This is a mock broiled eel for that one vegetarian that always shows up. Close your eyes and you won’t know the difference.

　　

Ingredients

makes 18 pieces

　　3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons brown sugar

　　2 tablespoons sake

　　1 teaspoon sesame oil

　　1 garlic clove, smashed

　　1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

　　3 small portobello mushrooms, cut on the bias in 1/2-inch slices

　　1 1/2 cups prepared sushi rice (page 80)

　　1 sheet nori seaweed, halved and cut in 1/2-inch strips

　　2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see Note, page 34)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small pot, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sake, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger over low heat. Swirl the pot around occasionally and cook for about 8 minutes, or until thickened. Lay the mushroom slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush the portobello mushroom slices with the soy glaze. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms brown and shrink slightly.

　　

Step 2

Dab your fingers in a little water and grab about 2 tablespoons of sushi rice. Gently squeeze it into your palm to make it a compact mound. Put a portobello slice on top of that and wrap it with a band of nori, moistening the ends to seal. Garnish with the sesame seeds.

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter