A sweet and smoky soup with tender beef and squash.

Squash and Beef Soup

Serves 4

This sweet and smoky soup is one something that I tried out one day based on what I had around. It came together beautifully and is so simple to put together.

Tsuyu is a Japanese noodle soup base. I bought some to try as I had never had the product before. I was surprised that the flavor was slightly smoky in addition to being salty. When purchasing tsuyu, it is sold as a concentrate that is supposed to be diluted in liquid. I like to buy the 4x concentrated bottle.

Crown daisy is also known as ssukkat in Korean and chrysanthemum or chrysanthemum leaf in English, is a tender green often added to Korean jeongols or hot pot.

Ingredients

Beef Marinade

340g (0.75 lb) blade steak, cut into 0.25in thick pieces and then into bite size

5g (1 t) ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 t oyster sauce

4 t mirin

0.75 t kosher salt

0.75 t ground black pepper

Soup

1 T sesame oil

2 t gochugaru

1,600ml (8 c) water or broth

7g (1.5 in piece) dashima

2 T mirin

1.25 t kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, minced 

Soup Fillings

680g (1. 5 lbs) kabocha squash or butternut squash, cut into 0.50 in pieces

375g (1 large package) oyster or beech mushrooms, separated into individual pieces and torn in half if too large

275g (1 medium) onion, sliced with the grain into 0.25 in thick and cut in half horizontally

200g (1 large) potato, cut into 0.50 in pieces

136ml (0.50 c + 3 T) tsuyu

130g (little more than 0.25lb) crown daisy, cut into 5cm (2 inch) lengths

Finishing

Sliced scallions if desired

Recipe Know-how

1.      In a medium mixing bowl add the marinade ingredients.

• Using your hand, mix until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

• Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

2.      Place a large pot over medium-high heat.

• Add the sesame oil and heat until shimmering.

• Add the meat and cook stirring occasionally until well browned.

• Add the gochugaru. Cook for 1 minute.

• Add the water, dashima, mirin and salt.

• Cover and bring to a boil.

• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes skimming the cooked proteins “scum” that rises to the top.

Give the soup a stir before skimming as the proteins sometimes settle at the bottom around the meat rather than rising to the top.

• Add the garlic and cook for 15 minutes.

• Remove the dashima and discard.

• Add the soup fillings and return to a simmer.

• Cook for 12 – 15 minutes or until the squash and potatoes are tender.

If you would like the broth to be slightly thicker, allow to simmer 10 minutes longer so the squash and potato begin to break down a little simultaneously slightly thickening the broth.

• Add the crown daisy and simmer for 2 minutes longer.

• Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

You may need to add 1 T or more tsuyu to your taste.

3.      Serve with rice.