The cedar tree is a member of the pine family and like its relatives – firs, hemlocks and spruce – cedar wood retains a delicate evergreen scent. While cedar planks are popular in American cooking, in Japan the planks are shaved into ultra-thin sheets, dried in the sun, and then cut into card-size portions. The transparent and pliable cedar paper is then soaked and wrapped around a hot fish or meat to gently impart its flavor, or burnt in a traditional smoking technique beneath a meat or fish. Burning cedar paper releases a multifaceted woodsy aroma reminiscent of incense and spice. Chef Josh DeChellis, who is known for finding inspiration in Japanese culinary philosophy and ingredients, literally burns the cedar paper-coated tuna cheeks directly on a hot pan. After this initial smoking, DeChellis transfers the cheeks to a Winston CVap Cook and Hold Oven™ to control the cooking while adding nuances of flavor using a steaming bain-marie of more cedar paper in cedar-aged sake. The result is a complex layering of cedar flavor which DeChellis pairs with a cooling kohlrabi, watermelon and radish salad.

Step 1: Grind a sheet of cedar paper with other aromatics
Step 2: Coat meat in the powder
Step 3: Heat a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed frying pan
Step 4: Sear the meat in the pan, burning the layer of cedar powder
Step 5: Finish cooking in the oven above a bain-marie of liquid and cedar paper