Fine Dining Redefined: Japanese Kaiseki
Japanese Kaiseki
Created by Chef Michael Acero
Originally from the Philippines, where the cuisine is heavily moulded by foreign influences such as Spanish, Chinese, Malaysian, and Japanese, Michael was drawn to the restaurant world by finding the artistic expression in cooking. For over 15 years, Michael sharpened his skills in French, Italian, and Spanish restaurants, but his palette was always drawn to the umami flavours found in Japanese cuisine. Michael now leads the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine at Miku, a renowned Toronto Japanese Restaurant.
KABAYAKI GLAZED OCTOPUS
INGREDIENTS
2–3 kg octopus
WASABI AIOLI
260 g mayonnaise
48 g wasabi paste
30 g soy sauce
WASABI SALSA VERDE
30 ml sherry vinegar
20 g finely diced shallots
5 ml fish sauce
5 ml soy
10 g wasabi pickles
50 ml olive oil
30 g chopped cilantro
SALTED MINI POTATOES
10 pieces baby new potatoes (parboil)
100 ml water
1 tbsp salt
DULSE CHIPS
30 g dulse
Canola oil for frying
Salt to taste
KABAYAKI GLAZE
60 ml soy sauce
60 ml mirin
25 ml sake
35 g sugar
DIRECTIONS
OCTOPUS
Vacuum pack octopus and sous-vide at 76.7° C for 4 hours. Cool down in an ice bath.
Remove from bag and scrape outer skin of octopus and rinse in running water. Portion tentacles.
WASABI AIOLI
Whisk and combine all ingredients.
WASABI SALSA VERDE
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and transfer into a squeeze bottle.
SALTED MINI POTATOES
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid. Continuously
move the pot to evenly coat potatoes. Reduce until there is about a tablespoon of water left in the pot. Remove potatoes and place on a wire rack to cool down and crystallize.
DULSE CHIPS
Separate dry dulse sheets as much as possible. Fry at 350° F until crispy, and season with salt. Drain excess oil on paper-towel-lined sheet pan.
KABAYAKI GLAZE
Combine sake and mirin in a saucepan and quickly bring to a boil with the Jenn-Air® Induction Downdraft Cooktop to burn off all the alcohol. Add sugar and stir to completely dissolve. Add the soy sauce, quickly bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
GARNISH
Sea asparagus (pickled or compressed under vacuum)
Salted green tosaka nori (place in a bowl with a colander and rinse under cold water)
Salted red tosaka nori (place in a bowl with a colander and rinse under cold water)
Wakame dried (rehydrate in cold water)
Pea tendrils
TO FINISH PLATE
Reheat the portioned octopus tentacles with the Jenn-Air® Induction Downdraft Cooktop by adding to a pan of kabayaki glaze. Gently reduce until glaze thickens. Remove from the pan on to a wire rack and flame sear (or use a broiler). Slice octopus into three pieces. Alternately place wakame and tosaka on the right of the plate, then place octopus on a bed of seaweed in a line. Add three salted potatoes in the centre beside the octopus. Dot the plate with wasabi aioli in a triangular format, starting from the top of the octopus, then the bottom and side. Start with a small dot then large, six in total. Top octopus with wasabi salsa verde and drizzle more kabayaki glaze. Finish by garnishing with pea tendrils and sea cucumber.
Assemble and plate ingredients.
Pair with Dassai 50 sake.
WAGYU SHABU SHABU
INGREDIENTS
Wagyu Rolls Short rib 4-mm cut (Check Asian market/butcher and keep frozen to hold shape)
Vegetables (use a variety of vegetables in season and portion vegetables by slicing into smaller pieces)
Enoki mushrooms
King oyster mushrooms
Pattypan squash
Carrots
Daikon
Cippolini onions
Rapini
Baby spinach
SAIKYO DASHI
3 g dried kombu (dried kelp)
120 g katsuobushi bonito flakes (set aside 20 g)
6.5 l water
2.5 l soy
40 g sugar
50 ml mirin
PONZU
500 ml soy sauce
500 ml daidaizu (citrus vinegar)
15 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
20 g sugar
SESAME SAUCE (GOMA DARE)
100 g roasted sesame seeds (or sub tahini)
50 g sugar
50 ml soy sauce
50 ml water
100 ml ponzu
DIRECTIONS
SAIKYO DASHI
In a large pot, combine the water and kombu and bring to a boil with the Jenn-Air® Induction Downdraft Cooktop. Turn off heat. Add the bonito flakes and let steep for 20 minutes. Bring back to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and cool down. In a separate pot add the mirin and bring to a boil and burn off the alcohol, add the soy sauce and sugar and mix well. Add the remaining bonito flakes and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture and cool. Combine the soy mixture with the dashi to finish.
PONZU
Method: Combine soy sauce, daidaizu, and sugar. Mix well. Add bonito flakes and let it steep overnight. Strain the mixture and set aside.
SESAME SAUCE (GOMA DARE)
Ground sesame with sugar in a high-powered blender. Add the soy sauce and water and blend until mixture is thick in consistency. Add the ponzu to finish.
TO FINISH PLATE
Arrange the trimmed vegetables on a bowl or plate. Remove the wagyu rolls from freezer and hold in the Jenn-Air® Refrigerator prior to serving. It is recommended to store the wagyu rolls in the Advanced Climate Control Drawers, available in several models, which provides temperature control for sensitive ingredients like meats, produce, and cheese. In a large pot, bring the saikyo dashi to a rolling boil with the Jenn-Air® Induction Downdraft Cooktop. Transfer broth by ladling it into a ‘nabe’ or a hot pot vessel, and heat tableside using a chafing fuel gel or a portable burner. Place uncooked wagyu rolls, vegetables, and the two sauces on the table and enjoy.
YUZU CRÈME FRAICHE SORBET
INGREDIENTS
500 ml crème fraiche
180 g corn syrup
60 g yuzu juice
60 g sugar
2 pinches of salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Place in an ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes. Transfer to a container, cover and freeze.
TO FINISH PLATE
Remove sorbet from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften before serving. Garnish with either fresh fruits, or roasted plums and some fresh herbs such as mint or amaranth.
