Tomato Basil Oden (Japanese × Italian)

Method

1. Peel the daikon, cut into 2.5 cm rounds, bevel the edges and score a cross on one side. Put it in cold water, bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer over medium heat for 12 min, until a skewer slides in; drain.

   Add in this stepDaikon radish 240 g

   high heat→medium heat

2. Bring a pot of extra water to the boil over high heat. Score a small cross on the base of each tomato, dip them in the boiling water for 15 sec, transfer to iced water and slip off the skins. In the same water, cook the eggs for 10 min, cool in cold water and peel.

   Add in this stepRipe medium tomatoes 2Eggs 2

   high heat

3. Put the water and kombu in a pot and heat slowly over medium-low heat for 10 min; lift out the kombu just before it boils, add the katsuobushi, turn off the heat, wait 2 minutes and strain.

   Add in this stepWater 1,000 mlKombu (dried kelp) 8 gKatsuobushi (bonito flakes) 10 g

   medium-low heat

4. Peel and halve the potatoes. In a 20 cm pot, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and salt, add the daikon, potatoes and eggs, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 min, with the surface just trembling, until the potatoes are easily pierced.

   Add in this stepUsukuchi (light-coloured) soy sauce, or regular soy sauce 1½ tbspMirin 1½ tbspSalt ½ tspSmall potatoes 2

   medium-low heat

5. Add the tomatoes and sausages and heat over medium-low heat for 8 min more, stopping when the tomatoes are warm right through but still holding their shape; cooked too long, they collapse into the broth.

   Add in this stepSmoked sausages (frankfurter or Vienna style) 4

   medium-low heat

6. Arrange everything in bowls and pour over the broth. Drizzle with the olive oil, tear over the basil, grate over the Parmesan finely and finish with black pepper.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 1½ tbspBasil leaves 8Parmigiano Reggiano 20 gCoarsely ground black pepper to taste