Miso-Gochujang Glazed Chilean Sea...Miso-Gochujang Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Ginger-Scallion Emulsion

An exquisite harmony of rich, buttery Chilean sea bass, caramelized umami-rich glaze, vibrant herb oil, and delicate pickled shimeji mushrooms.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the pickled mushrooms: In a small saucepan, gently warm the rice vinegar, superfine sugar, and a pinch of salt until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the warm liquid over the cleaned shimeji mushrooms in a sterile bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to lightly pickle.

2. 02

   Blanch the aromatics for the emulsion: Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath. Submerge the chopped scallions and sliced ginger into the boiling water for 30 seconds to lock in their vibrant green color. Drain immediately and plunge into the ice bath. Once cold, squeeze the greens thoroughly in cheesecloth to extract as much water as possible.

3. 03

   Blend the emulsion: Place the dried scallions, ginger, and 120ml of grapeseed oil into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely liquefied and warm to the touch. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with coffee filter paper or cheesecloth to yield a bright green, crystal-clear herb oil. Season with a pinch of fine sea salt.

4. 04

   Craft the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the white miso, gochujang, mirin, sake, and honey. Whisk continuously for 3-4 minutes until smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the yuzu juice.

5. 05

   Sear the fish: Pat the sea bass fillets completely dry using paper towels. Season lightly with salt on all sides. Heat a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Lay the fish skin-side down and sear for 4 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula to ensure flat contact. Flip and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes.

6. 06

   Glaze and caramelize: Preheat your oven's broiler to high. Brush the top flesh side of each fillet generously with the miso-gochujang glaze. Transfer the oven-safe skillet to the upper rack under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely until the glaze is beautifully bubbled and caramelized with slight char spots.

7. 07

   Plate with precision: Pour a pool of the vibrant green ginger-scallion emulsion onto the center of four shallow bowls. Gently place a glazed sea bass fillet in the center of the oil. Elegantly drape a cluster of pickled shimeji mushrooms on top of the fish, and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted black sesame seeds.