Smoky Eggplant Miso Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant , slice d into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• kosher salt
• 2 cup swood chips
• 7 scallions , white and green parts separated and slice d thin, divided
• 1 (\1 1/2-inch) piece ginger , peeled and slice d thin
• 1 (6-inch) piece lemongrass stalk, slice d thin
• 1 garlic clove , slice d thin
• 10 cup scold water
• 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 (4-inch) piece skombu
• 3 tablespoon ssoy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• \1 1/2 tablespoon swhite miso
• \1 1/4 cup s (9 ounce s) soft tofu , cut into 1/2-inch piece s

Instructions

1. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl; set aside for at least 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½ inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced, 2 inch slits in top of packet.
2. For charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely.
3. Light large chimney starter half filled with charcoal briquettes (500 grams).
4. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill.
5. Place wood chip packet on coals.
6. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely.
7. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
8. For gas grill: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner.
9. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes.
10. Turn primary burner to medium high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature around 325 degrees F/160 degrees C.)
11. Clean and oil cooking grate. Arrange eggplant pieces on cooler side of grill. Cook, covered, until eggplant flesh turns golden brown and smells deeply smoky, 30 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.
12. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F/90 degrees C. Transfer eggplant to oven and bake until pieces are shrunk, dry, and hard, about 4 hours. (If you have a convection option on your oven, now is a good time to use it. Start checking for doneness at the 3 hour mark.)
13. Place scallion whites, ginger, lemongrass, and garlic in center of small piece of cheesecloth; gather edges of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to form sachet. Combine water, sachet, eggplant, shiitakes, and kombu in large saucepan and bring to gentle simmer over low heat, about 10 minutes. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
14. Remove and discard sachet and kombu.
15. Strain liquid through coffee filter set in fine mesh strainer, reserving eggplant and shiitakes.
16. Rinse and dry saucepan; return strained broth to saucepan.
17. Thinly slice 1 cup reserved eggplant and ¼ cup reserved shitakes.
18. Combine sliced eggplant and shiitakes in small bowl and season with salt to taste.
19. Reserve any remaining eggplant and shiitakes for other use.
20. Whisk soy sauce, mirin, and miso into broth. Season with salt to taste. Add tofu and bring to simmer over medium high heat. Turn off heat. Divide eggplant and shiitake mixture among 4 bowls. Pour soup over top, sprinkle with scallion greens, and serve.