Jibuni (治部煮, Kaga-style simmered poultry)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide shallow pot
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Grater for fresh wasabi

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat. Pull the konbu just before the water boils, when small bubbles climb the sides; boiling kelp makes the stock cloudy and faintly bitter. Add the katsuobushi, take the pot off the heat, and let the flakes sink for two or three minutes. Strain through cloth or a fine strainer and let it drip on its own. Don't squeeze, or the clear stock takes on a rough, oily taste.

   You need only 2 1/2 cups for the dish, but making a little extra gives you room to adjust the broth without reaching for salt.
2. 2

   Prepare the fu

   If using dried sudare-fu, soak it in warm water until pliable, then press it gently between your palms to remove excess water. If using fresh nama-fu, slice it into four neat pieces. This step lets the fu drink the seasoned broth later instead of tasting watery in the bowl.

3. 3

   Blanch the greens

   Bring a small pot of water to a boil, salt it lightly, and blanch the spinach or seri just until the color brightens. Rinse under cold water, squeeze gently, and cut into short lengths. The cold rinse fixes the color and keeps the greens from muddying the simmering broth.

4. 4

   Cut the poultry

   Slice the duck or chicken across the grain into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Keep the pieces broad and even so they cook at the same pace. Dust them lightly with flour or potato starch, then pat off the excess. You want a thin coat, not armor; too much flour makes the broth pasty.

   If using duck breast, leave a very thin layer of fat. It gives fragrance to the broth, but thick fat turns greasy before the meat is tender.
5. 5

   Season the broth

   In a wide shallow pot, combine 2 1/2 cups dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer and taste. It should be balanced and a little stronger than a soup, because the poultry, fu, and vegetables will soften it as they cook.

6. 6

   Simmer the vegetables

   Add the carrot, shiitake, and sudare-fu to the seasoned broth. Lay a wooden drop-lid, otoshibuta, directly on the surface, or use a circle of parchment with a small hole in the center. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the carrot is tender and the fu looks glossy. The drop-lid keeps everything just under the broth without rough stirring.

7. 7

   Cook the poultry

   Slide the floured poultry slices into the quiet simmer one by one, keeping them separate. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through or duck is just firm and still tender. Do not let the pot boil hard. The flour will thicken the broth softly, and a hard boil would tighten the meat and shake off the coating.

8. 8

   Finish the bowls

   Add the blanched greens to the pot only long enough to warm them. Arrange each bowl with a few slices of poultry, one piece of fu, shiitake, carrot, and greens, building a little height and leaving space around the edges. Spoon over the glossy broth. Set a small dab of freshly grated wasabi on top or beside the meat, never in the pot, because heat dulls its fragrance.

Chef Tips

• •Duck breast is the old pleasure here, especially in cold weather when its fat is clean and sweet. If the duck looks tired, use good chicken thigh. Sourcing first, always.
• •Sudare-fu gives Jibuni its Kanazawa character. Nama-fu is the nearest useful stand-in, but ordinary bread-like wheat gluten will not drink the broth the same way.
• •Dust the meat just before it goes into the pot. If it sits too long, the coating turns gummy on the board instead of thickening the broth where you need it.
• •Wasabi belongs at the table. Stirred into the hot pot, it loses its clean nose and becomes only sharpness, which is a small tragedy and an avoidable one.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made one day ahead and kept refrigerated. Warm it gently before seasoning.
• •The greens can be blanched a few hours ahead, squeezed dry, and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •Cut the vegetables and soak the sudare-fu ahead, but dust and simmer the poultry just before serving so it stays tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 335g)