Casson Trenor
This sushi recipe uses sustainable sablefish in place of traditional (and unsustainable) freshwater eel.

Faux-Nagi

By Casson Trenor

Serves 8 People

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs. sablefish fillet

1 large sheet konbu (kelp)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. mirin

1 handful katsuobushi (skipjack flakes)

potato starch

sesame seeds

extra sake

extra water

steamed rice

 

DIRECTIONS:

• Dust both sides of the sablefish with sea salt. Cover the fillets in plastic wrap and transfer to fridge. Let sit 15-20 min.
• Wash salt off of fillets with cold water. Blot dry.
• Tear konbu into fillet size pieces. Wet paper towel with sake and moisten konbu. Sandwich sablefish between pieces of konbu. Cover fillet in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-40 min. Remove konbu and return fillet to fridge.
• Mix soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and katsuobushi with 1 1/2 tbsp of sake, and 1 1/2 tbsp water in saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 10 min.
• Drain and remove katsuobushi and set sauce aside.
• In small bowl, combine 8 tbsp. cold water with 2 tbsp. potato starch. Return the soy/mirin sauce to a boil then lower heat to simmer. Add potato starch gradually to sauce until desired consistency is reached. Remove and let cool.
• Slice sablefish into 1 in by 2 in pieces.
• Lightly char one side of fish with small butane torch or sear in hot saucepan briefly.
• Top fish with drizzle of sauce and sesame seeds.
• Serve slices over hot steamed rice.

Photo by Alpha, via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons License