Miso Butter Shiitake Älplermagronen (Swiss × Japanese)
A Swiss-Japanese crossover: white miso and Gruyère layered into the cream sauce with butter-seared shiitake, finished with sharp pickled apple instead of applesauce.
Method
Core the unpeeled apple and cut it into matchsticks. Stir the rice vinegar and sugar until dissolved, toss in the apple and leave to pickle for . This bright pickle replaces the usual applesauce.
Add in this stepApple 1Rice vinegar 2 tbspSugar 2 tsp
Cut the potatoes into 1.5 cm cubes. Bring the water to the boil in a 20 cm pot on high heat, add the salt and potatoes and boil for , then add the macaroni and boil for more. Drain.
Add in this stepWater (for boiling) 1½ LSalt 1½ tspWaxy potatoes 240 gMacaroni 160 g
high heatRemove the shiitake stems and slice the caps 5 mm thick. Melt the butter in a 24 cm frying pan, spread out the mushrooms and cook on medium-high heat for ; leave them untouched for the first minute so they brown. Add the chopped garlic for the last 30 seconds.
Add in this stepButter 25 gFresh shiitake mushrooms 100 gGarlic cloves 1
medium-high heatPut the miso in a small bowl and whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth. Pour the miso milk and cream into the pan and warm on medium-low heat for . Stop just before it bubbles at the edges; boiling dulls the miso's aroma.
Add in this stepWhite (shiro) miso 1½ tbspMilk 120 mlDouble or heavy cream 100 ml
medium-low heatAdd the drained potatoes and macaroni, turn the heat to low heat and stir in the Gruyère for , until it melts into a glossy sauce. Taste before adding salt: miso and cheese are already salty.
Add in this stepGruyère, grated 80 g
low heatServe topped with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, shichimi and the lightly squeezed pickled apple.
Add in this stepSpring onions 2Toasted sesame seeds 1 tspShichimi togarashi to taste
Cook's tip
Miso saltiness varies by brand, so start with two thirds of the amount and add more to taste. King oyster or button mushrooms work instead of shiitake. Heat lovers can be generous with the shichimi.
Cooking it at camp
Make the pickled apple at home in a sealed tub and pre-mix the miso into the milk in a jar; then one pot and one pan on a single burner do the rest. Keep both cold in the cooler.