Small chunks of cream cheese marinated in sake kasu (lees) is a staple of sake bars, izakaya and sake-loving homes all over Japan. It is usually served with toothpicks as an appetizer or a snack to nibble on while sipping sake with friends.
Stuffed olives, meanwhile, are a common item in specialty grocery stores around the world. They might be stuffed with garlic, almonds, jalapeños or, most popularly, cheese of some kind. We put the two together to yield olives stuffed with sake lees-marinated cream cheese. It worked!
Sake kasu is what is left over after the fermented sake mash is pressed to separate the liquid sake from the rice solids. If not allowed to dry out, it will be slushy or creamy. This is the form in which it is typically packaged. Sake kasu is available from some breweries for free, or for a small price in bags at brewery shops. It’s a common item, too, in Japanese grocery stores, both in Japan and overseas.
To marinate cream cheese in the lees, you simply have to cut up small chunks of the cheese and immerse them in the lees (a sealable bag or container is suitable), then stick the mixture in the back of your refrigerator for about two weeks. Since the cream cheese is soft, it will absorb the flavor and aroma of the lees.
Stuffing the olives was simpler than expected. You can buy cans of pitted olives at most grocery stores. We recommend the largest size you can get, for ease of stuffing, though we were able to stuff smaller olives. We simply did it by hand. You can cut small wedges or shafts of cheese, and then press it in with your fingers. The olives may look a little messy, but they taste great.
If you want better (as in, cleaner) presentation, you can beat the cream cheese in a bowl until it is fluffy, transfer it to a pastry bag with a round tip, and squirt it in.
