Sukiyaki with Matsutake

SERVES FOUR

• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed
• 1 piece beef suet, about 2 inches long, or 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 small yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 8 ounces green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 8 ounces matsutake mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed and sliced
• 8 ounces shirataki (taro noodles), cut into 5-inch pieces
• 1 package (about 11 ounces) firm tofu, cubed
• 1 1/2 pounds very thinly sliced marbled beef, preferably wagyu-style
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar, optional

Combine the stock, sake and soy sauce in a large saucepan and warm over medium heat. Thinly slice enough of the green onion tops to make 1/4 cup; set aside for garnish. Cut the remaining green onions in half crosswise.
Heat a wok or a large heavy skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high heat. When hot, rub the beef suet over the surface of the pan to evenly coat it with fat, then remove, or simply add the butter and let it melt. Add the green onion pieces, yellow onion, cabbage, and matsutakes and stir-fry until they begin to soften, 3-5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the broth mixture, add the noodles and tofu cubes, and keep warm over low heat.
Add 3-4 of the beef slices to the wok and cook quickly, just until nicely browned, 30-60 seconds on each side, drizzling about 2 tablespoons of the warm broth and 1 teaspoon of the sugar over when you turn the meat. Press these pieces to one side of the wok and continue with the remaining meat, which will gently simmer in the collecting liquids. When all of the meat has been cooked, take the wok from the heat.
To serve, ladle the hot broth, mushrooms, tofu and vegetables into individual bowls, top with beef slices and drizzle some of the cooking liquids over. Sprinkle with a final garnish of green onion and serve right away.

Chicken and Matsutake in Parchment

SERVES TWO

• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed
• 1/4 cup sake, or dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each
• 2 ounces matsutake mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed and thinly sliced

Cut the green onions into about 3-inch lengths, then cut those pieces lengthwise into julienne strips. Put the green onion strips in a small bowl and drizzle with the sake and soy sauce. Toss gently to mix and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper about 18 inches long. Fold each piece in half lengthwise and trim the paper into an oversized heart shape.
Lift out about half of the green onion strips from the sake-soy mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, and put them on one half of the parchment paper heart, just in from the folded edge. Set a chicken breast over the green onions. Repeat for the second sheet of parchment. Drizzle the remaining sake-soy mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, then lay the matsutake slices on top.
For each packet, fold the other half of the parchment heart over the chicken breast. Starting at the top of the heart at the folded edge, begin making short folds that overlap slightly, working all around the open cut edges to fully seal them. If the edge doesn't seem well-sealed, and you have ample paper, you can go back around and do the same again.
Set the parchment packets on a baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes. Take the pan from the oven and carefully transfer the packets to individual plates. Either snip open the top of the packet with kitchen shears or simply tear the packet open with your fingers, careful to avoid that first puff of hot steam that will rise up along with the wonderful cooking aromas.

Sauteed Matsutakes with Shallots and Herbs

SERVES FOUR AS AN APPETIZER OR SIDE DISH

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound matsutakes, wiped clean and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup minced fresh tarragon, chives, chervil and flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and season with salt to dry out the moisture. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the shallots, butter and herbs. Cook for 1 additional minute. Season with the pepper and serve.

Dobin Mushi Recipe

serves 2 as part of multi-course meal
For the dashi
4 cups water
6-inch piece kombu or kelp
2 handfuls of katsuobushi or bonito flakes (about 2 cups loosely packed)

For the dobin mushi
2 matsutake mushrooms, sliced (about 2 ounces)
few thinly sliced white fish (about 2 ounces)
few very thin slices carrots (about 1/4 carrot)
1 tablespoon good quality sake
1 tablespoon good quality Japanese soy sauce

1. Make the dashi: Place the kelp into a pot with the water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low. When the water starts quivering, remove the kelp, add in the bonito flakes, stir and turn off the heat. (Do not let boil) Let sit until bonito flakes sink to the bottom. Strain (don’t squeeze the bonito flakes) and reserve the dashi stock.

2. Clean the Matsutake mushrooms by using a damp terry cloth to wipe the dirt off the mushrooms. Use the back of a paring knife to scrape the thin, outer layer of the stem off. Cut the tough bottom of the mushroom off and discard. Ladle the dashi into your teapot, add in the remaining ingredients.

3. Prepare your steamer as shown in the photos or directions above. Cover and steam for 7 minutes (longer if you are using chicken) on medium-low heat. Serve immediately.

Matsutake Mushroom Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Japanese rice
• 2 1/2 cups dashi
• 1/4 lb matsutake mushrooms, wiped and trimmed
• 1 aburaage (deep-fried tofu)
• 2 Ttbsp sake rice wine
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Preparation:

Put the rice in a bowl and wash it with cold water. Repeat washing until the water becomes clear. Drain the rice in a colander. Put rice and dashi in a rice cooker and set aside for 30 minutes. Shred matsutake mushroom lengthwise. Cut aburaage into thin strips. Add matsutake, abura-age, soy sauce, and sake in the rice cooker and stat cooking the rice.