Michelin Star Recipe Design

DISH: "Obsidian and Bloom"
A Study in Geological Time and Ephemeral Flora

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Conceptual Narrative

This dish materializes the geological paradox of obsidian—volcanic glass formed in the earth's violent heat, yet appearing as frozen black liquid. It juxtaposes mineral density against the transience of night-blooming florals. The narrative follows the flavor arc of a coastal volcanic tide pool at twilight: the briny depths (squid ink, marrow), the floral breeze carrying across basalt (chamomile, elderflower), the sharp bite of coastal vegetation (yuzu, green apple), and the lingering smoke of ancient fires (charcoal, hay-smoked caviar).

The Unusual Pairing: Squid ink and bone marrow create a profound umami foundation reminiscent of the ocean floor, while chamomile and green apple provide high-aromatic cut-through typically reserved for dessert applications. The bridge—elderflower white soy—contains floral isoamyl acetate compounds that bind to both the marine glutamates and the fruit esters, creating a hallucinatory continuity between earth, sea, and orchard.

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Specialized Ingredients & Sourcing

Ingredient	Specification	Source Notes
Centolla Bone Marrow	Beef marrow from grass-fed, 24-month aged Galician beef (or domestic Wagyu alternative)	Specialty butcher; request center-cut canoe bones
Squid Ink	Sepia officinalis, pasteurized but not deodorized (retains iodine complexity)	Spanish/Japanese import (Conservas Cambados or similar)
Yuzu Kosho	Green yuzu kosho (fermented chili-yuzu paste) from Kyushu	Japanese specialty stores; substitute with fresh yuzu zest + Thai chili
Agar Agar	High-gelling strength (900+ g/cm²)	Modernist Pantry or equivalent
Soy Lecithin	Liquid, non-GMO	Essential for the "air" component
Hamachi Collar	Fatty yellowtail, collar cut (supraclavicular), sashimi-grade	Sustainable aquaculture (Kona Blue or similar)
Elderflower Cordial	St-Germain or house-made (elderflower + organic sugar + citric acid)	Avoid artificial elderflower extracts
Vegetable Carbon	Food-grade activated charcoal powder	Cosmetic-grade unacceptable; must be food-certified

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Component 1: Obsidian Custard

(Squid Ink Bone Marrow Sabayon)

Technique: Sous vide emulsion + double boiler finish

Ingredients:

• 80g rendered bone marrow (clarified, milk solids removed)
• 40g squid ink
• 2 egg yolks (organic, 72-hour aged)
• 15ml dry sake
• 5g white miso
• 1g xanthan gum

Method:

1. Render marrow at 62°C (144°F) for 45 minutes; strain through chinois to obtain clear golden fat.
2. Blend squid ink, miso, and sake until homogenous.
3. Whisk yolks with ink mixture in vacuum bag; add marrow fat.
4. Seal bag (water displacement method) and cook sous vide at 64°C (147°F) for 22 minutes, agitating every 5 minutes to prevent protein stratification.
5. Transfer to thermomix or high-speed blender; add xanthan gum. Blend at 10,000 RPM for 2 minutes while still warm to create permanent emulsion.
6. Pass through fine mesh; hold in squeeze bottle at 52°C (126°F) until plating.

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Component 2: Chamomile-Cured Hamachi

(Fatty Yellowtail with Floral Osmosis)

Technique: Equilibrium curing + blowtorch finish

Ingredients:

• 200g hamachi collar, skin removed, bloodline trimmed
• 20g sea salt (Maldon or Guérande)
• 15g cane sugar
• 10g dried chamomile flowers (food-grade, Matricaria recutita)
• 5g yuzu zest (microplaned)

Method:

1. Pulse salt, sugar, and chamomile in spice grinder until fine (2-second bursts to prevent heat buildup).
2. Cure hamachi in mixture for 12 minutes precisely (equilibrium cure—2.5% salt by weight of fish).
3. Rinse quickly under ice-cold running water; pat absolutely dry.
4. Slice into 3mm-thick rectangles against the grain.
5. Just before plating, kiss the surface with blowtorch (propane, oxidizing flame) for 2 seconds to release chamomile's volatile oils without cooking the protein.

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Component 3: Green Apple-Yuzu Fluid Gel

(Molecular Architecture)

Technique: Hydrocolloid gelification + syringe extrusion

Ingredients:

• 150ml Granny Smith apple juice (clarified through cheesecloth overnight)
• 30ml yuzu juice
• 2g agar agar
• 0.3g locust bean gum
• 1g malic acid

Method:

1. Hydrate agar and locust bean gum in cold apple juice; bring to 85°C (185°F) while whisking.
2. Add yuzu juice and malic acid off-heat.
3. Pour into shallow tray to 2mm depth; cool rapidly over ice bath.
4. Once set (gel will be brittle), blend into fluid gel using immersion blender.
5. Transfer to squeeze bottle with fine tip (18-gauge culinary needle tip preferred).

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Component 4: Elderflower White Soy Air

(Lecithin Stabilization)

Ingredients:

• 200ml white soy sauce (shiro shoyu)
• 50ml elderflower cordial
• 2g soy lecithin
• 100ml water

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in wide, flat container (high surface area crucial).
2. Blend with immersion blender at 45° angle to incorporate maximum air.
3. Allow foam to stabilize for 1 minute; skim top layer of dense bubbles.
4. Reserve "air" in spoon over ice; refresh foam every 5 minutes as it collapses.

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Component 5: Charcoal Meringue

(Dehydrated Volcanic Structure)

Ingredients:

• 100g egg whites (aged 48 hours)
• 80g confectioners' sugar
• 20g vegetable carbon powder
• 0.5g cream of tartar

Method:

1. Whisk whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks.
2. Gradually add sugar and carbon powder; whisk to stiff, glossy peaks (meringue should hold vertical peak without curling).
3. Spread on Silpat in irregular shards (2mm thick).
4. Dehydrate at 60°C (140°F) for 6 hours or until glass-like and brittle.
5. Store in desiccator chamber until plating.

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Component 6: Smoked Osetra Caviar

(Cold Smoke Infusion)

Method:

• Place caviar in smoker with hay (dried alfalfa) and dried kombu.
• Cold smoke at 18°C (64°F) for 12 minutes only—any longer overwhelms the roe.
• The smoke should suggest "coastal fog" rather than "barbecue."

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Assembly & Plating

(Architectural Construction)

Plate: Matte black ceramic (30cm diameter, slight concavity) or hand-thrown obsidian-glazed stoneware.

Sequence (performed with surgical tweezers and squeeze bottles):

1. Foundation: Place three shards of charcoal meringue at 10, 2, and 6 o'clock positions, creating triangular negative space.
2. Custard: Pipe three dots of warm Obsidian Custard (5g each) between meringue shards; the heat will slightly soften the meringue base, creating adhesion.
3. Protein: Drape chamomile hamachi slices over custard dots, allowing them to drape naturally (gravity should create "sails" of fish).
4. Acid: Apply Green Apple-Yuzu Fluid Gel in geometric lines (2cm lengths) intersecting the fish at 90 degrees—this creates visual tension and flavor contrast.
5. Luxury: Place 5g smoked caviar at the apex of the triangular composition.
6. Aromatics: Spoon Elderflower White Soy Air adjacent to caviar; it should float slightly above the plate surface.
7. Botanicals: Add single nasturtium leaf (peppery), bronze fennel frond (anise), and one borage flower (cucumber notes).
8. Final Accent: Microplane frozen yuzu zest over entire composition from height (30cm) to create "snow" effect.

Service: Present with domed cloche filled with chamomile smoke (tableside reveal). Accompany with warm bone marrow beignet on side plate (optional supplementary component).

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Chef's Technical Notes

• Temperature Contrast: The dish relies on the custard being served at 52°C while the fluid gel is at 4°C. This thermal differential creates a temporal dimension to the dining experience—the first bite is warm and rich, the finish cool and acidic.
• Umami Stacking: The glutamate content (squid ink: 1200mg/100g, bone marrow: 400mg/100g, white soy: 900mg/100g, caviar: 1500mg/100g) creates exponential rather than additive umami through synergistic nucleotide interaction.
• Visual Philosophy: The all-black palette (meringue, custard, plate) makes the golden caviar, green gel, and white foam appear to float in void space—culinary chiaroscuro.

Wine Pairing: aged Assyrtiko from Santorini (volcanic minerality echoes the squid ink) or Krug Clos du Mesnil 2004 (champagne's oxidative notes match the bone marrow).

Serves: 1 (tasting menu portion)
Prep Time: 48 hours (including curing/aging)
Plate Time: 4 minutes precisely