Chawanmushi with Matsutake
Chawanmushi is served as a first course, in place of the soup. Sit down in a quiet place and eat it slowly. It's a delicate taste.
by Shea Moss
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Tricholoma murrillianum. © nick (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 199214530)
Method
Dashi
Wash kelp and reconstitute by placing in a
saucepan with 6 cups of cold water.
Heat water to a rolling boil, and remove the kelp immediately!
Add the bonito, let it roll once, then turn off the heat and let it stand until the shavings settle to the bottom.
Strain to collect the clear broth (the dashi).
Note: Optionally, you can dry the kelp and wrap it in plastic wrap, and use it again for another dish. It's not part of the dashi.
Chawanmushi
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine dashi with the eggs, strain through a sieve, then mix in the salt, sugar and shoyu.
Divide the matsutake between 6 large Japanese tea cups (or six 8 oz. ceramic custard cups, or six 8 oz. oven-proof coffee mugs — What the hell, this is America).
Pour the egg mixture over the matsutake.
Cover each cup tightly with aluminum foil.
Place in a bain-marie (hot water bath) with the water reaching about 1/2" below the top of the custard cups.
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the custard is set; maintaining the hot water level.
Cool slightly and serve with a couple of green onion bits on top for garnish.
Recipe contributed:
January
1989
Objective:
Soup
Total Time:
About 2 hours
Yield:
6 servings
Suggested Mushrooms:
- Matsutake (Tricholoma magnivelare, Tricholoma matsutake, Tricholoma murrillianum)
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Ingredients
Dashi (Soup Stock)
1-4" square kombu (dried kelp)
6 cups water
3/4 cup katsuobushi (shaved dried bonito)
2 whole cloves (optional, goes well with matsutake)
Chawanmushi
3 Cups dashi
1 Cup eggs, whipped
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. shoyu (soy sauce)
3/4 Cups thinly sliced matsutake (paper thin)
1 tsp. green onion, finely chopped
Six 8 oz. ovenproof tea cups