18 Seasonal Courses Recipe

Uni on Cucumber

Thinly slice the iced cucumber into 6 rounds. Place one cucumber round on a chilled small plate. Gently nest one uni piece on each cucumber round. Mix 2 tsp soy, 1 tsp mirin and 2 tsp yuzu juice; spoon 1/4 tsp of the dressing over each uni. Garnish each with a micro shiso leaf and a tiny dot of wasabi beside the cucumber. Serve immediately.

Mini Uni Hand Rolls

Wet your hands and divide the seasoned sushi rice into six 1–2 tablespoon mounds. Lay a nori strip on the palm, press a rice mound near one end, top with a small piece of uni and a sliver of micro shiso. Roll into a tiny cone and serve upright. Finish with a light brush of toasted sesame oil and a few flakes of sea salt.

Scallop with Yuzu Kosho

Pat the scallops dry and slice each horizontally into two thin medallions if large. Arrange on a chilled plate. Place a tiny smear (about 1/8 tsp) of yuzu kosho on each scallop piece. Scatter pickled daikon and pickled shiso around the scallops. Optionally drizzle 1/2 tsp light soy over the scallops and finish with a whisper of citrus zest. Serve chilled.

Simmered Shiitake

Wipe shiitakes clean and trim stems. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup dashi, 1 tbs light soy and 1 tbs sake to a simmer. Add mushroom caps and poach gently for 4–6 minutes until tender. Remove mushrooms and reduce liquid slightly over medium heat until glossy (about 2–3 minutes). Stir in butter to finish and spoon reduced broth over mushrooms. Plate and sprinkle with sliced scallions.

Miso-Marinated Black Cod

Mix 2 tbs white miso, 2 tbs mirin, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp grated ginger to form a paste. Pat the black cod dry and coat evenly with the miso mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–4 hours. Wipe excess marinade off the fish, place under a broiler or on a hot grill skin-side down, and cook until caramelized and opaque (about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness). Rest 2 minutes, then finish with a light brush of shoyu reduction and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Slice and serve warm.

Steamed Rice

Rinse 1 cup short-grain rice under cold water until the runoff is clear. Drain and combine with 1.1 cups water and the kombu in a small pot. Soak 20 minutes, then bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes with lid on. Discard kombu, fluff rice with a fork. Keep warm and portion into small bowls as part of the omakase sequence.

Simple Miso Soup

Warm 1 cup dashi in a small saucepan. Rehydrate 1 tsp wakame for 2 minutes then add to dashi. Lower heat, dissolve 1 tbs white miso in a small ladle of hot dashi and return to pot (do not boil once miso is added). Add diced silken tofu and warm gently for 1–2 minutes. Serve in small cups garnished with 1 tbs sliced scallion.

Yuzu Sorbet Float

Place 3 small scoops of yuzu sorbet in a chilled small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup sparkling water slowly around the sorbet to create a light effervescence. Sprinkle 1 tsp finely chopped umeboshi very sparingly atop one scoop to introduce a bright, saline counterpoint. Serve immediately as a palate cleanser.

Matcha Custard with Berries

If using pre-made matcha custard, portion into six small ramekins (about 2–3 oz each). Arrange seasonal berries on top or alongside each custard. Place a black sesame tuile leaning against the custard and finish with a light drizzle (about 1/4 tsp per serving) of honey and a tiny grating of fresh citrus zest. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.

Throughout the service, use the toasted sesame oil, shoyu reduction and sea salt flakes to finish plates as described: brush a whisper of sesame oil on hand rolls, brush shoyu reduction on grilled fish, and sprinkle sea salt on raw and grilled courses where indicated. Use citrus zest to brighten cold and dessert courses. Keep condiments small and precise — they are meant to accent each course.