Seafood-focused Modern Interpretation Recipe
Inspired by the Japanese culinary art of kaiseki, our 13 course seafood-focused modern interpretation showcases the finest seasonal ingredients from California and Japan’s land and sea.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cold Course - Amuse & Sashimi
Warm Course - Small Hot Dish
Grilled Course - Robatayaki Style
Small Vegetable & Seaweed Interlude
Soup Course - Clear Seafood Broth
Rice Course - Sushi-style Small Bite
Pickles & Palate Cleanser
Finishing Course - Delicate Seafood Dessert Element
Method
Cold Course - Amuse & Sashimi
- 1
Prepare tuna and prawns
Keep tuna and prawns well-chilled. Slice the sushi-grade ahi tuna into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices (about 8 ounces yields 6–8 sashimi slices). Poach the spot prawns briefly: bring a pot of lightly salted water to a simmer, add prawns for 20–30 seconds until they turn opaque, shock in ice water, peel, and pat dry.
- 2
Assemble
Arrange two tuna slices and one prawn per small plate. Scatter thin cucumber slices and micro shiso leaves around the seafood. Drizzle each plate with 1/2 tsp yuzu juice mixed with a light swipe of soy (total 2 tsp yuzu and 2 tsp soy across servings) and a drop of toasted sesame oil. Finish with a light pinch of salt over prawns and tuna. Serve immediately chilled.
Warm Course - Small Hot Dish
- 3
Season scallops
Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/8 tsp salt total. Allow to rest 5 minutes.
- 4
Make quick broth
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup dashi, 1 tbs sake, 1 tsp mirin, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and julienned ginger. Warm over medium heat until just simmering to marry flavors (do not boil aggressively).
- 5
Sear scallops and finish in broth
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp neutral oil and 1 tsp butter. Sear scallops 60–75 seconds per side until golden crust forms and interior is translucent-opaque. Remove scallops briefly. Add the warm dashi mixture to the skillet (careful with splatter), return scallops to the liquid and gently poach for 30–45 seconds to infuse. Plate hot in a shallow bowl with a few tablespoons of the broth and garnish with thinly sliced spring onion. Serve immediately.
Grilled Course - Robatayaki Style
- 6
Marinate black cod
Mix 2 tbs white miso, 1 tbs mirin, 1 tsp sake, and 1 tsp brown sugar into a smooth paste. Pat the cod dry and coat the flesh side with the miso marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (shorter for lighter flavor).
- 7
Grill the cod
Preheat a broiler or grill to high. Wipe excess marinade from the cod (too much will burn) leaving a thin layer. Place skin-side down and cook 6–8 minutes under broiler or over grill until the miso is caramelized and the fish flakes easily (internal ~125–135°F). Let rest 2 minutes. Serve skin-on with a lemon wedge to squeeze just before eating.
Small Vegetable & Seaweed Interlude
- 8
Prepare salad
If wakame is dried, rehydrate per package (cold water, 5–10 minutes), then squeeze out excess liquid. Combine wakame and blanched baby spinach in a small bowl. Toss with 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp soy-sesame dressing. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature as a palate-bridging course.
Soup Course - Clear Seafood Broth
- 9
Finish broth with clams
Heat 2 cups concentrated dashi gently with 1 tsp sake and 1/4 tsp salt. Add chopped clam meat and warm just until the clams are cooked through (about 1–2 minutes if pre-steamed; slightly longer if raw). Strain if needed for an extra-clear presentation. Ladle into small soup bowls and garnish with thinly sliced mitsuba or cilantro. Serve hot.
Rice Course - Sushi-style Small Bite
- 10
Season rice and form
If rice is freshly cooked, fan briefly and fold in 1 tsp rice vinegar seasoning to taste; allow to cool to warm. Form small oblong morsels (about 3/4 cup yields two or three small bites depending on portioning).
- 11
Top with uni
Place a gently pressed dollop of uni (about 0.5–1 oz per bite) on top of the rice portion. Optionally wrap a thin nori strip around the rice to secure. Add a tiny dab (about 1/8 tsp) of wasabi beneath the uni if desired. Serve immediately so the uni remains cool and creamy.
Pickles & Palate Cleanser
- 12
Serve pickles and sorbet
Plate 2 tablespoons of assorted pickles on a small dish as a tangy counterpoint. Present a small scoop (2 tbs) of yuzu sorbet as a palate cleanser between the savory and dessert sequences. Serve sorbet chilled.
Finishing Course - Delicate Seafood Dessert Element
- 13
Finish pudding
If making panna cotta in advance, chill the green tea panna cotta base until set. Spoon 1/2 cup into a small dish and garnish with 1 tsp candied yuzu zest. Serve chilled as a final, subtle nod to citrus and tea that complements the seafood-forward meal.