Japanese Mustard Pickled Eggplant
3 or 4 small Japanese or Italian eggplants
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
3 tablespoons shoyu
3 tablespoons mirin or a dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon accent or ajinomoto (optional)

Slice the eggplants crosswise ito 1/8-inch slices and salt, allowing to
stand
for a couple of hours. Rinse and squeeze gently and allow to drain.

Mix the other ingredients together and add the drained eggplant and
allow to
marinate for several hours, mixing occasionally.

Pickled Cauliflower

Bring ½ cup vinegar (white wine) to boil with: 1 tablespoon sugar; 1
pinch salt; 12 fenugreek seeds; 12 coriander seeds; 1 stalk of fresh
tarragon. After boiling, set aside and allow to cool.
Cut the small florets from one head of cauliflower. Toss with a large
handful of kosher or sea salt and allow to rest in a colander or sieve
to drain (place colander in bowl to catch excess water). After some
time (15 minutes - 1.5 hours) rinse very well and allow to drain once
more. Toss together with strained vinegar.

From Chez Sophie Bistro.