Saikyo Yaki (Miso-Marinated Broiled Fish)

"Selecting ingredients at their peak of seasonal flavor, choosing locally available foods from both the land and the sea, appealing to and engaging all the senses, using a collage of color, employing a variety of food preparations, and assembling an assortment of flavors – a Washoku approach to cooking gives the creative and contemplative cook an opportunity to satisfy his or her own aesthetic hunger while providing sustenance and sensory pleasure to others."

— Elizabeth Andoh, Washoku

Suggested Pairing:
Wakatake Onikoroshi Daiginjo Sake

Optional Side Dishes (recipes in another post):

• Yuzu Fumi Hakusai (Citron-Pickled Chinese Cabbage)
• Hijiki No Nimono (Soy-Braised Hijiki and Carrots)
• Enoki No Miso-Jidate (Miso soup with Enoki Mushrooms)
• Zakkoku Mai (Rice with Mixed Grains)
  

Saikyo Yaki (Miso-Marinated Broiled Fish - 西京焼き)
Serving Size: 4-6 servings

• 1 1/2 pounds fish fillet with skin intact, cut into 4-6 pieces
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups sweet, light miso, preferably Saikyo miso
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1 tbsp. bits of freeze-dried yuzu peel or grated fresh lemon or orange zest (optional)
• Lemon or lime wedges (optional)
• Pink Ginger (optional)

Preparation:

• Rinse the fish pieces under cold running water, and pat them dry.
• To make the marinade, combine the miso, mirin, and yuzu peel, in a nonreactive container, and stir to mix well.
  
• Spread half of the marinade along the bottom of a wide, shallow gratin dish or other baking dish.
  
• Place a single thickness of sarashi cloth lightly into place over the marinade in the dish, so that about half of it is used to cover the marinade and you have enough extra material to enclose the fish in a single layer.
  
• Lay the pieces of the fish on the marinade-moistened cloth, being careful not to overlap the slices.
  
• Fold the extra cloth over the fish pieces to enclose them. Spread the remaining marinade over the top layer of cloth.
  
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the marinating "sandwich" of sliced fish, pressing lightly to ensure even distribution of the marinade.
• Allow the fish to marinate at cool room temperature (no warmer than 75 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 6 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
• After the fish has marinated, to cook, preheat the broiler.
  
• Scrape away the miso marinade and remove the fish from its cloth wrapping.
• Place the fish pieces skin side up on a shallow disposable aluminum pan or on the tray of a broiler pan and place in the broiler about three inches from the heat source.
• Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the skin starts to bubble or char in places
• Then, flip the pieces and broil for another 3-5 minutes. Ideally, the fish will be slightly crusty or golden on the surface, and pink and succulent on the inside.
• Arrange the fish on individual serving plates, accompanied with lemon wedges. If you want a spicier accent, garnish with pink ginger.
  

Preparation Notes:

• Impatient Marinating Method. Place the fish on paper towels and sprinkle both sides liberally with salt. Let stand for 5 minutes or until they begin to sweat. Blot away any excess moisture with paper towels, and follow the directions above for covering the fish with cloth. After creating the marinade, use a pastry brush to paint both sides of the cloth-wrapped fish with the marinade. Allow the fish to marinate at a cool room temperature, no warmer than 75 degrees for at least 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to an hour - the fish will become slippery to touch. (Note: Eek! I didn't notice that there were different measurements for the impatient marinating method...here they are: 1 tsp. coarse salt, 1/3 cup sweet, light miso, preferably Saikyo miso, 2 tbsp. mirin, 1 tbsp. sake, 1 tbsp., freeze-dried yuzu peel, crushed to a powder, or grated fresh lemon or orange zest (optional))
  
• Marinating More Makes a Difference. After marinating, the fish will develop a heady, fermented aroma; turn a golden, translucent color, and become a bit slippery and sticky to the touch. The longer the fish marinates, the firmer and more intensely salty and sweet it will become.
• Sarashi Cloth Substitutions. A single layer of sarashi cloth can be substituted with a double thickness of cheesecloth or surgical gauze.
• Fish Flavor Enhancements. While we'll be using salmon (sake) to reap the benefits of Kirk's big catch up in Alaska, this recipe can be used for other types of fish such as scabbard fish (tachiuo), Spanish mackerel (sawara), and black cod (gindara). Yuzu is an optional ingredient for this recipe, and will make any oily fish more delicate in flavor.
• Grilling Again? If you haven't gotten enough of last month's Gourmet Grill theme, you can also utilize it for this recipe. Because the marinated fish scorches easily, it is best to place the fish skin side down on the grill - cooking times and directions are otherwise the same as the broiler directions above.
  

Recipe Source:
Washoku, by Elizabeth Andoh

Additional Resources:

• Zen and the Art of Cooking [video], Gourmet Magazine
  
• Five Pillars of Japanese Culinary Tradition, Savory Japan
• A Taste of Culture: Washoku Links, Elizabeth Andoh