Teapot Clear Soup (松茸の土瓶蒸し, Matsutake no Dobinmushi)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small clay dobin teapots, or small lidded heatproof bowls
• •Steamer large enough to hold the vessels
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Small sharp knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and warm it slowly over low heat. Pull the konbu just before the water boils, when small bubbles climb the pot. Boil it and the stock turns bitter and a little slick, which is a poor bargain for impatience.

   You're protecting clarity, not performing ceremony. Clear soup gives you nowhere to hide.
2. 2

   Steep the flakes

   Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, and take the pot off the heat. Leave it alone for two or three minutes until the flakes sink. Strain through a cloth and let it drip without squeezing, because squeezing presses oily, rough flavors into the clean broth.

3. 3

   Clean the matsutake

   Trim the hard base of each matsutake, then wipe the caps and stems with a barely damp cloth. If soil clings, scrape it lightly with the back of a knife. Don't wash the mushrooms under running water. They drink water quickly, and water steals the fragrance you paid for.

4. 4

   Slice the mushrooms

   Slice the matsutake lengthwise into thin pieces, keeping cap and stem together when you can. The long cut shows the mushroom's shape and releases scent evenly into the broth. Too thick and the pieces stay stiff. Too thin and they lose their presence.

5. 5

   Season the broth

   Measure 3 1/2 cups of dashi into a saucepan and season it with sake, usukuchi shōyu, and sea salt. Warm it gently and taste. It should be clear, lightly salted, and fuller from dashi than from soy. If it tastes thin, add a little more dashi or salt with restraint.

6. 6

   Fill the dobin

   Divide the eel, ginkgo nuts, and matsutake among four small dobin teapots, or use small lidded heatproof bowls if you don't own the clay pots. Pour in the seasoned dashi, leaving space at the top. The vessel needs room so the aroma gathers under the lid instead of spilling away.

7. 7

   Steam gently

   Set the covered dobin in a steamer over gently boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the broth is hot and the matsutake has softened. Don't let the steamer rage. Hard heat muddies the broth and bullies the mushroom fragrance, and this dish has no use for bullying.

8. 8

   Serve at once

   Set one mitsuba sprig inside each pot, replace the lid, and serve with a wedge of sudachi. At the table, lift the lid first and breathe in. Pour the broth into the small cup, sip it, then squeeze in a little sudachi and taste again. The citrus should brighten the soup, not take command.

Chef Tips

• •Buy matsutake by smell before appearance. It should be firm, dry, and deeply fragrant at the stem end. If you have to press your nose into it to find the aroma, it isn't the mushroom for dobinmushi.
• •Hamo is the Kansai choice and very much honmono here, but prepared anago is a sensible stand-in when hamo is out of reach. Use clean, mild seafood. A loud fish will trample the matsutake.
• •A dobin, the clay teapot, is the right vessel because it traps fragrance and lets the diner pour the soup. Small lidded heatproof bowls will work. An open soup bowl will not give you the same first breath.
• •For a meatless table, make the broth with konbu and dried shiitake, then use matsutake, ginkgo, and mitsuba only. That is the temple-kitchen path, honmono in its own house, not a compromise.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it gently before seasoning so its clarity stays intact.
• •Ginkgo nuts can be shelled, peeled, and cooked a day ahead, then kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •Clean and slice the matsutake as close to serving as you can. Its fragrance fades once cut, and fragrance is the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 335g)