Dish Title:

"Ocean & Earth Symphony: Kombu-Cured Venison, Sea Urchin Custard, Black Garlic Soil, and Smoked Cherry Blossom Emulsion"

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Conceptual Narrative:

This composition embodies the delicate interplay between land and sea, exploring the subtle yet profound connection between umami-rich sea elements and earthy forest nuances. Tender venison loin cured in kombu showcases an unusual yet harmonious pairing, while an elegant sea urchin custard captures oceanic sweetness. Black garlic soil introduces complex, fermented earthiness, countered by the delicate floral and smoky notes of cherry blossom emulsion. Each component is meticulously constructed using advanced culinary techniques, resulting in a dish that is as visually stunning as it is flavorful.

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Components:

① Kombu-Cured Venison Loin (Sous Vide & Pan-Seared)

• 500 g venison loin
• 20 g kombu
• 15 g sea salt
• 5 g sugar
• Neutral oil, for searing

Steps: Cure venison wrapped in kombu for 12 h → sous-vide 56 °C 45 min → sear and slice.

② Sea Urchin (Uni) Custard

• 100 g uni
• 250 ml dashi
• 3 egg yolks
• 50 ml cream

Steps: Blend → strain → steam 85 °C 20 min.

③ Black Garlic "Soil"

• 50 g black garlic
• 100 g pumpernickel crumbs
• 40 g black sesame
• 10 ml squid ink

Steps: Blitz together → dehydrate 60 °C 1 h.

④ Smoked Cherry Blossom Emulsion

• 10 g dried sakura blossoms
• 100 ml cherry blossom vinegar
• 150 ml neutral oil
• 1 g xanthan gum

Steps: Soak blossoms → cold-smoke 15 min → emulsify with vinegar & oil → season & bottle.

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Plating

1. Spoon warm uni custard off-centre.
2. Lean three venison medallions alongside.
3. Arc black garlic soil around.
4. Dot sakura emulsion along soil.
5. Garnish micro-herbs and edible petals.

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Sourcing Notes

• Uni: Premium Hokkaido or Santa Barbara.
• Sakura Blossoms: Culinary-grade dried sakura from Japanese suppliers.
• Black Garlic: Long-aged bulbs, soft and glossy.

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Crafted to evoke the sea meeting an ancient forest, this dish delivers layered umami, floral smoke, and visual poetry befitting a Michelin 3-star menu.

Dish name Atlantic turbot, black garlic & wild strawberry, koji sabayon, fennel pollen

Concept Early summer at the shore. The fish stands for the sea. Wild strawberries mark the first fruit of the woods behind the dunes. Black garlic shows time and patience. Koji ties land and sea with deep umami. The dish tastes sweet, sour, salty, and softly bitter, all in one clean bite.

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Components (serves 4 tasting portions)

#	Item	Key techniques
1	Turbot medallions	low-temperature butter poach
2	Black garlic–strawberry lacquer	vacuum infusion, reduction
3	Fermented strawberry beurre blanc	lacto-ferment, classic sauce finish
4	Koji sabayon foam	rapid iSi espuma
5	Fennel bulb “accordion”	compressed pickling, torching
6	Strawberry leather shards	dehydration
7	Black garlic soil	freeze-dry, blitz
8	Fennel-top chlorophyll oil	blanch-blend-clarify

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1. Turbot

1. Skin a 400 g center loin.
2. Pin-bone, portion into four 40 g cylinders.
3. Warm 200 g beurre monté to 54 °C, add 1 g fennel pollen.
4. Poach fish 8 min; hold in butter until plating.

Note: Use day-boat turbot; call your fishmonger two days ahead.

2. Black garlic–strawberry lacquer

1. Blend 60 g peeled black garlic + 80 g ripe wild strawberry.
2. Vacuum-seal with 20 g sake; infuse 1 h at 50 °C in water bath.
3. Reduce mixture in small pan to a light syrup.
4. Brush onto fish just before service.

3. Fermented strawberry beurre blanc

1. Pack 300 g halved strawberries with 1.5 % salt in jar; vent daily; 3 days at 22 °C.
2. Strain 100 ml ferment liquid.
3. Sweat 20 g shallot in 5 g butter; add liquid; reduce by half.
4. Mount with 80 g cold diced butter.
5. Season with a drop of rice vinegar; keep warm (55 °C).

4. Koji sabayon foam

1. Blend 60 g koji rice with 120 ml light fish stock; steep 20 min, strain.
2. Whisk 3 egg yolks + 50 ml koji stock over 72 °C bain-marie to light ribbons.
3. Fold in 40 ml cream.
4. Pass, charge in 0.5 L iSi with 1 N₂O. Hold at 60 °C.

5. Fennel bulb “accordion”

1. Trim baby fennel; slice 1 mm even sheets.
2. Pickle brine: 3 % salt, 3 % sugar, equal rice vinegar/water.
3. Vacuum-compress sheets in brine 30 min.
4. Drain, roll into tight coils, skewer.
5. Torch until edges char.

6. Strawberry leather shards

1. Blend 150 g strawberry purée + 8 g glucose.
2. Spread 1 mm thick on silicone mat.
3. Dry 6 h at 60 °C.
4. Snap into random shards.

7. Black garlic soil

1. Freeze-dry 40 g black garlic overnight.
2. Pulse with 5 g toasted panko to crumbs.

8. Fennel-top chlorophyll oil

1. Blanch 30 g fennel fronds 10 s, chill.
2. Blend with 100 ml grapeseed oil 2 min.
3. Hang in coffee filter 1 h; keep green oil.

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Plating (top-down view)

1. Center: turbot medallion, lacquer side up.
2. Left rim: 15 ml beurre blanc pool.
3. Right side: upright fennel accordion.
4. Across fish: two quick passes of chlorophyll oil.
5. On fish: one press of warm koji foam (coin-size).
6. Scatter: three strawberry leather shards at varying heights.
7. Dust: pinch of black garlic soil along beurre blanc edge.
8. Finish with single wild strawberry half and a fennel pollen flake.

Serve immediately, 48 °C core temp.

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Sourcing notes

• Wild strawberries: In season late spring. If foraging, choose pesticide-free areas; else order “fraises des bois” from specialty produce suppliers.
• Black garlic: Buy aged bulbs from Korean or Japanese markets; quality matters—look for intact cloves, slight sheen.
• Koji rice: Refrigerated packs from Japanese grocery or online ingredient houses. Keep frozen until use.
• Fennel pollen: Small tins from spice merchants; a little goes far.
• iSi charger, chamber vacuum, freeze-dryer: Standard in high-end kitchens; rent if needed.

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Narrative to tell guests

“Today’s plate joins the coast and the forest on the first warm day of summer. Turbot carries clean ocean notes. A glaze of long-aged garlic and the season’s first wild berries bridges sweet and umami. Koji adds quiet depth, like low tide. Charred fennel recalls beach bonfires, while bright green oil shows new growth. Every element is simple on its own; together they paint one concise thought—time, place, and patience on a single fork.”

"Tidal Reverie"

Miso-Caramelized Scallops with White Chocolate Dashi, Yuzu Pearls, and Crysta

llized Nori

Conceptual Narrative

This dish explores the liminal space where ocean meets shore, where umami depths encounter unexpected sweetn ess. The pairing of pristine diver scallops with white chocolate challenges conv entional boundaries, while traditional Japanese elements ground the composition in centuries of culinary wisdom. Each bite represents the ebb and flow of tides

• moments of intensity followed by gentle recession.

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Components Overview

1. Miso-Caramelized Hokkaido Scallops
2. White Chocolate Dashi Foam
3. Yuzu Pearl Caviar
4. Crystallized Nori Tuile
5. Micro Shiso Oil
6. Edible Sand (Black Sesame & Cocoa)

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Detailed Components & Techniques

1. Miso-Caramelized Hokkaido Scallops

Ingredients:

• 3 large Hokkaido diver scallops (U-10 size)
• 30g white miso paste (preferably 3-month aged)
• 15g mirin
• 10g sake
• 5g maple syrup
• Clarified butter for searing

Sourcing: Hokkaido scallops from Tsukiji Outer Market or specialty Japanese seafood importers

Method:

1. Remove scallops from refrigeration 20 minutes before cooking
2. Whisk miso, mirin, sake, and maple syrup until smooth
3. Score scallops in crosshatch pattern, 2mm deep
4. Brush with miso glaze, refrigerate 1 hour
5. Sear in smoking hot clarified butter, 90 seconds per side
6. Torch lightly for caramelization
7. Rest 2 minutes before plating

2. White Chocolate Dashi Foam

Ingredients:

• 500ml kombu dashi (made with Rishiri kombu)
• 50g Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate
• 2g soy lecithin
• 1 sheet silver gelatin
• Sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Prepare kombu dashi, steep at 60°C for 45 minutes
2. Strain and reduce to 300ml
3. Bloom gelatin in cold water
4. Heat dashi to 70°C, whisk in bloomed gelatin
5. Add white chocolate, whisk until melted
6. Cool to 60°C, add soy lecithin
7. Blend with immersion blender to create stable foam
8. Keep warm in thermal circulator at 55°C

3. Yuzu Pearl Caviar (Reverse Spherification)

Ingredients:

• 200ml yuzu juice (fresh-pressed)
• 100ml mineral water
• 2g sodium alginate
• 1000ml calcium chloride bath (0.5%)

Method:

1. Combine yuzu juice with mineral water
2. Using immersion blender, incorporate sodium alginate
3. Strain through fine mesh, rest 24 hours to remove air bubbles
4. Prepare calcium bath
5. Using syringe, create 3mm pearls in calcium bath
6. Let set for 2 minutes
7. Rinse in clean water, store in yuzu juice

4. Crystallized Nori Tuile

Ingredients:

• 5 sheets premium nori (Ariake Sea)
• 100ml water
• 50g sugar
• 15ml rice wine vinegar
• Black sesame seeds

Method:

1. Blend nori with water until smooth paste
2. Strain through cheesecloth
3. Reduce liquid by half
4. Add sugar and vinegar, cook to 115°C
5. Spread thin on silicone mat
6. Dehydrate at 60°C for 8 hours
7. Break into artistic shards

5. Micro Shiso Oil

Ingredients:

• 50g micro purple shiso
• 200ml grapeseed oil
• Salt

Method:

1. Blanch shiso in salted water, 5 seconds
2. Shock in ice bath
3. Squeeze dry, blend with oil at high speed
4. Strain through coffee filter
5. Season with salt

6. Edible Sand

Ingredients:

• 30g black sesame seeds, toasted
• 20g cocoa nibs
• 10g dehydrated soy sauce
• 5g gold leaf

Method:

1. Grind each component separately to varying textures
2. Combine, creating textural variety
3. Fold in gold leaf fragments

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Plating & Presentation

Equipment Needed:

• Warm plates (28cm diameter, preferably handcrafted ceramic)
• Precision tweezers
• Foam dispenser
• Micro pipette

Assembly (per plate):

1. Create abstract brush stroke with shiso oil
2. Place three dots of edible sand asymmetrically
3. Position scallops in triangular formation
4. Pipe white chocolate dashi foam between scallops
5. Distribute 7-9 yuzu pearls strategically
6. Crown each scallop with nori tuile shard
7. Finish with micro shiso leaves and gold leaf

Service Notes:

• Serve immediately while scallops are warm
• Foam should be applied tableside for dramatic effect
• Provide mother-of-pearl spoons to preserve delicate flavors

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Wine Pairing

Recommend: 2018 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese or aged Junmai Daigi njo sake

Chef's Note

The unusual pairing of white chocolate with dashi creates a synergy that amplifi es both sweet and umami note s, while the yuzu pearls provide acidic punctuation. This dish requires precise timing and temperature control - the contrast between warm scallops and cool pea rls is essential to the experience.

"Forest Floor to Ocean Depth"

Wagyu Beef Cheek with Black Truffle, Sea Lettuce Glass, and Smoked Bone Marrow Caviar

Conceptual Narrative

This dish represents the journey from earth's deepest forest floor to the ocean's mysterious depths, celebra ting the umami connection between land and sea. The unusual pairing of terrestrial black truffle with marine sea lettuce creates an otherworldly flavor bridge, while the transformation of bone marrow into caviar-like spheres challenges traditional protein presentations. Each element represents different depths and textures found in nature's most prized environments.

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Component 1: 48-Hour Sous Vide Wagyu Beef Cheek

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 800g A5 Wagyu beef cheek, trimmed
• 30g black truffle, thinly shaved
• 15ml truffle oil
• 5g Maldon sea salt
• 2g white pepper
• 50ml aged soy sauce (minimum 5 years)
• 20ml mirin

Instructions:

1. Season beef cheek with salt and white pepper, rest 2 hours at room temperature
2. Vacuum seal with truffle shavings, truffle oil, soy sauce, and mirin at 98% vacuum
3. Cook sous vide at 56°C for 48 hours
4. Rest in ice bath for 30 minutes before final preparation
5. Before plating, sear exterior with blowtorch for 15 seconds per side

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Component 2: Sea Lettuce Glass Sheets

Advanced molecular gastronomy technique

Ingredients:

• 200g fresh sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
• 3g agar-agar
• 2g sodium alginate
• 500ml filtered water
• 1g xanthan gum
• Liquid nitrogen for flash-setting

Sourcing Note:

Source sea lettuce from specialty marine vegetable suppliers like Ocean Harvest (Ireland) or local sustainab le seaweed foragers.

Instructions:

1. Blanch sea lettuce in boiling water for 30 seconds, shock in ice water
2. Blend with 250ml water until completely smooth, strain through fine mesh
3. Heat remaining water to 85°C, dissolve agar-agar and sodium alginate
4. Combine mixtures, add xanthan gum, blend with immersion blender
5. Pour 2mm thick onto silicone mats, flash-freeze with liquid nitrogen
6. Thaw at room temperature for flexible, translucent sheets

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Component 3: Smoked Bone Marrow Caviar

Spherification technique

Ingredients:

• 200g beef bone marrow, extracted
• 2g sodium alginate
• 1000ml water
• 5g calcium chloride
• Applewood chips for smoking
• Black truffle salt for finishing

Instructions:

1. Cold-smoke marrow at 15°C for 2 hours using applewood
2. Warm marrow to liquid state (37°C), strain through fine mesh
3. Create sodium alginate bath (2g per 1000ml water)
4. Mix marrow with calcium chloride solution
5. Using precision syringe, create 4mm spheres in alginate bath
6. Rest spheres for 2 minutes, rinse in clean water
7. Store in truffle oil until plating

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Component 4: Mushroom Soil Powder

Ingredients:

• 100g dried porcini mushrooms
• 50g dehydrated black olives
• 20g maltodextrin
• 5g activated charcoal powder (food grade)
• 2g smoked salt

Instructions:

1. Grind porcini and olives to fine powder in spice grinder
2. Mix with maltodextrin and charcoal powder
3. Pass through fine sieve three times
4. Season with smoked salt

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Component 5: Ocean Foam

Lecithin foam technique

Ingredients:

• 300ml dashi (kombu and bonito)
• 2g soy lecithin
• 1ml white soy sauce
• Micro sea beans for garnish

Instructions:

1. Warm dashi to 60°C, add white soy sauce
2. Add lecithin, blend with immersion blender until stable foam forms
3. Maintain temperature and texture until plating

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Plating and Presentation

Equipment Needed:

• Black slate plates (30cm diameter)
• Fine mesh sieve for powder dusting
• Precision tweezers
• Small spoons for caviar placement
• Micro pipettes for sauce dots

Plating Instructions:

1. Base Layer: Dust one-third of plate with mushroom soil powder using stencil to create organic forest floor pattern

2. Protein Placement: Position sliced wagyu cheek (5mm thick, 3 pieces) in ascending height arrangement on clean portion of plate

3. Glass Elements: Drape sea lettuce glass sheets over protein, creating translucent waves that catch li ght

4. Caviar Accent: Place 7-9 bone marrow caviar spheres using precision spoon, scattered naturally around protein

5. Foam Application: Spoon ocean foam in organic pools between elements, ensuring height variation

6. Final Garnish:

   • Fresh truffle shavings over protein
   • Micro sea beans (5-7 pieces) on foam
   • Three dots of aged soy reduction using micro pipette

Temperature Service:

Serve immediately at 45°C for optimal marrow caviar texture and beef temperature.

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Specialized Sourcing Notes

• A5 Wagyu: Source from certified Japanese suppliers (Crowd Cow, Holy Grail Steak Co.)
• Sea Lettuce: Ocean Harvest Ireland, or Pacific Harvest New Zealand
• Aged Soy Sauce: Yamaroku or Kamebishi brands (5+ year aged)
• Molecular Ingredients: ModernistPantry or Terra Spice Company
• Black Truffle: Sabatino Tartufi or local truffle hunters (seasonal availability)

Wine Pairing Suggestion

2015 Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru - the minerality complements the ocean elements while the richness mat ches the wagyu intensity.

Estimated Preparation Time: 3 days (including 48-hour sous vide) Active Cooking Time: 4 hours Difficulty Level: Michelin 3-star professional

Dish Title
“White Forest: Coal-Kissed Pine, Malted Vanilla Snow & Fermented Moss”

Conceptual Narrative
This plate is a walk through a winter-birch forest at twilight: the air is resinous from pine, the soil smells faintly of smoke and cocoa, and a single ray of moonlight gilds the frost. The menu’s “White Forest” is therefore monochrome in hue but explosive in aroma—an inversion of the classic Black Forest cake. Instead of chocolate and cherry we pair white pine, charcoal-barley koji, and black birch sap. The guest is invited to smell the forest (a warm pine-infused vapor released tableside) before tasting the cold, sweet, bitter and mineral layers that follow.

Unusual Pairing
• White-pine cambium (the tender inner bark) wrapped around a black-birch-sap caramel
• Malted vanilla “snow” aerated with liquid nitrogen and infused with toasted yeast to give beer-like umami
• Fermented reindeer moss marinated in birch-syrup koji, then brûléed—its lichenous crunch echoes the pine bark while the koji introduces chocolate/malt notes that never actually contain chocolate.

Advanced Techniques

1. Vacuum-impregnated cambium bark tubes
2. Liquid-nitrogen tableside snowing
3. Charcoal-barley koji grown in a controlled micro-kiln
4. Brûléed freeze-dried reindeer moss
5. Aroma vapor released from a warmed pine-frond “teabag” hidden under the plate

Sourcing Notes
• Fresh white-pine cambium: harvest from storm-felled trees in late winter (legal on private land with permission). Freeze immediately; cambium oxidizes in minutes.
• Reindeer moss (Cladonia rangiferina): food-grade dried from Nordic wild foragers (e.g., Nordisk Tang, DK). Rehydrate in 3 % salt + 1 % glucose.
• Barley koji spores: Hishiroku “Chōhaku-kin” white strain for sweet aroma.
• Black birch sap: early-spring tap, sterile-filtered and vacuum-reduced to 60 °Brix syrup.
• Liquid nitrogen: restaurant supply or university food-science partnership.

Yield
One plated portion (à la carte) or 8 tasting-menu bites if served as a canapé.

COMPONENT A: Coal-Kissed Pine Bark Cylinder
Purpose – The “tree trunk” element; visually a pale log, but once cracked open it oozes a dark birch caramel that resembles sap bleeding from a charcoal scar.

Ingredients
• 40 g fresh white-pine cambium sheet (8 × 20 cm, 2 mm thick)
• 60 g black-birch-sap caramel (60 °Brix syrup cooked to 118 °C with 0.2 % pectin NH)
• 0.5 g activated charcoal powder (food grade)
• 0.5 g sea salt smoked over pine needles

Method

1. Blanch cambium 10 s in 90 °C 1 % citric acid to fix color and remove resin harshness.
2. Vacuum-seal in single layer with birch syrup and 0.2 % salt; cook 85 °C/45 min to impregnate.
3. Chill <0 °C 2 min to set pectin network; cambium becomes translucent and pliable.
4. Brush interior with a micro-thin film of charcoal powder mixed with smoked salt; this provides a visual “coal seam.”
5. Pipe 12 g warm birch caramel down the center; roll into tight cylinder (2 cm Ø).
6. Flash-freeze 30 s in liquid nitrogen to set roll; store at –18 °C until service (max 4 h).

COMPONENT B: Malted Vanilla Snow
Purpose – Cold, aromatic “powder” that dissolves on the tongue leaving vanilla & toasted-yeast malt.

Ingredients
• 100 g birch-syrup koji (see below)
• 200 g whole milk
• 50 g heavy cream (36 %)
• 3 g Maldon salt
• 1 Tahitian vanilla bean, scraped
• 0.6 g gellan gum LT100
• 1 g toasted deactivated brewer’s yeast (180 °C/10 min)

Method (the night before)

1. Blend milk, cream, salt, vanilla seeds, gellan; bring to 90 °C for 30 s to hydrate.
2. Chill to 35 °C; fold in koji and toasted yeast.
3. Shear with immersion blender 30 s; pour into ISI siphon, charge with N₂O, refrigerate 8 h.
4. At plating discharge into thermos of liquid nitrogen; agitate to form feather-light frozen snow. Hold at –196 °C in Dewar.

COMPONENT C: Fermented Reindeer Moss Brûlée
Purpose – Forest-floor crunch with caramelized lichen bitterness.

Ingredients
• 4 g dried reindeer moss
• 40 g birch-syrup koji (same as above)
• 5 g pine-needle oil (cold-pressed)
• 1 g glucose syrup

Method

1. Rehydrate moss 5 min in 3 % salt brine, squeeze dry.
2. Marinate 2 h in koji + pine-needle oil + glucose.
3. Dehydrate 55 °C/3 h until glass-dry.
4. Just before plating, torch with butane brûlée iron until moss sugars blister—do not burn.

COMPONENT D: Charcoal-Barley Koji “Soil”
Purpose – Edible earth that releases a deep smoky malt when warmed by the plate.

Ingredients
• 40 g pearled barley, steamed
• 0.2 g koji spores
• 3 g binchotan charcoal dust (food grade)
• 1 g cocoa butter

Method (72 h total)

1. Inoculate cooled steamed barley with spores; incubate 30 °C/48 h until fully furred.
2. Dehydrate 60 °C/12 h; pulse in Robot Coupe with charcoal dust to coarse crumb.
3. Bloom cocoa butter 45 °C; toss with crumbs to create micro-coating that prevents sogginess. Store in desiccator.

COMPONENT E: Pine-Needle Vapor
Purpose – Aroma trigger; when the plate is set down a server pours 50 °C water onto a compressed pine-needle and cedar-bark “tea bag” hidden beneath. Steam carries the scent upward without affecting the food temperature.

ASSEMBLY & PLATING

1. Plate is a matte white porcelain disc with a small recessed cavity at 7 o’clock for the vapor sachet.
2. Sprinkle a 4 cm crescent of charcoal-barley soil along 3 o’clock.
3. Nestle the frozen pine-bark cylinder upright in the soil so it leans 5° toward center.
4. Spoon 20 g malted vanilla snow in airy peaks around the cylinder, covering soil but leaving 1 cm of bark exposed like a fallen log after snowfall.
5. Drape 2 pieces of brûléed reindeer moss across snow like dark twigs.
6. Finish with three micro-drops of extra birch caramel on the snow for shine.
7. Server pours 10 ml 50 °C water into cavity; aromatic vapor rises for ~30 s.

Service Notes
• Timing: bark cylinder must temper 90 s at room temperature so the caramel is fluid when cracked by the guest’s spoon.
• Provide a warm spoon; contrast amplifies.
• Wine pairing: 1989 Côteaux du Layon “Clos de la Coulée de Serrant” (honeyed but laser acidity to cut koji umami and vanilla).

All components are gluten-free except for the barley koji; substitute buckwheat if needed.

Dish Title: “Tide and Tundra” — King Crab, Koji-Cured Venison, Fir, and Sea Lettuce with Frozen Dashi Meringue, Burnt Whey Caramel, and Bitter Cocoa Soil

Conceptual Narrative: This dish explores the meeting point between ocean and boreal forest—an imagined shoreline where cold waves meet coniferous wind. The pairing of sweet, saline king crab with lean, iron-rich venison is bridged by koji’s gentle umami and the resinous aromatics of spruce/fir. Sea lettuce and dashi evoke tide pools; burnt whey and bitter cocoa recall charred bark and mineral soil. The plate is composed as a landscape: glacial shards of frozen meringue, mossy green oils, and polished stones of sauce. It’s a meditation on contrast—temperature, texture, and terroir—binding two ecosystems into one precise bite.

Key Unusual Pairings:

• King crab with koji-cured venison: maritime sweetness meets forested minerality via a shared umami thread.
• Burnt whey caramel with seafood: lactic browned notes echo shellfish sweetness while adding a haunting “toffee-umami.”
• Bitter cocoa soil with seafood: restrained cocoa bitterness functions like chicory or char, deepening sweetness rather than fighting it.
• Fir/spruce and sea lettuce: resin and iodine form a clean, alpine-brine aromatic.

Components Overview: A. Koji-cured venison loin, lightly coal-seared B. Butter-poached king crab, seaweed glaze C. Sea lettuce gel and warm dashi glaze D. Frozen smoked-dashi meringue shards E. Burnt whey caramel F. Bitter cocoa and buckwheat “soil” G. Spruce-needle oil and fermented green juniper vinaigrette H. Textural accents: pickled green strawberries, crisped kombu threads, and raw young pine shoots (or spruce tips)

Yield: 4 tasting portions

Time Plan:

• Day 1: Start koji cure, spruce oil infusion, ferment juniper (quick ferment), whey separation, dashi smoking and reduction, cocoa soil bake, pickle strawberries, kombu dehydrate.
• Day 2: Finish cures, poach crab, gel sea lettuce, make meringue, churn burnt whey caramel, finalize sauces, plate.

Sourcing Notes:

• Venison loin: Seek ethically harvested wild venison or certified farmed; choose center-cut loins. Source from reputable game suppliers.
• King crab legs: Fresh, cooked clusters with intact shoulder meat; if frozen, buy premium blast-frozen. Shell on to protect flesh.
• Koji rice: From Japanese grocers or specialty online purveyors (Amazake/Aspergillus oryzae inoculated rice).
• Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca): Food-grade dried sheets or fresh wild-harvested from a certified supplier (ensure clean waters).
• Spruce/fir tips and young pine shoots: Harvest in spring from unsprayed trees, or order from forage suppliers. Verify edible species.
• Green juniper berries: Use edible species (Juniperus communis) from spice merchants; avoid ornamental junipers.
• Whey: From strained yogurt or cultured butter production; or separate from milk using rennet or acid. High-quality grass-fed dairy recommended.
• Kombu: Thick, high-grade kelp (Rishiri/Ma kombu).
• Pickled green strawberries: Unripe strawberries from farmers’ markets; alternatively, gooseberries as a sub.

Detailed Components and Techniques:

A. Koji-Cured Venison Loin, Lightly Coal-Seared Ingredients:

• Venison loin, trimmed: 300 g
• Koji rice, finely ground: 25 g
• Sea salt: 8 g
• Demerara sugar: 6 g
• Ground black pepper: 1 g
• Pink peppercorn, crushed: 0.5 g
• Neutral oil for searing Method:

1. Cure: Mix ground koji, salt, sugar, peppers. Lightly oil the loin. Massage cure evenly. Vacuum seal. Cure refrigerated 18–20 hours.
2. Rinse & dry: Gently wipe off excess cure; don’t wash. Dry uncovered on rack 2 hours to form pellicle.
3. Sear: Heat a small binchotan/charcoal grate or heavy pan until smoking. Lightly kiss the loin on all sides 10–15 seconds per side for a clean char without cooking through. Internal should remain rare. Chill quickly, then slice into 8 thin medallions just before plating.

B. Butter-Poached King Crab, Seaweed Glaze Ingredients:

• King crab legs (cooked), shell on: 2 large legs
• Unsalted butter: 150 g
• Kombu dashi (see C): 50 g
• Lemon zest: microplane a touch
• Seaweed glaze: 1 tsp hydrated powdered nori mixed with 1 tsp warm dashi and a drop of mirin Method:

1. Shell carefully to remove intact lobes. Reserve shells for stock if desired.
2. Butter emulsion: In a small pan, warm dashi to 60°C. Whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time to form a nappé. Maintain 58–60°C.
3. Poach: Submerge crab meat 4–5 minutes to warm and scent. Brush with seaweed glaze to finish; hold warm.

C. Sea Lettuce Gel and Warm Dashi Glaze Ingredients:

• Dried sea lettuce: 10 g (or 40 g fresh)
• Kombu: 8 g
• Smoked katsuobushi (optional for deeper oceanic notes): 10 g
• Water: 800 g
• White soy (shiro shoyu): to taste
• Agar agar: 1.8 g Method:

1. Dashi: Soak kombu 45 min cold; heat to 60°C for 45 min; remove. Bring to 80°C, add katsuobushi (if using), steep 8 min; strain. Split: reserve 300 g for glazing and butter emulsion; 200 g for gel; remainder for meringue and sauces.
2. Sea lettuce: Rinse, then simmer gently in 200 g dashi 5 min; blend smooth. Season with a few drops white soy.
3. Gel: Whisk agar into sea lettuce base; boil 1 min; cast into a 20×20 cm thin sheet. Set, then cut into irregular “tidal” petals or brunoise for texture.
4. Warm glaze: Reduce 150 g dashi by 20%, season with a touch of white soy; hold warm.

D. Frozen Smoked-Dashi Meringue Shards Ingredients:

• Strong smoked dashi: 200 g (smoke the katsuobushi or cold-smoke the finished dashi 20 min)
• Albumen powder: 6 g (or 2 pasteurized egg whites, 60 g)
• Sugar: 25 g
• Xanthan: 0.2 g
• Liquid nitrogen or ultracold freezer (-40°C), or Pacojet beaker Method:

1. Base: Chill smoked dashi. Blend with albumen, sugar, xanthan; whip to soft peaks.
2. Freeze: Spread 3–4 mm thick on acetate. Freeze rapidly (blast freezer or liquid nitrogen). Once solid, snap into shards. Store frozen and plate last. Note: For LN2, dip spoonfuls and shatter; for Pacojet, freeze and shave to “snow bark.”

E. Burnt Whey Caramel Ingredients:

• Fresh whey: 800 g
• Sugar: 60 g
• Light miso (optional, 10 g for umami)
• Butter: 20 g
• Cream: 40 g Method:

1. Reduce whey: Simmer to 1/3 volume. Continue until deep nut-brown and nutty aromatics develop (Maillard from lactose/proteins)—watch closely to avoid bitterness. Strain.
2. Caramelize: Dry-caramelize sugar to amber, deglaze cautiously with reduced whey. Whisk in butter, cream, and miso. Reduce to a sauce that ribbons. Season with a pinch of salt. Keep warm.

F. Bitter Cocoa and Buckwheat “Soil” Ingredients:

• Buckwheat flour: 60 g
• Almond meal: 30 g
• Cocoa powder (high fat, alkalized): 12 g
• Black cocoa: 4 g
• Brown sugar: 25 g
• Butter, melted: 45 g
• Salt: 1 g Method:

1. Mix dry; fold in butter until clumpy. Bake at 150°C for 16–18 min, stirring once, to a dry crumble. Cool. Adjust bitterness by adding a gram more black cocoa if needed. Store airtight.

G. Spruce-Needle Oil and Fermented Green Juniper Vinaigrette Spruce Oil:

• Neutral oil: 200 g
• Fresh spruce/fir tips: 60 g
• Spinach: 20 g (for chlorophyll) Method:

1. Blanch spruce tips and spinach 10 sec; shock. Dry thoroughly. Blend with oil at 70°C for 2 min. Infuse 1 hour warm; spin in centrifuge or strain through Superbag overnight chilled for bright green oil.

Juniper Vinaigrette:

• Green juniper berries: 12 g, lightly crushed
• 2% brine (by weight water/salt): 150 g water + 3 g salt
• Honey: 6 g
• Champagne vinegar: 12 g
• Spruce oil: 15 g Method:

1. Quick ferment: Combine juniper with brine and honey; ferment 24–36 hours at room temp just until slightly pétillant. Strain.
2. Emulsify 15 g ferment with vinegar and spruce oil. Salt to taste. The result should be piney, gently acidic, and slightly sweet.

H. Accents

• Pickled green strawberries: Halved, pickled 24 hours in 3% salt, 3% sugar, 2% rice vinegar, a few spruce tips.
• Crisped kombu threads: Julienne soaked kombu; dehydrate to pliable, fry at 170°C until crisp; season with powdered nori and salt.
• Fresh spruce tips or young pine shoots: Rinse, keep chilled. Alternatively, small dill flowers for an herbal echo.

Assembly and Plating: Plate intent: A shoreline vignette—a crescent of “soil,” a pool of warm glaze, briny green glints, glacial meringue.

1. Warmth and base:

• Nap a small ellipse of warm dashi glaze at 10 o’clock. Spoon a teardrop of burnt whey caramel at 4 o’clock.
• Sprinkle a crescent of cocoa-buckwheat soil from 2 to 5 o’clock, tapering off like receding sand.

2. Proteins:

• Place two warm butter-poached crab segments partially on the soil, lightly glazed with seaweed sheen.
• Fan two thin venison medallions overlapping near the crab, edges just touching the glaze so the juices kiss the sauce.

3. Greens and sea:

• Tuck three sea lettuce gel petals around the crab, one touching the caramel to bridge flavors.
• Dot 6–8 micro-pools of spruce oil across the glaze and plate. Add 4–5 small droplets of juniper vinaigrette near the venison.

4. Accents and crunch:

• Add 3–4 crisped kombu threads leaning over the crab for height.
• Place two halves of pickled green strawberry near the venison to cut richness.
• Nestle 2–3 fresh spruce tips around the plate for aromatic lift.

5. Frozen element:

• Right before service, crown the composition with 2–3 delicate shards of frozen smoked-dashi meringue, positioned like drifting ice. A gentle mist of warm dashi at tableside can create ephemeral aroma.

6. Finish:

• Micro grate lemon zest over crab. A final flake of sea salt on venison. Serve immediately.

Texture and Flavor Map:

• Venison: rare, tender, umami-rich from koji, faint smoke-char.
• Crab: succulent, buttery, saline-sweet with seaweed resonance.
• Sauces: Burnt whey caramel is lactically toasty and umami; dashi glaze is clean and marine.
• Garnishes: Meringue gives cold, airy crunch; soil adds bitter-crisp earthiness; pickles brighten; kombu crisps add ocean crunch; spruce oil and juniper vinaigrette unify forest and sea.

Advanced Technique Notes:

• Koji cure accelerates proteolysis and deepens savoriness; short time maintains clean game flavor.
• Burnt whey caramel leverages Maillard of milk solids for complex toffee-umami without cloying sweetness; balance with salt and miso.
• Chlorophyll-stable green oil requires controlled blanching and warm extraction to preserve hue.
• Frozen meringue uses hydrocolloids for stability; rapid freezing preserves aeration and allows clean snap.

Wine and Pairing Suggestion:

• A saline, reductive Champagne (blanc de blancs, low dosage) or a precise Jura Savagnin ouillé. For non-alcoholic: Spruce kvass with green apple and verjus, lightly carbonated.

Contingencies and Substitutions:

• If king crab unavailable: Use spiny lobster or spot prawns; adjust poach times.
• If venison unavailable: Lean beef tenderloin or raw cured elk as alternative; shorten cure time for beef.
• If spruce tips unavailable: Use Douglas fir tips or a small amount of rosemary infused oil (use sparingly).
• If no LN2/blast freezer: Freeze meringue overnight in a thin sheet; serve as chilled tuile or microplaned “snow.”

Food Safety and Service:

• Keep venison below 5°C after sear until slicing; serve promptly.
• Maintain butter-poach at 58–60°C to avoid overcooking crab.
• Frozen elements should move from freezer to plate quickly to preserve texture; avoid condensation by pre-chilling plating tweezers and shards.

This dish aims for clarity and restraint despite complexity: each component speaks to place, and together they form a calm, resonant chord between tide and tundra.

Dish Title
Celestial Tide – A Symphony of Sea and Cocoa

A multi‑component plate that unites the briny, tender flesh of sea cucumber with the bittersweet depth of dark chocolate, framed by a bright citrus gel and a delicate sea‑weed foam. The dish’s name evokes the meeting of ocean and sky, a metaphor for how the most unlikely pairings can create a Michelin‑grade masterpiece.

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1. Ingredient Pairing & Conceptual Narrative

Ingredient	Why It’s Unusual	Narrative Hook
Sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa)	Rare, chewy, umami‑rich seafood that is almost “invisible” when cooked.	“The Ocean’s Whisper” – a translucent, almost‑transparent sphere that feels like a living tide.
Dark chocolate (70‑80 % cacao)	Chocolate is sweet, nutty, and bitter; pairing it with a salty, briny seafood is a daring contrast.	“A Sweet Eclipse” – chocolate’s sweetness eclipses the sea’s saltiness, creating a new horizon.
Citrus (Blood orange + Yuzu)	Bright, acidic, and unexpectedly floral.	“Sunrise on the Horizon” – citrus lifts the palate, echoing sunrise over the sea.
Sea‑weed (Kombu)	Adds umami, texture, and a green, oceanic hue.	“The Green Ocean” – a foam that breathes the sea’s essence.
Edible gold leaf (Italian)	Adds visual sparkle and a hint of luxury.	“The Sun’s Touch” – a gleam that mirrors sunrise.

Conceptual Narrative
The dish is a visual and gustatory dialogue between the sea and the sky. The sea cucumber’s silky texture introduces the oceanic echo, while the chocolate sphere delivers an unexpected, sweet counterpoint. The citrus gel adds brightness, and the sea‑weed foam ties the whole composition together. On a black slate plate, the components resemble a small, floating island on a midnight ocean, illuminated by a tiny sun (gold leaf).

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2. Sourcing Notes

Ingredient	Suggested Source	Why
Sea cucumber	Okinawan‑harvested, 100 % natural, no preservatives (Japan, supplier: Okinawa Sea Farms)	Highest quality, firm texture, authentic umami.
Dark chocolate	Single‑origin from Ecuador (70 % cacao, bean‑to‑bar) – Cacao & Co.	Rich cocoa notes, minimal sweeteners.
Blood orange & Yuzu	Organic, California-grown blood oranges + Yuzu from Japan – Sunny Grove & Yuzu Farms	Juicy, bright acidity.
Kombu	Hand‑picked from Icelandic fjords – Lofoten Kombu	Highest umami, crisp texture.
Edible gold leaf	22‑kt gold leaf from Italy – GoldLeaf Italia	Certified food‑grade, 100 % pure gold.
Microgreens	Mixed basil & mint microgreens, organically grown – GreenRoots	Fresh aroma, color contrast.
Other	- Sea salt (Hawaiian pink). <br> - White truffle dust (optional, 0.5 g).	Adds depth.

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3. Component Breakdown & Detailed Instructions

3.1. Sous‑Vide Sea‑Cucumber Sphere

Ingredients

• 40 g sea cucumber (fresh, cleaned)
• 1 tsp sea salt (Hawaiian pink)
• 1 tsp citrus zest (blood orange)
• 2 ml yuzu vinegar (1 % acidity)

Equipment

• Sous‑vide circulator (set to 70 °C)
• Vacuum seal bag
• Gelatin sheets (optional for texture)

Procedure

1. Prep the Sea Cucumber

   • Rinse and pat dry.
   • Slice into 5 mm thick rounds.
   • Sprinkle with sea salt, citrus zest, and yuzu vinegar.
   • Place in a vacuum bag; vacuum‑seal.

2. Sous‑vide

   • Set the circulator to 70 °C.
   • Cook the bag for 1 h 15 min.
   • After cooking, chill the bag in an ice‑water bath for 2 min to stop the cooking process.

3. Sphere Formation

   • Using a syringe, gently deposit the chilled sea cucumber into a silicone mold (Ø 25 mm).
   • Freeze at −18 °C for 15 min to set the shape.

4. Finishing

   • Remove the sphere from the mold.
   • Pat dry; drizzle a micro‑droplet of citrus reduction (see 3.3).

Tip: Add a pinch of white truffle dust into the vacuum bag for a subtle umami finish.

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3.2. Dark Chocolate Mousse Sphere

Ingredients

• 60 g dark chocolate (70 % cacao)
• 25 ml heavy cream (fresh, no additives)
• 5 g gelatin, bloomed in 10 ml cold water
• 2 ml yuzu essence (optional)
• 0.5 g sea salt

Equipment

• Double boiler
• Blender / hand blender
• Silicone mold (Ø 25 mm)

Procedure

1. Melt Chocolate

   • Gently melt chocolate over a double boiler, whisking until silky.

2. Prepare Gelatin

   • Bloom gelatin in 10 ml cold water for 5 min.
   • Warm gelatin until dissolved (avoid boiling).

3. Blend

   • Whisk chocolate with melted gelatin, cream, sea salt, and yuzu essence until smooth.
   • Chill in fridge for 30 min until thick.

4. Sculpt Sphere

   • Spoon mixture into silicone mold.
   • Freeze at −20 °C for 20 min.

5. Finish

   • Release sphere; drizzle a thin line of sea‑weed foam (see 3.4).

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3.3. Citrus Gel & Reduction

Ingredients

• 30 ml blood orange juice (fresh)
• 30 ml yuzu juice (fresh)
• 10 g agar‑agar powder
• 5 ml honey (organic)
• 1 tsp sea salt

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Thermometer
• Silicone mold (Ø 15 mm)

Procedure

1. Make Reduction

   • Combine juices, honey, and sea salt in a saucepan.
   • Heat to 80 °C, stirring until honey dissolves.

2. Add Agar‑Agar

   • Sprinkle agar‑agar; whisk until fully dissolved.
   • Heat to 90 °C for 2 min, then cool to 50 °C.

3. Set Gel

   • Pour into silicone mold; chill at 4 °C for 15 min until set.

4. Plate

   • On the plate, place a single droplet of gel on the rim of the sea‑cucumber sphere.

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3.4. Sea‑Weed Foam (Kombu Foam)

Ingredients

• 5 g kombu (thinly sliced)
• 200 ml water (filtered)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (low‑sodium)
• 2 ml agar‑agar powder
• 1 ml xanthan gum (optional, to stabilize foam)

Equipment

• Immersion blender
• Foam wand (optional)

Procedure

1. Infuse Kombu

   • Simmer kombu in water for 10 min; strain.

2. Make Base

   • Add soy sauce, agar‑agar, and xanthan gum.
   • Heat to 90 °C while whisking.

3. Cool & Whisk

   • Cool to 30 °C.
   • Use immersion blender or foam wand to aerate until light, airy foam forms.

4. Placement

   • Spoon foam around the sea‑cucumber sphere, creating a “sea‑foam halo.”

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3.5. Microgreens & Gold Leaf Garnish

Ingredients

• Mixed basil & mint microgreens (small handful)
• 2 g edible gold leaf (22 kt)

Procedure

1. Microgreens

   • Arrange microgreens in a “crescent” shape beside the chocolate sphere.

2. Gold Leaf

   • Carefully place a small gold leaf shard on the edge of the sea‑cucumber sphere, letting it dangle over the sea‑weed foam.

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4. Plating (Presentation)

1. Plate Base

   • Use a black slate plate (Ø 200 mm) for contrast.

2. Center

   • Place the sea‑cucumber sphere at the center, slightly tilted to showcase its translucence.

3. Chocolate Sphere

   • Position the chocolate mousse sphere to the right of the sea‑cucumber sphere, with a thin line of sea‑weed foam bridging the two.

4. Citrus Gel

   • Drop a small citrus gel droplet on the left side of the sea‑cucumber sphere, allowing it to bead and drip slightly.

5. Sea‑Weed Foam

   • Swirl the kombu foam around the sea‑cucumber sphere, making it look like a tiny sea‑foam wave.

6. Microgreens & Gold

   • Arrange microgreens in a crescent arc to the left of the chocolate sphere.
   • Place a gold leaf shard on the sea‑cucumber sphere, letting it hang over the foam.

7. Final Touches

   • Lightly dust the plate with sea salt crystals for a sparkling finish.
   • Optionally, add a faint drizzle of yuzu reduction along the plate’s rim for a subtle citrus shine.

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5. Serving & Timing

• Serve Immediately after plating to preserve the foam’s airy texture.
• Serving Temperature: Sea‑cucumber sphere at 5 °C, chocolate sphere at 8 °C, citrus gel at 4 °C.
• Suggested Pairing Wine: A crisp, citrus‑accented white (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc) or a light, dry rosé.

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6. Final Thoughts

“Celestial Tide” is a narrative in a dish: the ocean’s whisper (sea cucumber) meets the sweet eclipse (dark chocolate), all illuminated by citrus sunrise and sea‑weed foam. The avant‑garde techniques—sous‑vide, gelatin spheres, foam aeration, and gold‑leaf accents—ensure that Michelin‑star diners experience a harmonious, multi‑sensory journey that is as visually striking as it is palate‑pleasing.

Enjoy the voyage!

Dish Title:

“Saffron‑Iced Sea‑Urchin Roulade with Dark‑Chocolate‑Miso Emulsion, Charred Lotus‑Root “Crisps”, Fermented Soy‑Kale Snow, and Yuzu‑Air”

Conceptual Narrative
At the intersection of the Pacific’s briny depth and the earth’s smoky, earthy heart, this dish tells a story of “the hidden tide beneath the forest floor.” The luxurious, buttery sea‑urchin (the “tide”) is cloaked in a translucent saffron‑infused “ice” shell that slowly melts on the palate, unveiling the oceanic core. The dark‑chocolate‑miso emulsion provides an unexpected, bittersweet “soil” that supports the tide, while the charred lotus‑root “crisp” represents the fire‑kissed undergrowth. A whisper of fermented soy‑kale snow brings a wild‑grass note, and a fleeting yuzu‑air finishes the journey with a fleeting breeze of citrus.

The dish combines seven advanced techniques:

1. Spherification/gelification (saffron‑gel “ice”)
2. Sous‑vide (sea‑urchin roe custard)
3. Molecular foam (yuzu‑air)
4. Smoke infusions (lotus‑root crisp)
5. Fermentation (kale “snow”)
6. Cryogenic flash‑freezing (saffron ice)
7. Precision plating (negative space, edible “soil”, and kinetic melt).

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COMPONENT LIST & INTERACTIONS

Component	Role in Narrative	Key Techniques
A. Saffron‑Ice “Shell”	Transparent veil, “ice of the tide”	Gelification, cryogenic flash‑freeze
B. Sea‑Urchin & Yuzu Custard	Core “tide”	Sous‑vide, low‑temperature pasteurization
C. Dark‑Chocolate‑Miso Emulsion	“soil” & umami depth	Emulsion, sous‑vide, tempering
D. Charred Lotus‑Root Crisp	“fire‑kissed undergrowth”	Char, smoke infusion, dehydration
E. Fermented Soy‑Kale Snow	“wild‑grass”	Fermentation, cryo‑shaving
F. Yuzu‑Air Foam	“breeze”	Foam (soy lecithin), nitrogen
G. Micro‑Herb & Edible‑Gold Dust	Visual “sunrise”	Micro‑herb micro‑spray, gold leaf

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Sourcing Notes (Specialized Ingredients)

Ingredient	Source / Supplier Recommendation	Notes
Wild Japanese Sea‑Urchin (Uni) – “Hokkaido Summer”	Matsukawa Seafood, Hokkaido, Japan – Premium Eurypus from cold‑water farms; 4–5 g per 100 g.	Handle cold, keep on ice; transport in insulated containers at ≤0 °C.
Saffron (Stigma) – “Crocus sativus”	Kashmir Gold Saffron, Spain (organic, 100% red stigmas).	0.5 g per dish – value for flavor.
Dark 70% Cacao Chocolate	Valrhona “Guanaja” 70%, French bean‑to‑bar, 100 % cacao.	Melt at 45–50 °C; keep shaded.
Miso (Red, 13 % Salt)	Hikari Miso – Shinshu Red Miso, Kyoto, Japan.	Aged 2 years; deep umami.
Lotus Root (Nellumbo)	Organic Lotus Roots, Thailand, fresh, 1 kg.	Peel and slice thinly (2 mm).
Soybean (Organic, non‑GMO)	Kikkoman (Japan) or local organic.	For snow & foam.
Kale (Lacinato/Black)	Specialty greens, local farm, harvested 1‑2 days prior.
Yuzu (Citrus junos)	Yuzu Farm, Shizuoka, Japan. Fresh juice & zest.
Soy Lecithin (Food‑grade)	SPS Food Ingredients, USA.
Edible Gold Leaf (24 K)	Culinary Gold Supply, UK.
Bamboo Charcoal (for smoking)	Mizuno Charcoal, Japan – 100% natural, no additives.
Molecular‑grade equipment – Syringe, vacuum pump, sous‑vide circulator, liquid nitrogen, micro‑syringe set, blow‑torch, immersion blender, nitrogen gas canister (for foam).

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TECHNICAL OVERVIEW (Step‑by‑Step)

Timing Overview (total ≈ 6 hrs, with 2 h “rest” periods).
All preparation should be done in a temperature‑controlled kitchen (±1 °C).

1️⃣ Saffron‑Ice “Shell” (Gelified, Flash‑Frozen)

Step	Details	Equipment
1.1	Saffron Infusion – 0.5 g saffron threads + 150 ml filtered water; simmer 1 min, steep 10 min. Strain, retain 140 ml.	Small saucepan, fine strainer
1.2	Gel Base – 140 ml saffron broth + 2 g agar‑agar. Heat to 95 °C, whisk 30 s until dissolved.	Small saucepan, whisk
1.3	Cool to 30 °C, then add 0.5 ml (0.35 % v/v) food‑grade sodium alginate (pre‑dissolved 0.5 % w/v in 30 ml water) to achieve a 2 % w/v final agar‑alginate mix. (This creates a “semi‑solid” matrix that will hold its shape but melt quickly on tongue.)
1.4	Cryogenic Flash‑freeze: Using a metal plate pre‑cooled with liquid nitrogen, pour 5 ml of the warm gel onto the plate (thin layer ~1 mm). Rapidly dip the plate into liquid nitrogen for 2 s, then remove and immediately transfer to a –30 °C freezer for 30 s. (Result: a delicate, translucent “ice” shell.)	Liquid nitrogen, stainless steel plate, freezer
1.5	Store in a –80 °C freezer for up to 24 h (prevent melt).	-

Result: A thin, translucent “ice” cup that will melt in mouth, revealing the custard inside.

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2️⃣ Sea‑Urchin & Yuzu Custard (Sous‑Vide)

Step	Details	Equipment
2.1	Preparation of Uni – Gently rinse uni (≈ 5 g per serving) in chilled seawater, pat dry.	Fine mesh sieve
2.2	Custard Base: 150 ml heavy cream, 30 ml whole egg yolk (2 yolks), 5 ml yuzu juice, 2 g sea‑salt, 0.4 g (0.2 %) xanthan gum (for viscosity). Whisk at 4 °C.
2.2a (optional)	Add 0.5 g sugar to balance acidity (optional).
2.3	Incorporate Uni: fold 5 g uni (whole) into the custard, keeping it intact.
2.4	Sous‑Vide: Seal in a PE food‑grade vacuum bag (removing as much air as possible). Sous‑vide at 56 °C for 45 min (low‑temp pasteurization).
2.5	Rapid Chill: Immerse bag in ice‑water bath (0 °C) for 5 min; then sieve through a fine (150 µm) mesh to remove any shell fragments, leaving a smooth custard.
2.6	Finish: Add 1 ml yuzu zest oil (infused oil: 10 ml neutral oil + 1 g zest, 15 min infusion, strained). Set aside in a refrigeration at 4 °C.	Sous‑vide circulator, vacuum sealer, ice bath, fine sieve, refrigeration

Result: Silky custard with intact uni “gems”, flavored with bright yuzu.

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3️⃣ Dark‑Chocolate‑Miso Emulsion (Silky “Soil”)

Step	Details	Equipment
3.1	Miso‑Infused Chocolate: 40 g dark 70 % chocolate (chopped) + 20 ml warm (40 °C) full‑fat milk, 10 g red miso, 5 g de‑glazed sea‑salt. Melt chocolate over bain‑marie, stir in miso until fully dissolved.
3.2	Temper: Cool to 28 °C, then add 2 g cocoa butter (tuned for glossy finish) and 2 g lactose (for smooth texture).
3.3	Emulsify: Add 10 ml warm (40 °C) filtered water; blend with immersion blender until glossy, ~5 min.
3.4 Optional: Add 1 g soy lecithin (0.5 % w/v) for stability.
3.5	Sous‑Vide: Transfer to a sous‑vide bag and cook at 55 °C for 30 min to develop flavor integration.
3.6	Cool & Whip: Remove, cool to 8 °C, then whisk with a hand‑held whisk until a smooth, glossy emulsion forms. Keep at 4 °C.	Bain‑marie, immersion blender, sous‑vide circulator, whisk

Result: Dark, glossy emulsion with deep umami and bitter chocolate notes, acting as a “soil” that will be “sanded” onto the plate.

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4️⃣ Charred Lotus‑Root Crisp (Fire‑Kissed Under‑Growth)

Step	Details	Equipment
4.1	Slice lotus root into 2 mm rounds using a mandolin or mandoline slicer.
4.2	Blanch in salted water (2% salt) for 30 s, shock in ice water. Pat dry.
4.3	Smoke Infusion: Place lotus strips in a smoking chamber with bamboo charcoal and smoked tea leaves (e.g., smoked green tea). Smoke at 30 °C for 5 min (moderate smoke).
4.4	Coat: Lightly dust with 0.5 g coconut sugar (for caramelization) and 0.2 g sea‑salt.
4.5	Fry: Deep‑fry in 180 °C refined avocado oil until golden‑brown (≈ 45 s). Drain on paper.
4.6	Dry: Place on a wire rack at 50 °C for 5 min to lose surface oil.
4.7	Finish: Lightly dust with edible gold dust (0.02 g) for a subtle shimmer.

Result: Thin, crisp, smoky‑sweet lotus “chips” that will be used as a “soil” foundation and a crunch contrast.

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5️⃣ Fermented Soy‑Kale Snow (Wild‑Grass Note)

Step	Details	Equipment
5.1	Prepare Kale: Strip kale leaves (no stems), rinse, pat dry. Cut into 2 cm strips.
5.2	Salt & Ferment: Toss with 1 % sea‑salt (by weight) and 0.5 % Lactobacillus plantarum starter (dry). Place in a filtered fermentation jar (air‑tight) at 22 °C for 48 h. This creates “kale brine” with mild acid and umami.
5.3	Puree: Blend brine with kale (1:1) to a smooth puree (≈ 150 ml).
5.4 Cryo‑shave: Freeze the puree at –80 °C for 2 h. Using a micro‑shaver (grated ice machine), shave into fine snow (“kale snow”). Keep at –20 °C until plating.
5.5	Season: Lightly spray with yuzu zest oil (0.2 ml) just before plating.

Result: Light, mildly acidic “snow” that adds texture, aroma, and an earthy green note.

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6️⃣ Yuzu‑Air Foam (Breeze)

Step	Details	Equipment
6.1	Yuzu‑Water: 30 ml yuzu juice + 70 ml filtered water + 0.8 g soy lecithin (0.8% w/v).
6.2	Blend: Immersion blender for 2 min (creates fine bubbles).
6.3	Charge: Transfer to a whipping siphon (N2O) (use 1 g of the mixture per 10 ml). Shake 5×.
6.4	Set: Place the siphon in liquid nitrogen for 10 s to “freeze” the foam into a solid “cloud” that will melt on the plate (use a small metal sphere frozen with yuzu‑water, then place on plate just before service).
6.5	Optional: Add a drop of edible violet curcumin (tiny) for a subtle hue.

Result: A delicate, aromatic “cloud” that evaporates on the plate, releasing a light citrusy vapor.

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7️⃣ Micro‑Herb & Edible Gold Dust (Sunrise Accent)

Item	Use
Micro‑herb (e.g., micro-sage, micro-basil)	Sprinkle 0.2 g on top for herbaceous aroma.
Edible Gold Dust	Light dust on the “soil” for visual sparkle.
Micro‑spray (e.g., tamarind powder or smoke‑oil spray)	Light spray at the end for a faint “smoky sunrise” aroma.

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Assembly & Plating (Step‑by‑Step)

Plating Vessel: 12 cm white porcelain shallow bowl (R 10 cm × 5 cm depth).

Sequence: (Work swiftly to avoid melting of the saffron ice)

1. Base “soil”: Using a spoon, place 3–4 charred lotus‑root crisps in a semi‑circular arrangement on the left third of the plate.
2. Dark‑Chocolate‑Miso Emulsion: With a silicone brush, brush a thin “soil” line from the crisp toward the center (approx. 1 mm thickness). This creates a “cataract” of dark sauce.
3. Fermented Kale Snow: Using a cold metal spoon, scoop a small dome (≈ 2 cm diameter) of snow and place center‑right on the plate, slightly overlapping the sauce line.
4. Saffron‑Ice “Shell”: Gently place one Saffron‑Ice shell at the center of the plate, nesting on the cake of snow (the ice will melt into it).
5. Sea‑Urchin Custard: Using a small spoon, place a spherical dollop (≈ 1 cm) of Sea‑Urchin & Yuzu Custard inside the Saffion‑Ice shell (the shell should hold it).
6. Yuzu‑Air Foam: Immediately place the yuzu‑air cloud (pre‑frozen) on top of the custard, pressing gently to let it sit.
7. Micro‑Herbs: Scatter micro‑herb micro‑spray and tiny gold specks over the whole plate.
8. Final Aroma: Using a scented spray (smoked tea oil, 1 ml) spray gently over the dish (a light mist).
9. “Melt” Moment: Serve the dish immediately after plating. The diner sees the clear ice shell start to melt, releasing the custard, while the foam dissolves, releasing a yuzu‑citrus vapor—the “tide meets the sky”.

Final Presentation:

• Negative Space: The plate’s white background intensifies the dark soil, bright gold, and vibrant green of the snow.
• Kinetic Element: The ice melts in seconds, creating a visual transition from solid to liquid to aromatic vapor.
• Contrast: Crunch (lotus crisp), silk (custard), silky dark earth (chocolate‑miso), snow (cold), cloud (foam).
• Color Palette: Gold (sunrise), deep brown (soil), emerald (snow), translucent ivory (ice), violet (foam).

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Full Ingredient List (for 4 Guests)

Component	Quantity
Saffron	0.5 g (≈ 20–30 threads)
Agar‑agar	2 g
Sodium Alginate	0.5 g
Sea‑urchin (uni) – Hokkaido	20 g (≈ 5 g per serving)
Heavy Cream	150 ml
Egg Yolks	2 (large)
Yuzu Juice	15 ml (fresh)
Yuzu Zest	1 g (plus 1 ml oil)
Red Miso	10 g
Dark Chocolate (70 %)	40 g
Cocoa Butter	2 g
Lactose	2 g
Soy Lecithin	0.8 g (foam) + 1 g (emulsion)
Lotus Root	150 g (≈ 30–40 thin slices)
Coconut Sugar	0.5 g
Bamboo / Charcoal	10 g (for smoke)
Kale (Lacinato)	30 g
Lactobacillus plantarum (starter)	0.5 g
Soy bean (for soy water)	30 ml
Edible Gold Leaf	0.05 g
Micro‑herb (micro-sage)	0.2 g
Soy Oil (neutral)	10 ml (for oil)
N2O (siphon)	1 cartridge
Liquid Nitrogen	250 ml (approx.)
Yuzu‑Air Foam	30 ml water + 30 ml yuzu juice + 0.8 g lecithin
Additional: salt, pepper, optional micro‑spray (smoked tea oil)

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Equipment Checklist

Item	Purpose
Sous‑vide circulator	Precision temperature for custard & emulsion
Vacuum sealer & high‑vacuum bags	Sous‑vide & air‑free environment
Liquid nitrogen & safety gloves	Cryogenic freezing
Stainless‑steel plate (for ice)	Rapid flash‑freeze
Blow‑torch / torch	Char Lotus‑root
Smoking chamber (small)	Smoke infusion
Blender/immersion blender	Emulsions and foam
Whipping siphon (N2O)	Yuzu‑air foam
Micro‑shaver	Kale snow
Micro‑syringe (2 ml)	Precise plating
Gold leaf applicator	Gold dust
Micro‑sprayer	Final aroma & garnish
Thermometer (probe)	Temperature control
Food‑grade silicone spatula	Gentle handling
White porcelain plate (12 cm)	Plating base
Squeeze bottle for yuzu oil	Drizzle

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Final Service Tips

1. Timing – Begin plating exactly after the saffron‑ice is made and cooled. The ice holder should stay at –20 °C until the moment of service.
2. Melt Control – Keep the plate at room temperature (20 °C) for a maximum of 30 s before service; the ice will melt gradually, revealing the custard.
3. Flavour Balance – The salty‑umami of the miso/chocolate must not overwhelm the delicate sea‑urchin. Adjust miso quantity in the emulsion if the dish feels too “earthy”.
4. Guest Interaction – Encourage the diner to watch the ice melt and smell the vapor before tasting – a theatrical, multisensory experience.

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Final Narrative Recap

• Saffron‑Ice = the sunrise over the tide, a fragile veil that disappears as the sun rises.
• Sea‑Urchin & Yuzu = the pure, briny heart of the ocean, brightened by citrus.
• Dark‑Chocolate‑Miso = the fertile, dark soil of the forest floor—rich, deep, and slightly bitter.
• Charred Lotus‑Root = the fire that scorches the forest floor, giving crunch and smoky aroma.
• Fermented Kale Snow = the cool, wild grasses that soften the soil.
• Yuzu‑Air = the fleeting breeze that carries the scent of the sea and forest, completing the “tide under the forest sunrise”.

Enjoy the symphony of flavors, textures, and fleeting moments— a true Michelin‑3‑Star masterpiece.

Dish name Atlantic turbot, black garlic & wild strawberry, koji sabayon, fennel pollen

Concept Early summer at the shore. The fish stands for the sea. Wild strawberries mark the first fruit of the woods behind the dunes. Black garlic shows time and patience. Koji ties land and sea with deep umami. The dish tastes sweet, sour, salty, and softly bitter, all in one clean bite.

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Components (serves 4 tasting portions)

#	Item	Key techniques
1	Turbot medallions	low-temperature butter poach
2	Black garlic–strawberry lacquer	vacuum infusion, reduction
3	Fermented strawberry beurre blanc	lacto-ferment, classic sauce finish
4	Koji sabayon foam	rapid iSi espuma
5	Fennel bulb “accordion”	compressed pickling, torching
6	Strawberry leather shards	dehydration
7	Black garlic soil	freeze-dry, blitz
8	Fennel-top chlorophyll oil	blanch-blend-clarify

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1. Turbot

1. Skin a 400 g center loin.
2. Pin-bone, portion into four 40 g cylinders.
3. Warm 200 g beurre monté to 54 °C, add 1 g fennel pollen.
4. Poach fish 8 min; hold in butter until plating.

Note: Use day-boat turbot; call your fishmonger two days ahead.

2. Black garlic–strawberry lacquer

1. Blend 60 g peeled black garlic + 80 g ripe wild strawberry.
2. Vacuum-seal with 20 g sake; infuse 1 h at 50 °C in water bath.
3. Reduce mixture in small pan to a light syrup.
4. Brush onto fish just before service.

3. Fermented strawberry beurre blanc

1. Pack 300 g halved strawberries with 1.5 % salt in jar; vent daily; 3 days at 22 °C.
2. Strain 100 ml ferment liquid.
3. Sweat 20 g shallot in 5 g butter; add liquid; reduce by half.
4. Mount with 80 g cold diced butter.
5. Season with a drop of rice vinegar; keep warm (55 °C).

4. Koji sabayon foam

1. Blend 60 g koji rice with 120 ml light fish stock; steep 20 min, strain.
2. Whisk 3 egg yolks + 50 ml koji stock over 72 °C bain-marie to light ribbons.
3. Fold in 40 ml cream.
4. Pass, charge in 0.5 L iSi with 1 N₂O. Hold at 60 °C.

5. Fennel bulb “accordion”

1. Trim baby fennel; slice 1 mm even sheets.
2. Pickle brine: 3 % salt, 3 % sugar, equal rice vinegar/water.
3. Vacuum-compress sheets in brine 30 min.
4. Drain, roll into tight coils, skewer.
5. Torch until edges char.

6. Strawberry leather shards

1. Blend 150 g strawberry purée + 8 g glucose.
2. Spread 1 mm thick on silicone mat.
3. Dry 6 h at 60 °C.
4. Snap into random shards.

7. Black garlic soil

1. Freeze-dry 40 g black garlic overnight.
2. Pulse with 5 g toasted panko to crumbs.

8. Fennel-top chlorophyll oil

1. Blanch 30 g fennel fronds 10 s, chill.
2. Blend with 100 ml grapeseed oil 2 min.
3. Hang in coffee filter 1 h; keep green oil.

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Plating (top-down view)

1. Center: turbot medallion, lacquer side up.
2. Left rim: 15 ml beurre blanc pool.
3. Right side: upright fennel accordion.
4. Across fish: two quick passes of chlorophyll oil.
5. On fish: one press of warm koji foam (coin-size).
6. Scatter: three strawberry leather shards at varying heights.
7. Dust: pinch of black garlic soil along beurre blanc edge.
8. Finish with single wild strawberry half and a fennel pollen flake.

Serve immediately, 48 °C core temp.

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Sourcing notes

• Wild strawberries: In season late spring. If foraging, choose pesticide-free areas; else order “fraises des bois” from specialty produce suppliers.
• Black garlic: Buy aged bulbs from Korean or Japanese markets; quality matters—look for intact cloves, slight sheen.
• Koji rice: Refrigerated packs from Japanese grocery or online ingredient houses. Keep frozen until use.
• Fennel pollen: Small tins from spice merchants; a little goes far.
• iSi charger, chamber vacuum, freeze-dryer: Standard in high-end kitchens; rent if needed.

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Narrative to tell guests

“Today’s plate joins the coast and the forest on the first warm day of summer. Turbot carries clean ocean notes. A glaze of long-aged garlic and the season’s first wild berries bridges sweet and umami. Koji adds quiet depth, like low tide. Charred fennel recalls beach bonfires, while bright green oil shows new growth. Every element is simple on its own; together they paint one concise thought—time, place, and patience on a single fork.”