Sake-Miso Marinated Alaskan Butterfish

Wasabi Oil, Soy Syrup and Vegetarian Soba Noodle Sushi

recipe by Ming Tsai

Serves 4

Sake-Miso Marinated Alaskan Butterfish
1 cup light miso (shiro-miso)
1/2 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/2 cup sake
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 5 x 3-inch Alaskan Butterfish (cut from fillet, about 7 ounces each) – or substitute any fish fillet of your choice)

In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine the miso, mirin, sake, ginger, grapeseed oil and sugar and stir to blend. Add the butterfish, turn to coat and marinate, covered and refrigerated, overnight, or at least 8-12 hours.

Prepare an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler. Wipe the marinade from the fish and season it with pepper to taste. Grill or broil the fish, turning it once, until just cooked through 10-12 minutes.

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Vegetarian Soba Noodle Sushi

recipe by Ming Tsai

Serves 4

1/2 pound dried soba noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions, green parts only
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Wasabi Oil *, plus additional for drizzling
4 tablespoons chopped pickled ginger (gari)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sheets toasted nori
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
10 ounces Wakame (seaweed) salad
Bamboo Sushi rolling mat
Freshly ground black pepper
Soy Syrup* for drizzling
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

To make the sushi, bring a large quantity of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with water and add ice. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until slightly softer than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer the noodles to the ice water. When cold, drain well. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, cilantro, scallions, soy sauce, chopped ginger, vinegar, wasabi oil and 2 tablespoons of the pickled ginger and toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Have a small bowl of water handy. Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on the rolling mat with a long edge towards you. Evenly spread a 1/4-inch layer of the noodles mixture on the bottom half of the nori and top the upper third of the mixture with 3 to 4 strips of cucumber and 2 pieces of each of the peppers. To roll, lift the mat, compressing it against the filling as you roll the bottom edge in on itself. Continue rolling toward the top edge until only 1/4-inch of the nori remains unrolled. Moisten a finger and wet the edge of the nori. Press the mat to seal the roll. Allow the roll to rest, seam side down, for 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining nori and filling ingredients. Cover the rolls lightly with plastic wrap and set aside.

When ready to serve, cut each roll into 5 pieces, 3 straight across and 2 diagonally.

Divide the sushi pieces among 4 plates. Add a small mound of the salad, if using to each and top each with a piece of the Sake-Miso Fish. Drizzle over the soy syrup and wasabi oil (see recipes below), garnish with the sesame seeds and remaining pickled ginger.

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Wasabi Oil

recipe by Ming Tsai

Makes about 1 cup (keep remaining in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks)

1/2 cup wasabi powder
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet sake)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil

In a small stainless-steel bowl, combine the wasabi powder, mirin and sugar and whisk to blend. Add a little less than 1/2 cup of water gradually, whisking, until a pancake batter-like puree is formed. Whisk in the oil. Let stand for 10 minutes before using.

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Soy Syrup

recipe by Ming Tsai

Makes 2 cups (keep remaining in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks – it’s great drizzled on steamed vegetables too!)

2 cups soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime

In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar and lime juice. Bring to a boil slowly over medium heat, turn down the heat and reduce the mixture by three-fourths or until syrupy, about 30 minutes. Strain, cool and use.