DASHI OF FRESH BACON WITH TURNIPS, DONBURI AND SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS (serves 4):

Tare:

1 l. soy sauce

1 l. mirin (Japanese sweet wine)

500 gr. brown sugar

60 ml. sake

Hot iron bar

Fresh bacon dashi:

2 l. water

85 gr. kombu seaweed

280 gr. fresh bacon

Others:

4 large shrimps

20 gr. mixed beans (butter bean, broad beans, etc.)

20 gr. Tokyo turnip

5 gr. spring onion, finely sliced

4 gr. Japanese parsley (Cryptotaenia Japonica)

8 gr. donburi seeds

200 ml. fresh bacon dashi seasoned with scalded tare

PREPARATION:

Tare: Heat the iron bar over a gas flame at maximum strength for 5-10 min. Boil the soy with the mirin, sugar and sake. When the bar is very hot, using the necessary protective equipment, insert it in the boiling liquid. When no more smoke or steam are released, carefully remove the bar. 

Fresh bacon dashi: Rinse the kombu seaweed then mix with the water in a medium-sized pan. Gradually bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 8-10 min. Remove the kombu seaweed from the pan and add the bacon. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 30 min. Strain and leave the dashi to cool until the fat separates and can be removed from the surface. Discard the fat.

Others: Blanch the turnips and beans in boiling salted water and set aside. Clean the shrimps without removing the heads, and boil or fry as preferred but only lightly.

TO SERVE:

Form a nest of spring onion in the center of a plate and top and surround with the cooked beans. Make a cut in the tail of the shrimp and remove the gut. In the same incision, place 2 gr. donburi seeds. Arrange the shrimp on the plate, with the head pointing upwards, and pour the bacon dashi over the top. Decorate with Japanese parsley leaves and serve.