The Binchotan-Seared Eringi & Smoked Miso Flambé

Introduction

Welcome to my kitchen. Today, we bridge the ancient quiet of Kyoto's temples with a modern warmth. This sandwich is not merely a meal, but a study of fire and fermentation. We take the Eringi mushroom, a gift of the earth, and kiss it with the intensity of binchotan charcoal and the spirit of aged sake. It is a moment of 'shun' captured between two slices of toasted bread, elevated by the transformative power of flame.

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices of artisanal vegan shokupan (Japanese milk bread)
• 2 large Eringi (King Oyster) mushrooms, sliced into 1cm thick steaks
• 3 tablespoons house-made aged tamari
• 2 tablespoons Junmai Ginjo sake (for the flambé)
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cashew-based shiro-miso crème
• 1 teaspoon fermented red chili paste (yuzu kosho)
• A small handful of daikon, prepared using katsuramuki technique and julienned
• 4-5 fresh kinome (sansho pepper) leaves
• Binchotan charcoal for grilling

Instructions

1. Prepare your binchotan charcoal until it reaches a steady, white-ash glow, providing a clean and intense heat.
2. Lightly score the Eringi mushroom steaks in a diamond pattern to allow the marinade to penetrate.
3. Whisk the aged tamari and sesame oil together, then brush the mixture onto the mushrooms, letting them marinate for 10 minutes.
4. Place the mushrooms onto the grill directly over the binchotan. Grill for 3 minutes per side until deeply charred and tender.
5. In a small, pre-heated iron skillet placed over the charcoal, add the grilled mushrooms and immediately pour over the sake. Carefully ignite the vapors to flambé, allowing the alcohol to burn off and leave a concentrated sweetness.
6. While the flame subsides, toast the shokupan slices on the edge of the grill until golden and fragrant.
7. Spread a thin layer of the shiro-miso crème and a touch of yuzu kosho on one side of each bread slice.
8. Arrange the flambéed Eringi steaks onto the bread, topping them with the julienned daikon and fresh kinome leaves.
9. Close the sandwich and slice diagonally with a single, swift stroke of a sharp yanagiba knife.
10. Serve immediately on an imperfect, dark-glazed ceramic plate.

As you take your first bite, notice the transition from the crisp bread to the velvet umami of the mushrooms. The lingering heat of the flambéed sake is a reminder of the fire that cooked it. This is the essence of shojin ryori—respecting the ingredient enough to let it shine through every technique. May this sandwich bring a moment of peace to your day.

Hiroshi