Much more tomorrow...
PS: All is revealed now, either in the Japan Times or in the follow-up post — or almost all. I mention the piments d'Espellete and the Madiran, but say nothing about the axoa.
Chef Wada's version of this down-home Basque country-cooking dish exemplifies the headline "rustic but refined". Basically it's minced meat (most often beef, but pork is also used) and most usually served with spuds. Wada makes his version with shoulder of veal, and it comes with buttered rice, cooked with a few green chilis and sprinkled with piment d'Espellette added for extra impact.
