Tomato Shio Ramen

Ramen Noodles, Kombu-Cured Scallops, Roasted Tomatoes, Seared Asparagus, Tomato Dashi, Shio Tare, Ajitama, Pickled Red Onions, Basil Oil, Scallion Oil

Chef Tillman Gressitt of Fox Den Izakaya | Nashville, TN

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Adapted by StarChefs  |  July 2026  |  Photo: Alexander Zeren

INGREDIENTS

Tomato Dashi:
2.3 kilograms Roma tomatoes, quartered
Kosher salt
150 grams rishiri kombu
100 grams honkarebushi

Kombu-Cured Scallops:
Ma kombu, rinsed
12 U12 Hokkaido scallops
Kosher salt
Granulated sugar

Pickled Red Onions:
1 red onion, finely julienned
2 cups white vinegar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Ajitama:
Eggs
Shiro tamari
Soy sauce
Mirin
Granulated sugar
MSG

Basil Oil:
100 grams basil leaves
350 grams neutral oil

Scallion Oil:
300 grams neutral oil
100 grams scallion greens
50 grams scallion whites

Garlic Oil:
500 grams neutral oil
250 grams garlic

Roasted Tomatoes:
Roma tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Seared Asparagus:
Asparagus
Butter
Kosher salt
Sansho pepper

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
130 grams ramen noodles
30 milliliters shio tare
Sansho pepper
Ground black pepper

METHOD

For the Tomato Dashi:
In a food processor, add tomatoes. Season with salt. Blend 30 seconds. Pass through a cheesecloth, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible from tomatoes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

For the Kombu-Cured Scallops:
Place kombu on a sheet tray. Top with scallops. Lightly season with salt and sugar. Refrigerate 24 hours.

For the Pickled Red Onions:
Place onions in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining ingredients and 1 cup water to a boil. Pour over onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the Ajitama:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add eggs and boil 7 minutes. Immediately shock eggs in ice water. Peel eggs and transfer to a nonreactive container. Cover with enough water to barely submerge. Weigh mixture and stir in five-percent shiro tamari, five-percent soy sauce, five-percent mirin, two-percent sugar, and one-percent MSG by weight of eggs and water. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Basil Oil:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add basil leaves and blanch 30 seconds. Immediately shock in ice bath. Transfer blanched basil to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Add oil and blend 1 minute on high speed. Transfer mixture to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When basil solids start to clump, strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Green Onion Oil:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, combine all ingredients. Blend 2 minutes on high speed. Transfer to a stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Once oil and solids begin to separate, strain and let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Garlic Oil:
In a pot over medium heat, bring oil and garlic to a boil. Cook until garlic is soft. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain, reserving oil and confit garlic separately.  Transfer confit garlic to a Vitamix Commercial blend and purée until smooth. Transfer oil and blended garlic to separate containers and refrigerate.

For the Roasted Tomatoes:
Heat oven to 475°F. Place tomatoes on a greased sheet tray. Brush with reserved Garlic Oil confit garlic paste. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast 10 minutes. Broil 5 minutes, or until tops of the tomatoes have just started to brown. Set aside.

For the Seared Asparagus:
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine asparagus and butter. Sear until asparagus is fork-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until soft. Drain and shock in cold water. Set aside. In a serving bowl, combine shio tare and 15 milliliters Garlic Oil. Season with sansho pepper and black pepper. Pour Tomato Dashi over top. Stir in cooked ramen noodles. Top with desired amount Ajitama, Kombu-Cured Scallops, Roasted Tomatoes, Pickled Red Onions, and Seared Asparagus. Finish with drizzle Basil Oil and Scallion Oil.

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