrap, and enjoy with the dip.

Main dish and vegetables photo by Shigeo Shibata

Continue here ↓

Click here for the previous essay↓