This is technically a nabemono. As I understand it, nabemono is a Japanese term for a "one pot dish" and encompasses a wide variety of braises, stews and steamed dishes. This is my interpretation of this style of cooking using Japanese ingredients. It is not a traditional recipe (at least not that I am aware of) but it is very tasty and if I ever make this for my Japanese roommate, I am sure he will approve.

The first time I made this dish was in a cast iron Dutch Oven over charcoal. It came out quite delicious but the lotus root was discolored from the iron. I suggest using either an enameled casserole dish or a non-reactive stainless steel pot or ceramic dish for making this recipe.

Salmon Nabemono

• 1/8 cup Usukuchi Shoyu (light colored Japanese soy sauce, do not confuse this with low salt "lite" soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup Shiro Miso (fermented white soy bean paste, you can use other types of miso, but the flavor will be stronger)
• 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet cooking sake)
• 1 inch long piece of fresh ginger
• 3 lbs. salmon fillet, skin on, cut into pieces about two inches wide (wild caught salmon is best)
• 4 sections of fresh lotus root, peeled and sliced thin (also called renkon)
• 3 negi sliced about 1/8 inch thick on the bias, white portion only (Japanese onions, may substitute leeks or scallions. Use about 1 large leek or 6-8 scallions)
• 8 oz. honshimeji mushrooms, cut off base of cluster and separate stems (also known as brown beech mushrooms or hen of the woods, may substitute enoki or chanterelle or other mushrooms that have an earthy character)
• 6 oz. dried konbu (may also be spelled kombu, may or may not also have the word "dashi" on the package, this is a dried kelp in large sheets that comes in plastic bags)

Combine the first three ingredients, stir or shake vigorously until the miso is fully dissolved in the liquid. Slice the ginger very thin. Add the ginger slices.

Place the salmon fillet pieces in a large bowl or zip-lock bag, pour the marinade over the salmon fillet. Stir gently to coat all of the fish with marinade. Close the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

If there is a white dusting on the dried konbu, this is OK, it is merely dried salts on the seaweed and does not need to be washed off. Soak the konbu about 20 minutes to soften then drain, reserve about 1 to 1 1/2 cup of the water. Lay a bed of konbu in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven, reserving about 1/3 to top the dish. Do not lay it flat, let it bunch up a bit so it supports the other ingredients above the bottom of the pot. Pour the reserved soaking water into the pot.

Make a layer of about half of the vegetables on top of the konbu in the pot. Lay the marinated fish on the layer of vegetables, pour about half of the marinade (or all if desired) over the fish and vegetables. Layer the remaining vegetables on top of the fish and top with the reserved konbu making a layer that covers everything.

Place the lid on the pot. Place the pot over medium heat to steam for about 20 minutes after it comes up to temperature. Meanwhile make some dashi stock, you can use dried instant dashi or make your own by steeping a piece of konbu and a small handful of katsuoboshi in hot water and then straining.

The konbu is not intended to be eaten it is there to flavor the dish and hold in the steam. Peel it off the top of the dish before serving. Serve the fish and vegetables over steamed white rice with a ladle of dashi stock. Garnish with Japanese pickles, sesame seed, wasabi, daikon sprouts and katsuoboshi (dried, cured, shaved bonito) as desired. Serve with chilled, unfiltered sake, green tea or plum wine.

Page Last modified: March 31 2006 15:04:04.