Smoky Eggplant Miso Soup

Instructions

1. • 1 large eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds 
   • Kosher salt 
   • 2 cups wood chips
   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. Light large chimney starter half filled with charcoal briquettes (500 grams). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
   
   For gas grill: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. 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.) 
3. 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.
4. 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. 
5. • Scallions whites, sliced thin 
   • 1 (1½-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced thin 
   • 1 (6-inch) piece lemongrass stalk, sliced thin 
   • 1 garlic clove, sliced thin 
   • 10 cups cold water 
   • 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms 
   • 2 (4-inch) pieces kombu
   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. 
6. • Kosher salt
   Remove and discard sachet and kombu. Strain liquid through coffee filter set in fine-mesh strainer, reserving eggplant and shiitakes. Rinse and dry saucepan; return strained broth to saucepan. Thinly slice 1 cup reserved eggplant and ¼ cup reserved shitakes. Combine sliced eggplant and shiitakes in small bowl and season with salt to taste. Reserve any remaining eggplant and shiitakes for other use. 
7. • 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
   • 1 tablespoon mirin 
   • 2½ tablespoons white miso 
   • Kosher salt 
   • 1¼ cups (9 ounces) soft tofu, cut into ½-inch pieces 
   • Scallion greens, sliced thin
   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.