Ingredients serves 2-3 persones
For the beef broth:
1 kg beef bones (preferably marrow bones and leg meat)
1 onion, halved
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 piece of ginger (approx. 3 cm), sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp salt
2 liters of water
For the Kobe Beef Shabu Shabu:
300 g Kobe beef fillet, very thinly sliced (preferably frozen, for easier slicing)
Fresh spinach or bok choy
Shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
Tofu, diced
Spring onions, sliced
Glass noodles or udon noodles
For dipping:
Ponzu sauce (Citrus Soy Sauce)
Sesame Sauce (Goma-Dare)
Preparation:
Make the beef broth: Cover the beef bones with cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Bring to a boil briefly (about 5 minutes), then drain the water and rinse the bones with cold water to remove any impurities. Return the bones to the pot and refill with 2 liters of fresh water.Add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, ginger, and garlic.
Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low heat for at least 3 hours (preferably 4-6 hours), skimming off any foam occasionally. After the cooking time, strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding the vegetables and bones.
Add soy sauce, mirin, and salt, and season to taste.
Prepare the shabu-shabu: Arrange the thin slices of Kobe beef on a plate.
Make the shabu-shabu: Arrange the thin slices of Kobe beef on a plate. Prepare the vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and noodles.
Serve: Pour the hot beef broth into a small pot or shabu-shabu set and heat it on the table. Each guest briefly dips the thin slices of Kobe beef (1-2 seconds) into the hot broth until the meat remains slightly pink.
Then dip the meat in ponzu or sesame sauce and enjoy with the vegetables. The vegetables and noodles can also be cooked in the broth and then eaten.
Tips: Kobe beef is very tender and marbled with fat, so only cook it briefly in the broth, otherwise it will lose its tenderness.
The beef broth can also be refined with a little kombu (seaweed) for an additional umami flavor. For an even more intense broth, you can simmer some dried shiitake mushrooms at the end.
Nice to know:
Origin and term: The word bouillon comes from French and literally means "boil" or "that which boils." It originally referred to a clear broth made by boiling meat, bones, vegetables, and spices. Even in the Middle Ages, it was common practice in Europe to boil leftover meat and bones in water to produce nutrient-rich soups.
Development in France: In 17th and 18th-century France, bouillon became a staple in haute cuisine. Chefs developed systematic methods for making meat stocks and clear soups.
Bouillon as a popular dish: In the 19th century, so-called bouillons emerged in Paris – simple restaurants where workers received inexpensive meals, often a bowl of bouillon with bread or meat.
Industrial production: With industrialization, people began to preserve bouillon:
• 1840s: First attempts to produce concentrated meat extracts.
• 1850s: German chemist Justus von Liebig developed "meat extract," which was later marketed in cube form (bouillon cubes).
• 20th century: Brands like Maggi and Knorr made bouillon cubes and powder popular worldwide. This made bouillon a quick base for soups and sauces in almost every household.
