13 Course Seafood-focused Modern Interpretation Recipe

Taste uni for freshness. Place one piece of uni on a ceramic tasting spoon. Drizzle each with 1/6 tsp yuzu juice, sprinkle a tiny pinch of fine sea salt, and top with one micro shiso leaf. Serve immediately chilled.

Bring dashi to a gentle simmer in a small pot. Add sake and soy sauce, then add the cleaned clams. Cover and simmer until clams open (about 3–4 minutes). Remove any unopened clams. Ladle hot broth and 2 clams into each small bowl, garnish with thinly sliced scallion and serve warm.

Slice toro into thin 5 mm slices. On a chilled plate arrange slices. Dot each slice with a small smear (about 1/2 tsp distributed) of white sesame gel. Lightly dust with katsuobushi powder. Serve with a small dish of soy sauce and a small amount of grated wasabi on the side.

Trim and halve baby eggplants; score flesh lightly. In a small saucepan combine dashi, mirin and light soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Add carrot cuts and eggplant, simmer gently 6–8 minutes until tender. Add peeled shrimp in the last 2 minutes until opaque. Remove vegetables and shrimp to a warmed bowl and spoon a little of the simmering liquid over them. Serve warm.

Pat mackerel dry and lightly salt; let rest 5 minutes. Preheat grill (charcoal or broiler) to high. Rub grated ginger into neutral oil and brush over the skin. Grill skin-side down first until skin is crisp and flesh cooked through (about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness), flip briefly if needed. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.

Whisk eggs gently with dashi, soy sauce and mirin—avoid creating bubbles. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring cup. Divide crab meat between two small ramekins or cups. Pour egg-dashi mixture over crab leaving 1 cm headspace. Cover with foil and steam gently over simmering water for about 12–15 minutes until set (center still slightly wobbly). Garnish with tiny spinach leaf and serve warm.

Lightly salt cucumber and let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. In a bowl combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Toss sliced octopus and cucumber in the vinegar dressing for 5–10 minutes to marinate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds before serving chilled or at room temperature.

Place scallop in a small shallow pan with sake. Bring just to a simmer and poach scallop for 1–2 minutes per side until opaque but still tender. Remove scallop and finish with a small knob of cold butter to glaze. For foam: whisk cream with yuzu kosho, lightly warm (do not boil), then use an immersion blender or small frother to create a light foam. Plate scallop and spoon foam over or beside it. Serve immediately.

Mix white miso, mirin, sake and sugar into a smooth glaze. Pat swordfish collar dry and brush glaze generously on exposed flesh. Preheat broiler or grill to high and cook collar skin-side down first until caramelized and cooked through, basting once more with glaze (about 8–12 minutes depending on size). Rest 2 minutes and serve hot.

Whisk matcha powder with a small amount of the water to make a smooth paste. Combine with remaining water and simple syrup until fully mixed. Chill mixture thoroughly, then churn in an ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions until sorbet texture is achieved. If no ice cream maker, freeze in a shallow container, stirring every 20–30 minutes until smooth. Serve a small spoonful as a palate cleanser.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over high heat with a tiny drizzle of oil. Add beaten half egg and scramble quickly, remove and set aside. Add shrimp and cook until just opaque (30–60 seconds). Add day-old rice and stir-fry to separate grains. Return egg, add soy sauce and sesame oil, toss in chopped scallion and adjust seasoning. Serve a small portion warm.

Arrange red pickled ginger and lightly pickled daikon rounds on a small plate. Serve chilled with a small glass of cold water or chilled green tea to cleanse the palate before dessert.

Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water until soft (about 5 minutes). In a small saucepan heat cream, milk and sugar until warm and sugar dissolved—do not boil. Remove from heat and squeeze excess water from gelatin, stir into warm cream until dissolved. Add yuzu juice and pour into small molds. Chill at least 3 hours to set. For sesame tuile: mix melted butter with a teaspoon of sugar and sesame seeds; spread thinly on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 6–8 minutes until lacy and golden, then cool and break into shapes. Unmold panna cotta and serve with a sesame tuile on the side.