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Steamed Halibut with Lemongrass-Kombu...Steamed Halibut with Lemongrass-Kombu Dashi, Shaved Matsutake, and Sea Purslane

Name: Steamed Halibut with Lemongrass-Kombu Dashi, Shaved Matsutake, and Sea Purslane
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Modern Kaiseki
Ingredients: 2 center-cut wild Atlantic halibut fillets (140g each, skinless); 10g dried Rishiri kombu, wiped gently with a damp cloth; 500ml filtered soft spring water; 1 tender inner stalk lemongrass, bruised and sliced; 5g fresh young ginger, peeled and finely sliced; 1 fresh matsutake mushroom (or young king oyster), cleaned and sliced paper-thin on a mandoline; 20g fresh sea purslane (or samphire), blanched for 10 seconds; 50g daikon radish, cut into delicate ribbons or micro-discs; 1 tsp freshly squeezed yuzu juice; 1 tsp artisanal light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu); 1 pinch fleur de sel

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Cuisine

Modern Kaiseki

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

30 mins

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Cook Time

15 mins

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Difficulty

Medium

An ethereal, nutrient-dense masterclass in purity: pristine wild halibut gently steamed over aromatic kelp, bathed in a mineral-rich lemongrass dashi and crowned with paper-thin matsutake mushrooms and crisp sea succulents.

Modern KaisekiMedium

Ingredients

•2 center-cut wild Atlantic halibut fillets (140g each, skinless)

•10g dried Rishiri kombu, wiped gently with a damp cloth

•500ml filtered soft spring water

•1 tender inner stalk lemongrass, bruised and sliced

•5g fresh young ginger, peeled and finely sliced

•1 fresh matsutake mushroom (or young king oyster), cleaned and sliced paper-thin on a mandoline

•20g fresh sea purslane (or samphire), blanched for 10 seconds

•50g daikon radish, cut into delicate ribbons or micro-discs

•1 tsp freshly squeezed yuzu juice

•1 tsp artisanal light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)

•1 pinch fleur de sel

Cooking Instructions

01
Steep the kombu in cold filtered water for 20 minutes, then bring gently to 60°C (140°F) over low heat. Hold for 10 minutes to extract umami without bitterness, then discard the kombu.
02
Add the bruised lemongrass and sliced ginger to the warm broth. Simmer uncovered at a bare tremble for 8 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Stir in the light soy sauce and yuzu juice, keeping the broth warm (around 70°C).
03
Season the halibut fillets lightly with fleur de sel. Set a bamboo steamer over simmering water, line it with a square of soaked parchment or kelp, and steam the fish gently at 85°C for 6 to 7 minutes until the core reaches 48°C (118°F) and flakes delicately.
04
While the fish steams, compress the daikon ribbons with a few drops of yuzu juice and lightly flash-warm the blanched sea purslane in a spoonful of hot broth.
05
To plate, center each halibut fillet in a deep, pre-warmed ceramic bowl. Drape the compressed daikon ribbons and shaved matsutake over the fish. Scatter the vibrant sea purslane around the base.
06
Tableside, pour the crystal-clear, steaming lemongrass-kombu broth around the halibut, allowing the rising steam to release the earthy aromas of the matsutake.

Cooking Reviews

“

The Caprese Salad Skewers recipe was a triumph! I prepared them for a party's barbecue and everyone loved them. The basil was so aromatic, the mozzarella so fresh, and the skewers were the perfect size and an appropriate.

Michael Burns

July 1, 2023