Lunch: Kumamoto Oysters with Ponzu Granita and Tobiko

Before tasting the oysters served by Tadashi Ono at New York's Matsuri, I was convinced that the best oyster is a naked one. But there is something magical about the way frozen ponzu brings out the sweetness of a plump oyster; add the crunch of tobiko and

Ingredients

1 (1-inch-wide) piece kombu (dried kelp), rinsed
1 cup water
3 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 tablespoons fresh or bottled yuzu juice
1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Bring kombu and water to a simmer in a small saucepan over moderate heat, then remove from heat and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Discard kombu. Transfer 5 tablespoons kombu broth to a bowl along with remaining granita ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. (Reserve remaining broth for another use.)
Pour granita mixture into an 8-inch metal baking pan and freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 20 minutes, until evenly frozen, about 1 hour. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps.

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