Truffle dashi braised Live Korean Abalone

Although they’re unlikely bedfellows, truffles and abalone complement each other’s umami nuances. On its own, the coveted fungus can be overpowering, but in this dish, it brings out the sweetness of the meaty mollusc. Serves 4 Prep time 2 hours + 30 minutes infusing + 4 hours marination

Cook time 2 hours

truffle braised abalone

10g kombu

800ml water

10g katsuobushi

6g willow tree mushrooms (available from Teck Sang)

10g niboshi (Japanese dried anchovies, available from MEIDI-YA Supermarket) 3g ginger, smashed

9g galangal, smashed

8g aka miso (available from MEIDI-YA Supermarket)

8g red fermented beancurd

5g black truffle

10ml white truffle oil

4 live Korean abalone, rinsed (shells reserved for plating; available from Allswell Marketing)

» Make kombu dashi: in a 2-litre pot, combine kombu and water and bring to a boil.

» Lower to a low simmer, then add katsuobushi, willow tree mushrooms, niboshi, ginger and galangal.

» Cook for 1 hour until the flavours have infused.

» Strain mixture and add all other ingredients except abalone into a pressure cooker.

» Add abalone into the pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes.

» Allow abalone to cool in the pot.

» Reserve abalone cooking liquid for squid ink vinaigrette step. Remove abalone liver and save for other uses. Cube abalone. » Wash abalone shells and use to plate the dish.

ajitsuke quail egg

120ml filtered water

60ml dry sake

80ml yamasa shoyu (available from MEIDIYA Supermarket)

70ml sweet cooking mirin

50g white sugar

50g white part of leek

6 quail eggs (keep extras on hand in case of breakage)

» To make marinade, combine all ingredients except quail eggs and allow to infuse for 30 minutes. Cool marinade.

» Boil a pot of water, then reduce to low simmer.

» Carefully lower quail eggs into the water and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and shock in ice water.

» Peel eggs in a bowl of water, then marinate peeled eggs in cooled marinate for at least 4 hours.

pickled woodear fungus 10g dry woodear fungus 1 clove of garlic, smashed 100ml filtered water 100ml white wine vinegar 25g white sugar

5g salt

1 dried bay leaf

½ sprig of fresh dill 1g yellow mustard seed

» Heat all ingredients except dry woodear fungus until flavours have infused.

» Pour hot mixture over fungus and allow to pickle.

squid ink vinaigrette

10g squid ink

18g abalone cooking liquid (strained from cooking abalone)

18ml extra virgin olive oil