Wild Black Bass in...Wild Black Bass in Roasted Kelp and Shiso Broth with Compressed Turnips

An ethereal Michelin-caliber harmony of clean maritime flavors featuring line-caught bass gently steamed over cedar and kombu, nestled in a ginger-perfumed green tea dashi with citrus-compressed Tokyo turnips.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Submerge kombu in 800ml of filtered water at 60°C (140°F) for 45 minutes to draw out deep umami without extracting bitterness. Strain and reserve the infused stock.

2. 02

   Mandoline two of the turnips into paper-thin discs. In a vacuum seal bag or small bowl, compress the discs with 1 tbsp of yuzu juice and a pinch of fleur de sel. Quarter the remaining two turnips and lightly blister the cut edges with a culinary torch.

3. 03

   Heat the kombu broth to 75°C (167°F), turn off the flame, and steep the green tea leaves for exactly 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh chinois, then stir in micro-planed ginger juice and the remaining yuzu juice.

4. 04

   Season the bass fillets lightly with fleur de sel. Place inside a bamboo steamer lined with shiso leaves over gently simmering water. Steam gently for 5 to 6 minutes until the core reaches 48°C (118°F) and flakes delicately.

5. 05

   Quickly blanch the sea purslane in boiling water for 15 seconds, shocking immediately in ice water to lock in mineral vitality and vibrant color.

6. 06

   To plate, arrange the shingled compressed turnip discs and charred turnip wedges in shallow heated bowls. Place a steamed bass fillet alongside, crown with sea purslane and turnip shoots, finish with three drops of sesame oil, and pour the piping-hot tea-kombu broth tableside.