Fresh-caught blue fish baked with red potatoes, eaten with spinach-walnut pesto. Sautéed kale.

My mother’s neighbor went fishing yesterday and, upon his return, gave her a giant fillet of striped bass, which we ate yesterday, and a rather large fillet of blue fish, which she gave me and I cooked tonight.

Lemon-thyme rubbed pork chop with spinach-walnut pesto. Very adjusted version of “Mustard-Roasted Potatoes” from Smitten Kitchen. Brussels sprouts with pancetta.

“Beef with Eggplant” from Beyond Kimchee and “Korean Spinach,” also from Beyond Kimchee.

As soon as the Korean homestyle cooking blog, Beyond Kimchee, posted these recipes, I knew I would make them. I can hardly resist any dish with Asian eggplant and spinach is usually a winner in my book as well. Together, they seemed like a pretty good meal too. And they were.

I really enjoyed that the eggplants were steamed, as it’s my experience that steaming eggplants (as opposed to stir-frying or deep-frying them) yields a different texture. I think they also taste more “eggplanty,” which I like. I mean, I also like them when they’re saturated with flavors but there’s a time and place for things. I totally spaced on getting chilies so there was none of that. (Oops.)

The spinach was also excellent. I briefly considered skipping the powdered shrimp — I blame laziness due to impromptu furniture rearrangement — but being that it was one of only six ingredients, it felt cheap to skimp. I mean, where’s the sense in that. So I made a small mason jar of it and I’m glad I did, as this is a dish I will definitely make again. (I also was then able to use it in the eggplant dish.)

Dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled egg), miso soup with silken tofu / aburage / spinach and seaweed salad.

Not my nicest-looking tamagoyaki but I was feeling kind of rushed by my hunger. Snacking on one’s way home only goes so far.

The seaweed salad is something I picked up as I walked back to my apartment tonight. A small Japanese grocery opened in Williamsburg over the winter and it’s become one of my regular stops. It’s more convenient than Sunrise but doesn’t have quite the selection. It does cover all of the right bases though and I love that I have a shorter distance to haul my groceries. I have no idea who makes this seaweed salad but it’s fresh-tasting and a nice side for meals like this.

“Niku-jaja (Flavored Meat and Potatoes)” from Mihoko Yoshino’s Japanese Home Style Cooking. Spinach with bannō-jōyu (seasoned soy sauce) and katsuobushi. Rice.

Today felt like fall. Simmered beef and potatoes hit the spot.

Agebitashi, deep-fried vegetables chilled in broth. Spinach with bannō-jōyu (seasoned soy sauce). Rice.

For the broth, I used the dipping sauce from Shizuo Tsuji’s “Chilled Fine Noodles with Shrimp and Mushrooms (Hiyashi S!men)” (Japanese Cooking). The bannō-jōyu is from Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku.

For the agebitashi, I used whatever vegetables I had on hand. The last of the bunashimeji mushrooms, a carrot, part of an experimentally-frozen kabocha (Japanese squash) and a Japanese eggplant — because I always have those. Because I compulsively buy Japanese eggplants whenever I see them and they look good. And they always look good.

Freezing affected the texture of the kabocha. I wouldn’t recommend it.

“Potatoes and Sea Greens (Jagaimo to Wakame no Nitsuke)” from Soei Yoneda’s Heart of Zen Cuisine. Panko-breaded cod with rice. Spinach with “Creamy Sesame-Miso Sauce (Goma Miso)” from Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku.

“Eggplant and Fava Beans (Nasu no Soramame Ae)” from Soei Yoneda’s Heart of Zen Cuisine. Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato) with black sesame seeds. “Deep-fried Tofu with Mushroom Sauce (Jikasei Atsu-age, Kinoko-an)” from Mark Robinson’s Izakaya. Spinach with “Creamy Sesame-Miso Sauce (Goma Miso)” from Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku. The ever-present bowl of rice.

Again, the edamamé were substituted for fava beans. I used bunashimeji and shiitake mushrooms for the sauce, which had a fairly brothy consistency even after I added the potato starch. Great flavor but I’m unsure if I achieved the right consistency.

“Saké-Simmered Mackerel (Saba Nitsuke)” from Shizou Tsuji’s Japanese Cooking. “Simmered Green Beans (Ingen no Nimono)” from Soei Yoneda’s The Heart of Zen Cuisine. Eaten over rice.

Not pictured: miso soup with spinach.

I decreased the dashi in the green beans by 2/3 cup. It seemed like a lot and I don’t think my change hampered the dish. Forgetting to keep an eye on the pot, however, did. These were slightly overcooked but still very tasty. They simply had less bite than I prefer. While flavorful, they balanced out the mackerel well, which takes on a strong taste. I eat a bite of fish with a bite of rice then have a few string beans. Perfect.