Yakitori/Kushiyaki with cheese?

[emg]

So I've had a couple of times some type of yakitori-ish item that included a several pieces of cheese on the skewer. Once was recently in Japan. I have no idea what else was on it. It was wrapped in something (maybe chicken skin, maybe bacon, I can't remember... all I know is it was really good). And once a while ago (not in Japan) they were skewered alternating with some type of meatballs. I don't see this very frequently but I really love cheese, and I've liked the different versions every time I've had them, so I'd like to find some sort of recipe, or at least know what type of cheese is typically used (if this is a common dish) so I can try to make it myself.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by emg

So I've had a couple of times some type of yakitori-ish item that included a several pieces of cheese on the skewer. Once was recently in Japan. I have no idea what else was on it. It was wrapped in something (maybe chicken skin, maybe bacon, I can't remember... all I know is it was really good). And once a while ago (not in Japan) they were skewered alternating with some type of meatballs. I don't see this very frequently but I really love cheese, and I've liked the different versions every time I've had them, so I'd like to find some sort of recipe, or at least know what type of cheese is typically used (if this is a common dish) so I can try to make it myself.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

The meatball sort were probably Tsukune. If you had it in Japan then the cheese was probably nothing more exotic than the sliced plastic cheese you can buy just about everywhere, although a mild cream cheese is sometimes used as well- I've had that inside a potato croquette. Generally I would say use a cheese that can withstand both skewering and grilling and has a mild, neutral flavor. Haloumi cheese would work well, although it's very salty, or if you can get a plain "fresh" cheese (sometimes called 'white cheese' i think) that would be ideal. Mozzerella might also work, but be careful grilling it that it doesn't just melt off the skewer- that might have been the one that was wrapped. Also remember, cheese isn't meat. It likes a medium to low heat and slower cooking, heat it too fast and it'll split. Hard cheeses will tolerate it better than soft ones.

[emg]

Thanks for the info. I think whatever I had last time was a harder cheese. The times before that I just don't remember. I just remember liking it. I suppose I can experiment.

[allhailhata]

Tsukune Recipes
YouTube - 照り焼き鶏つくね【オレンジページ：コウケンテツのレ シピ】
http://www.order-cheese.com/rcp/r109.html
Japanese Cuisine: Yakitori/Tsukune Basic Recipe 2のレシピ - クック・イート・シェア
You just add cheese as you like.
Don't Think. Feel!

[Sashimister]

Yakitori/Kushiyaki isn't gourmet food by any definition of it. If you want to re-create it out of nostalgia, use the cheapest cheeze (I mean this). Wrapper ideas: lettus leaves, thin slices of pork/beef, age (deep-fried tofu) if it's available where you are, turkey breast slices, etc.

[emg]

allhailhata, thanks for the link. I only speak a modicum of Japanese so I had to use Google translate. But that recipe calls for gruyere, and lucky me I have a huge block of gruyere in the fridge.

I like cooking just regular yakitori w/ pieces of chicken and green onion, I'm looking to expand to other things, especially ones I've had at restaurants and liked. And cheese is one of my favorite foods :-)

I guess I can experiment with the harder cheeses I have at present so they won't melt quite as quickly.