Simmered dish as shiizakana

This warming dish, whose great taste relies on the subtle balance of its different elements, is a fantastic way to eat ise ebi (spiny lobster). Lobster meat is coated in egg yolk, then quickly fried at a low heat so that the meat is still perfectly succulent. This is then immersed in a miso stock, a Japanese take on the French bisque, with white miso replacing cream to soften the sharp tones of the shellfish. To make this, the lobster bodies and shells are cooked in sake to give a rich lobster stock that is nonetheless free from fishy smells. This is then strained and combined with dashi, and finished off with some sweet, white miso paste. The dish is served with a garnish made from the quintessential Kyoto winter vegetable, the shogoin turnip, a kind of turnip which is grown to about 5 kg, especially in Shogoin temple, Kyoto. The turnip is boiled with ichiban dashi and bonito flakes for flavour enhancement, and, in fact, this garnish is just as important as the other elements, providing a light refreshment which cuts through the richness of the others. All in all, this is a luxurious winter dish that warms the body and soul.