Clay-Pot Miso Chicken

Ingredients

• 2  stalks burdock root (c) (sometimes called gobo)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil 
• 16  chicken thighs with skin and bone (5 pounds)
• 0.5 cup wood ear mushrooms dried
• 1 lb mushroom caps fresh quartered
• 3 tablespoons garlic finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons ginger peeled finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon juice of lemon fresh white
• 32 fluid ounces chicken broth reduced-sodium
• 1 cup mirin sweet (Japanese rice wine)
• 16 cups mustard greens coarsely chopped
• 2 large onions coarsely chopped
• 8 servings accompaniment: asian rice white steamed
• 8 servings garnish: scallions chopped
• 0.5 cup soya sauce 
• 10 cups water divided
• 1 cup miso white (also called shiro miso)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• pot
• sieve
• baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
2. Pat chicken dry, then roast, skin side up, in 1 layer in a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan until skin is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
3. While chicken roasts, soak wood ear mushrooms in 4 cups water until softened, about 15 minutes.
4. Drain in a sieve, then rinse well and discard any hard pieces.
5. Drain well, squeezing out excess water.
6. Transfer roasted chicken to a bowl and pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure.
7. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat.
8. Add enough stock to bring total to 4 cups liquid.
9. Reduce oven to 300°F and move rack to lower third.
10. Peel burdock root, and, if more than 1-inch-thick, halve lengthwise.
11. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
12. Transfer burdock root to a bowl, then add vinegar and 2 cups water.
13. Heat oil in a 7- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions until softened and beginning to brown.
14. Add shiitakes, ginger, and garlic and sauté until garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
15. Add mirin and boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Stir in miso and soy sauce, then stir in chicken, wood ear mushrooms, burdock (drained), stock mixture, and remaining 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any froth.
16. Cover pot and braise in oven until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
17. Stir in mustard greens and continue to braise, covered, 5 minutes.
18. Serve in shallow bowls.
19. Clay-pot miso chicken, without mustard greens, improves in flavor if made 1 to 2 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, until cool, then cover. To reheat, bring to a simmer over medium heat, gently stirring occasionally, then stir in mustard greens and simmer, covered, until greens are tender, about 5 minutes.