Michelin Star Recipe Design

Dish Name: "Ethereal Abyss" – A Symphony of Land and Sea

Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a poetic exploration of contrast—earth and ocean, smoke and clarity, warmth and chill. It juxtaposes the umami depth of aged beef with the delicate sweetness of sea urchin, bound by a smoky, fermented broth that evokes the primordial essence of both land and sea. The dish is designed to evoke the sensation of standing at the edge of a volcanic coastline, where the heat of the earth meets the cool embrace of the tide.

Components:

1. 48-Hour Dry-Aged Wagyu Beef Tartare (with fermented barley miso and smoked bone marrow gelée)
2. Hokkaido Uni (Sea Urchin) Mousse (with yuzu-infused crème fraîche)
3. Charred Leek Ash & Black Garlic Purée (for earthy depth)
4. Smoked Dashi Consommé (clarified with agar-agar, infused with lapsang souchong tea)
5. Crispy Buckwheat Tuile (for texture contrast)
6. Edible "Sea Foam" (made from kombu and sake lees)
7. Microgreens & Foraged Herbs (sea aster, oxalis, and bronze fennel)

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Detailed Instructions:

1. 48-Hour Dry-Aged Wagyu Beef Tartare

Ingredients:

• 200g A5 Wagyu beef (trimmed of excess fat, dry-aged in a controlled environment)
• 10g fermented barley miso (house-made or sourced from a Japanese specialty producer)
• 5g smoked bone marrow gelée (rendered bone marrow, smoked with cherry wood, set with agar)
• 3g finely grated wasabi root
• 1g grated Perigord black truffle
• Maldon sea salt, to taste

Method:

1. Dry-age the Wagyu beef in a temperature-controlled chamber (3°C, 75% humidity) for 48 hours to intensify flavor.
2. Hand-chop the beef with a santoku knife to maintain texture.
3. Gently fold in the fermented barley miso, smoked bone marrow gelée, wasabi, and truffle.
4. Season lightly with Maldon salt and keep chilled until plating.

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2. Hokkaido Uni Mousse

Ingredients:

• 50g fresh Hokkaido uni (sea urchin)
• 30g crème fraîche (infused with yuzu zest for 24 hours)
• 2g agar-agar (for stabilization)
• 1g white soy sauce

Method:

1. Pass the uni through a fine tamis to create a smooth purée.
2. Whip the yuzu-infused crème fraîche to soft peaks.
3. Bloom the agar-agar in cold water, melt gently, and fold into the uni purée.
4. Fold in the crème fraîche and white soy sauce.
5. Pipe into a spherical mold and chill until set.

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3. Charred Leek Ash & Black Garlic Purée

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks (charred over binchotan until blackened)
• 10g black garlic (fermented for 30 days)
• 5g xanthan gum (for stability)
• 10g cultured butter

Method:

1. Char the leeks completely, then dehydrate at 60°C for 12 hours.
2. Grind into a fine ash using a spice grinder.
3. Blend black garlic with butter and xanthan gum until silky.
4. Reserve leek ash for garnish.

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4. Smoked Dashi Consommé

Ingredients:

• 1L kombu dashi (first extraction, cold-brewed)
• 5g lapsang souchong tea (smoked over oak)
• 2g agar-agar (for clarification)

Method:

1. Infuse the dashi with lapsang souchong tea at 60°C for 2 hours.
2. Clarify using agar-agar: dissolve agar in hot dashi, chill, then strain through cheesecloth.
3. Smoke the clarified consommé lightly with applewood before serving.

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5. Crispy Buckwheat Tuile

Ingredients:

• 50g buckwheat flour
• 20g butter
• 10g honey
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. Mix ingredients into a thin batter, spread on a Silpat, and bake at 160°C until golden.
2. Shape immediately into delicate shards while warm.

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Plating & Presentation:

1. Base Layer: Smear the black garlic purée in a fluid motion across a custom ceramic plate (glazed with volcanic ash for texture).
2. Protein: Place a quenelle of the Wagyu tartare slightly off-center.
3. Uni Mousse: Position the uni sphere adjacent to the tartare, creating a visual dialogue between land and sea.
4. Consommé: Pour the smoked dashi tableside from a heated porcelain pitcher, allowing it to pool around the components.
5. Garnishes: Dust with leek ash, place the buckwheat tuile at an angle, and add microgreens for freshness.
6. Final Touch: Use a pipette to add dots of sea foam around the plate.

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Sourcing Notes:

• Hokkaido Uni: Must be sourced from a trusted supplier (e.g., Kyoto Fish Market) for peak freshness.
• Fermented Barley Miso: Can be made in-house or sourced from Mitsua Foods.
• Lapsang Souchong Tea: Mariage Frères offers a high-quality smoked variety.

Why This Dish Deserves 3 Stars:

• Unusual Pairing: The marriage of aged beef and sea urchin is unexpected yet harmonious.
• Advanced Techniques: Dry-aging, agar clarification, and smoking consommé require precision.
• Sensory Journey: The dish evolves from smoky and earthy to bright and oceanic.
• Artistry: The plating resembles an abstract seascape, with each element purposefully placed.

This dish is not just a meal—it’s an experience, a fleeting moment of culinary transcendence.