Winter Melon Simmered to Absorb the Broth

I developed this dish using in-season autumn ingredients, aiming to reduce the number of steps while still giving guests an impression through aroma and sound. In Japanese cuisine there is a great deal of washing-up, and I feel this is an issue that lengthens working hours. With manpower also limited, when I thought about how to make operations more efficient while still creating value, I realized that precisely because the ingredients are in season, an efficient process and guest satisfaction can go hand in hand.
This is a simmered dish. For Winter Melon Simmered to Absorb the Broth, winter melon is the only ingredient used here in its nagori, last-of-the-season, stage, though many people still use winter melon even in early autumn. Since the crisp texture and umami of the fried dried scallop bring out the chilled winter melon, the key point is to pile the fried dried scallop generously on top. Because the winter melon is in its nagori stage, I added the rich umami of shellfish to it as well. I also think this pairs well with steamed matsutake added alongside.