Meat-Stuffed Shiitake (椎茸の肉詰め, Shiitake no Nikuzume)

Fresh shiitake earn their place in autumn, their 旬 (shun, at its prime), when the caps are thick, dry to the touch, and faintly fragrant. That is where this dish begins. The pork is not there to bury the mushroom. It gives the cap weight and juiciness, then steps back. Honmono here is modest: one clean mushroom, one seasoned mouthful, nothing hidden under a heavy sauce.

The detail that decides it is not the filling. It is the thin dusting of katakuriko, potato starch, on the gills. Tap off almost all of it. Too much turns pasty, but a sheer coat catches the pork and its juices, so the stuffing stays joined to the cap instead of sliding away when you turn it. Cooking is comic enough without chasing pork around a pan.

We sear meat-side down first, which feels backward only until you see why. The pork must set before the shiitake releases its own moisture. Once it is firm and browned, turn the caps and let them drink soy, mirin, sake, and a spoon of dashi until the glaze shines. Serve them as okazu beside rice and soup, or as small bites before the meal, five on a plate with space around them. Leave it room.