Miso Sea Bass & Radish Pesto Rice

A bright and fresh Radish Pesto Rice dish, made with seasonal produce and paired with a lovely Miso Marinated Sea Bass

My new found way of life includes attempting to cook with as many seasonal ingredients as possible.

Summer is LIKELY the easiest time of year to start this resolution.

Will it carry over into the winter? Unlikely.

But, every time I go to the store and I’m faced with all these fresh ingredients, I go a little overboard.
This dish was a great way to include various things I had in my fridge in a fun, bright and fresh way.

Miso Marinated Sea Bass with a Radish Pesto Rice

Miso Marination is super easy and can turn any fish delicious— not just Black Cod, which is what you might typically see it used on. In fact, it works extremely well with chicken too, if fish is not your vibe.

You can achieve it with a simple 1:1:1 ratio of sake, mirin and miso paste (with a touch of sugar to balance it out).
This works best if the meat is left overnight to absorb all that delicious flavour. So keep that in mind in terms of timing.

Let's make it!

Recipe:

Serves 1-2 people

Special Equipment:

• gas burner

• claypot or donabe

• baking tray

• aluminum foil

• oven broiler

• BBQ lighter

Miso Marinated Sea Bass

• 30ml sake

• 30ml mirin

• 2 tbsp sugar or monkfruit sweetener

• 30g sweet white miso paste

  • 1-2 filets sea bass (sub cod, salmon, chicken thighs, etc.)

In a small saucepan, add the sake, mirin and sugar. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Using a BBQ or cigarette lighter, carefully flambé the mixture to burn off the alcohol. Shake the pan a little to help it along. Wait until the fire goes out and then take it off the heat.

Prepare a larger bowl filled with ice, and place a smaller heat proof bowl inside, resting it atop the ice. Add your miso paste to the smaller bowl and pour the sake/mirin/sugar mixture in. This double bowl ice situation will help cool the mixture faster!

Whisk to combine and break up any lumps.

Prepare your fish by patting it dry with a paper towel. Add them to a container or Glasslock.

Pour your cooled miso marinade over the filets. Turn them over to coat them in the marinade on all sides.
Place a paper towel on top to allow the marinade to make full contact with the fish.

Cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight.

To cook: Just before serving, (once your rice has finished cooking: see below!), preheat your oven at the Broil setting—500 degrees, using the top broiler.

On a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and brushed with oil, place your marinated filets. Remove any excess marinade on top and discard.

Place the tray under the broiler for 6-8 minutes. The fish will get golden and crispy on the sides. It should flake easily when done.

Radish Top Pesto Mixed Rice

• ½ cup short grain white rice

• ½ cup kombu dashi

• 3 asparagus spears, thinly sliced

• 3 tbsp homemade radish top pesto (recipe coming soon!)

• 1-2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Cut your asparagus into small pieces, like how you would a green onion! Set aside.

Prepare the rice by rinsing in water until the water runs clear. About 5-6 rinses. Soak the rice for 20 minutes prior to cooking.

Place a small pot (claypot or donabe) over a gas burner. Add your drained, pre-soaked rice to the pot.

Attn: It is important not to shock your ceramic ware by changing the temperature drastically. Always start at a low flame.

Add the kombu dashi and turn on the burner, adjust the flame. Bring the water to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the flame to low. Cook the rice for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat/ flame, and let it sit, covered for another 10-12 minutes and allow it to steam.

After 10 minutes of resting, uncover the rice. Add your sliced asparagus and pesto.

Use a rice paddle to mix everything together so that each granule is covered in that lovely green sauce.

Optional next step: Place the lid back over the donabe.
Drizzle 1-2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil around the rim of the donabe. The oil will drip down the insides of the pot and into the rice. This helps to achieve a crispier & tastier bottom.

Let the rice toast over a low flame for 3-4 mins and then remove from the heat and place on a trivet.

Soy Black Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp black vinegar

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 ½ tbsp rice syrup or honey

In a small bowl, combine all of the above ingredients: black vinegar, soy sauce and sweetner of choice. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

To Plate:

• 1 red radish, thinly sliced (optional)

• 1 tbsp toasted pinenuts (optional)

• 2-3 sprigs sorrel (optional)

• whole grain mustard (optional)

• miso marinated sea bass

• 2 tbsp Black Soy Vinaigrette

Using a mandolin, thinly slice your washed and scrubbed red radish. Place in a bowl of ice cold water until ready to use.

Uncover the mixed pesto rice. Place 1 or both of your broiled Miso Sea Bass filets on top of the rice.

Top with a couple dollops of whole grain mustard. Scatter the toasted pine nuts, sorrel and thinly sliced radish around the bowl— or do it artfully, up to you! Drizzle with your Black Soy Vinaigrette.

This is best served unmixed, but rather, spooned out of the donabe and served in a separate bowl. Make sure to scrape some of that lovely toasted crispy rice from the bottom of the pot for the ultimate textural experience!

As always, enjoy!