Kram,

I ordered a few pounds of butterfish from Alaska, and was planning on some what replicating the good stuff you got us at Kabuki.

So, I was planning on marinating the fish in miso in a ziplock, then according to some recipe, 350 degrees in the oven for 25 minutes since the fish flesh is very delicate.

I might or might not add Taiwanese rice wine into the miso marinate.

I figure I would post instead of PM so other people who like grilled butterfish with miso can chime in.

 

according to the owner at kabuki, they only use mirin and soy to marinate the fish. there is no miso involved.

if you like the miso flavor, mix it with some sake and a pinch of sugar. i have used this marinade successfully with chilean sea bass.

the last alternative, if you want something really authentic, is to do it kasuzuke style. kasu is the mash that is left behind after they press the rice to make sake. this was my favorite preparation as a child and is still so today. i have to warn you that this preparation is pugent and a little on the salty side. the fish is meant to be eaten in smaller quantities with a lot of rice.

finally, i have never done this in an oven. i like to use a cast iron skillet on medium heat. depending on how thick you slice the fish, it shouldn't take more than a few minutes on each side.

 

Kram,

The marinade was a success!

The Alaskan butter fish marinated in miso pate, water, Taiwanese rice wine, and a pinch of sugar for 24 hours turned out really nicely cooked 5 minutes on each side in an iron skillet.

Does this recipe work on salmon texture kind of fish?

We particularly like the white king salmon which we get from Alaska, but aren't sure if the texture is compatible with this type of cooking.

The Seattle Times: Pacific Northwest Magazine

Fresh Salmon, Order Alaska Salmon, Buy King Salmon

 

i think it works w/ butterfish/sea bass/black cod b/c the fish is so rich and the miso does a great job of cutting it (and the sugar complements the fish); i'm not convinced it would work w/ salmon.

however, give it a whirl - the only way to really know.


not really related but i've discovered the magic formula for perfect pork chops - fill a bowl w/ milk, rosemary, a few tablespoons of salt, double that number of tablespoons of sugar - let it sit for 2-3 days. you'll never have a dry pork chop again.

- chuck

 

andy, you can use salmon, but cooking it is a little trickier. since salmon doesn't have the same oil content, if you overcook it by 30 seconds it could become dry on the inside. just keep a close eye on the fish and err on the side of rare.

 

My problem with Salmon cooking has been to use the skin side down receipe in the oven, it is totally inconsistent.

Since I have started skinning the fish and using the cast iron as you suggested, I have had much better results.

How long do you leave the fish out to sort of warming up to the room temperature? I have found that too short of a time and your fish bleeds water and makes for inconsistent cooking. I haven't gotten sick from leaving it out for 1 hour before cooking.

Oh, and you really should try the white king salmon.