12-course Menu Recipe

Prepare mussels

Inspect the mussels and discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, remove beards and scrape off any barnacles.

Sweat aromatics

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tsp neutral oil and 2 tbs butter over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add the minced shallot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and make base

Pour in 120 ml dry white wine and 120 ml vegetable/seafood stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 2 minutes to concentrate flavor.

Add pumpkin and finish sauce

Whisk in 1 cup pumpkin puree until smooth. Add 2 tbs heavy cream, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp yuzu juice, 1 tsp yuzu zest, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and bring back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning—yuzu should add bright acidity; add additional 1/2 tsp soy or a pinch of salt if the pumpkin needs balance.

Steam mussels

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover tightly and steam over medium-high heat for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 6 minutes.

Finish and serve

Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to warmed bowls. If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered 1–2 minutes to thicken slightly before returning mussels to the sauce. Stir in 1 tbs finely sliced chives. Spoon sauce over mussels and finish with an extra drop (optional) of yuzu juice if desired. Serve immediately with crusty bread or small toasts for dipping.

Prep fish

Pat the grouper fillets very dry with paper towels. Season both sides and the skin lightly with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature.

Crisp skin

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 tbs olive oil. When oil shimmers, place fillets skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down without moving for 3–4 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Reduce heat to medium.

Finish in pan

Flip the fillets and add 2 tbs unsalted butter and the minced shallot to the pan. Baste the tops of the fillets with the melted butter and cook another 2–3 minutes, until the fish reaches an internal temperature of about 56–60°C (133–140°F) depending on desired doneness and flakes easily.

Make truffle sauce

Remove fillets to a warm tray and tent loosely with foil. In the same pan, pour off any excess oil leaving about 1 tbs fond. Add 60 ml dry white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Let reduce by half (about 1–2 minutes). Add 60 ml fish stock and reduce by half again. Stir in 30 ml heavy cream and simmer 30–60 seconds until slightly thickened. Turn off heat and shave in about 10 g fresh black truffle (reserve a few shavings for garnish) or stir in 1 tsp truffle oil if using jarred truffle. Taste and season with a pinch of salt if needed.

Plate and garnish

Place a grouper fillet on each warmed plate. Spoon the truffle sauce around and over the fillet. Top with remaining thin truffle shavings, a scattering of microgreens or baby herbs, and a small squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately so the truffle aroma is at its peak.