This Week in Bento: October 19 - October 23, 2010

Welcome back for another week of bentos here at PopArtichoke!

October 19

Like I mentioned last week, I'm back at work after an injury, but still working short shifts until I'm released back to full duty.  This means I get shorter breaks (only 15 minutes) so I've been trying to make simpler bentos.  I started my week with this simple, but colorful lunch.  The trio of colors in the front are provided by fuyu persimmon slices, edamame, and radish pickles.  In the back is a brown rice medley with radish leaf furikake.  In case you missed it, I did a three-part series this week on radish recipes, including the recipes for the pickles and furikake!  As you can see here, they're just great for bento lunches!

October 21

The other night, Steve requested a meal I haven't made in a while: peppery steak with a creamy bourbon sauce.  It was great to make it again, and I was able to make a bento for him with the leftovers.  With the steak and sauce is a shaved brussels sprout and shallot sauté, and blue cheese mashed potatoes.  In the second tier container are orange slices, dark chocolate squares, and some black coconut candy.  It's like a full meal packed into a tiny lunch box!

Here's another leftover-filled lunch I made for myself that day.  I was inspired by a recipe I saw in a magazine, but of course changed it a lot and ended up with panko-crusted mahi mahi, a Thai-inspired yellow curry "chowder", and rice with fresh mint, cilantro and basil.  Stay tuned for more photos of the meal and a recipe, coming soon!

October 23

Here is my last bento of the week, featuring more leftovers, and in fact, it has something from each of the other bentos above!  There's a purple bell pepper filled with the shaved brussels sprouts and shallot sauté, snap peas and the herbed rice from the fish curry dish, and radish pickles.  The centerpiece here  balsamic-marinated persimmon slices wrapped in bresaola with baby arugula, which by the way, make a fantastic appetizer!

And there you have it: another week in bentos.  Hope you liked the radish recipes this week!  Next week I'll try to make a couple Halloween bentos and get a little festive. ^_^