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Oct 13, 2023

Recipes: Worried about cooking fish? These top chefs have answers

Years spent answering readers queries have made me aware that many home cooks

Years spent answering readers queries have made me aware that many home cooks are intimidated by fish cookery. Some find a solution by repeatedly turning to the same one or two fish dishes. Of course there are many that have honed their abilities, consistently searching for new and different ways to showcase fish.

For those with delicious seafood dreams, here are fish-centric recipes that I have learned while cooking in my kitchen with talented chefs. They are dishes that I rely on when entertaining. No cooking is required for the tartare. A quick sear followed by a short time in a hot oven is needed for the seabass. The Red Pepper Relish is a condiment that can deliciously accompany everything from chicken to pork to vegetables. And yes, seabass, too.

First up, Celebrity Chef Michael Mina's irresistible Tartare of Ahi Tuna. It's a dish he perfected decades ago when he opened his first restaurant, Aqua in San Francisco. Now, as the founder of the Mina Group (a restaurant management company), he operates over 30 chef-driven restaurants worldwide.

Instead of the standard beef-centric tartare ingredients, he riffs on the raw theme using sashimi-grade ahi tuna along with roasted chili oil, Asian pears, fresh jalapeños, pine nuts and fresh mint. In his restaurants he serves the dish composed on the plate; the finely diced fish is pressed into a ring mold to leave it in a tidy disk when the mold is removed. A tiny quail egg yolk sits atop the fish and components in orderly piles surround the fish.

For making at home, Mina told me that it would be easier to mix it in one big batch and form the mixture on plates pushing it with the back of a spoon into a triangle or rectangle shape on each plate.

Michael "Mike" Doctulero, executive chef-owner of Mah Jongs by Chef Mike at South Coast Plaza, shared the secrets to his irresistible Sake Kasu Seabass. At the time he was the executive chef at the now shuttered Scott's Restaurant & Bar in Costa Mesa, a post he held for many years.

Doctulero used Chilean seabass fillets in the dish, but other firm-fleshed fish, such as black cod (sablefish), can be substituted; in a pinch I’ve used salmon and it is delicious as well. The fillets marinate in a sake kasu mixture. Sake kasu are the lees (residual yeast) left over from sake production. Once marinated, the fish is beautifully seared and then baked. It is served with sushi rice, sauteed spinach, and a tangy relish. It's an over-the-moon delicious combination of flavors.

Turn on some great music and, if you like, pour a glass of wine. Relax and enjoy the culinary fun. No fish fear.

Yield: 4 servings

1/4 cup sake kasu; see cook's notes

2 cups water

4 (5 to 6 ounces each) Chilean seabass fillets, or other firm-flesh fish fillets

4 cups cooked sushi rice; recipe below

Red Pepper Relish; recipe below

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use

8 cups clean spinach, thick stems removed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook's notes: Sake kasu are the lees (residual yeast) left over from sake production. It is sold at many Asian markets, as well as online sources. If desired, substitute white miso (sold at natural food stores, Japanese markets, and some supermarkets).

1. In a large nonreactive bowl, combine sake kasu and water (you may need to work it in with your hands to dissolve it). Add fish and marinate, covered in refrigerator, 4 to 6 hours.

2. Prepare sushi rice and red pepper relish.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a hot large, deep nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat half of oil on high heat. Remove bass from marinade. Sear both sides of the bass, browning the surface, then bake in preheated oven, 6 to 8 minutes or until just cooked through (time varies depending on thickness of fish).

4. Heat remaining olive oil in large, deep skillet. Add spinach and cook, tossing frequently until leaves are soft and wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Plate spinach and sushi rice on 4 dinner plates. Remove fish from oven; place on plates with sushi rice and spinach. Add about 4 tablespoons of relish on each plate and serve.

Source: Mike Doctulero, executive chef-owner Mah Jongs with Chef Mike, Costa Mesa

Yield: About 2 cups

2 red bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 green or red jalapeño, stem and seeds removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice; see cook's notes

1 cup sugar

1 whole (small) lemon, cut into 4 pieces, seeds removed if present

1 cup water

1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

Cook's notes: Chef Doctulero uses a fresh red Fresno chili; they are bright red and shaped very much like a jalapeño chili. Many supermarkets with large produce sections stock them. If you prefer more spicy heat, increase the amount of jalapeño.

1. Place all ingredients into a large, deep non-stick skillet. Simmer slowly on medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, until mixture reduces to a marmalade consistency, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove lemons.

Source: Mike Doctulero, executive chef-owner Mah Jongs with Chef Mike, Costa Mesa

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 cups raw Japanese sushi rice (such as Nishiki)

Water

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Cook's notes: Be sure to use seasoned rice vinegar rather than plain rice vinegar. Seasoned rice vinegar contains sugar (sometimes corn syrup) and salt.

1. Rinse the sushi rice in a strainer or colander under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain. Place in rice cooker; add water to 1 inch above the top of the rice; cover and cook. Allow it to rest 10 minutes.

2. Transfer rice to a large shallow bowl; using a diagonal slicing motion, gently cut into rice with a wooden paddle (use a shallow wooden spoon if you don't have a paddle). Pour seasoned rice vinegar over top of rice. "Cut" rice with paddle several times to evenly distribute vinegar taking care not to mash or flatten the rice. If you mix too much, the grains can break down and become a bit gluey instead of having the proper sticky texture. Gently turn rice over from time to time with paddle so that rice cools evenly.

Source: Mike Doctulero, executive chef-owner Mah Jongs with Chef Mike, Costa Mesa

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound sashimi grade ahi tuna loin, free of sinew

1 Asian pear; see cook's notes

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame chili oil, divided use

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder, divided use; see cook's notes

1 to 2 green jalapeños, veins and seeds removed, cut into 1/8-inch dice, see cook's notes

1 to 2 red jalapeños (often labeled Fresno chilies), veins and seeds removed, cut into 1/8-inch dice

Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh mint, cut into thin crosswise strips

6 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, cooled; see cook's notes

1 large egg yolk

3/4 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

8 slices country white bread, toasted, crusts removed, each cut into half diagonally

Cook's notes: Asian pears are sold at supermarkets with large produce sections. The variety that is most common is almost spherical and has very light yellowish brown to russet colored skin. They are crunchy like a super crisp apple.

Use caution when working with fresh chilies. Wash work surface thoroughly upon completion and do Not touch eyes or face.

I like to start with 1 green jalapeño and 1 red (Fresno) jalapeño. They vary greatly in their spicy heat; sometimes they are so mild they almost taste like bell peppers. In the final step, I taste the mixture and add more jalapeños if needed.

A little chili powder is dusted onto the plate after the tartare is arranged. Place the powder in a small sieve and shake handle back and forth over plate for a little powder to fall in a fine dust.

To toast pine nuts, place in small skillet on medium heat. Shake skillet handle frequently to redistribute pine nuts, keeping an eye on them because they can burn easily. Toast until golden and remove from skillet. Cool.

1. Put 4 to 6 serving plates in refrigerator to chill. Cut tuna into 1/4-inch cubes and place in medium bowl; cover and chill. Peel, core and cut Asian pear into 1/4-inch dice; place in bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

2. Add chili sesame oil to ahi and toss, starting with 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder and toss. Taste; add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of sesame chili oil if needed to suit your taste (remember that there are more chilies added in next step, and a fine dusting of ancho chili powder as a garnish).

3. Drain pear and pat dry. In large bowl, toss ahi mixture with pear, chilies, mint (reserve some for garnish), pine nuts, egg yolk, garlic, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Divide between 4 to 6 chilled plates, patting mixture into a triangular or rectangular shape using the back of a spoon. Dust very lightly with a little ancho chili powder (see cook's notes). Place toast on each plate, garnish with mint and serve immediately.

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at [email protected]

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