Steamed Wild Seabass with...Steamed Wild Seabass with Clarified Shiitake-Kombu Consommé and Shiso Oil

Delicate wild seabass gently steamed with ginger and kaffir lime, floating in a crystal-clear, umami-rich shiitake-kombu broth, accompanied by charred baby romanesco and finished with a vibrant cold-pressed shiso oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To prepare the shiitake-kombu consommé: In a saucepan, steep dried kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in 800ml filtered water at 65°C for 45 minutes. Add bruised lemongrass and half the sliced ginger, bring to a bare simmer for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine chinois lined with cheesecloth. Season with white soy sauce and keep warm.

2. 02

   To make the shiso oil: Blanch the shiso leaves in boiling salted water for 5 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Squeeze out all excess moisture, blend with the olive oil at high speed for 2 minutes until bright emerald green, and pass through a coffee filter.

3. 03

   Season the seabass fillets lightly with fine sea salt. Top each fillet with shredded kaffir lime and remaining ginger coins. Steam in a perforated bamboo or combi-steam oven at 85°C for 7 to 9 minutes until the core temperature reaches 48°C.

4. 04

   In a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat, quickly char the baby romanesco florets for 90 seconds until tender-crisp with light blister marks. Toss with blanched sea beans.

5. 05

   To plate: Place charred romanesco and sea beans in the center of shallow heated ceramic bowls. Set a steamed seabass fillet atop the vegetables. Dot the fish with finger lime pearls.

6. 06

   Tableside or prior to serving, gently pour the piping hot clarified consommé into the base of the bowl, and finish by splitting the broth with droplets of emerald shiso oil.