How to Cook Fish the Way Restaurants Do

sea bass

🥗Healthier: cod

💰Cheaper: tilapia

Cod is lower in calories and tilapia is more budget-friendly.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and margarine is often less expensive.

white wine

🥗Healthier: chicken broth

💰Cheaper: apple cider vinegar

Chicken broth adds flavor without alcohol, and vinegar is cheaper.

capers

🥗Healthier: green olives

💰Cheaper: pickles

Green olives provide a similar briny flavor and pickles are more affordable.

Cut the sea bass into individual portions and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Coat the fish liberally with salt and refrigerate until needed.

In a medium saucepan, bring 500 ml of water to a boil and add 1 sheet of kombu, then remove the kombu once boiling to avoid bitterness.

Add 2 tablespoons of katsuobushi to the boiling water and turn off the heat, letting it steep for 5 minutes.

Strain the mixture to obtain dashi stock.

In the same pot over medium heat, melt 15 grams of butter, then add a halved shallot and a halved leek, cut side down, and sauté until browned.

Deglaze the pot with 125 ml of dry sake, scraping up the browned bits.

Add back the dashi, 15 ml of mirin, and 15 ml of dark soy sauce, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.

In a large pot, bring a couple liters of water to a boil and blanch 1 bunch of asparagus for about 5 minutes, then plunge into an ice bath.

In a blender, puree the blanched asparagus with 10 grams of salt, 60 grams of butter, and the juice from 1 lime until smooth, optionally adding 100 ml of dashi to thin it out.

Strain a couple tablespoons of miso into the dashi mixture, then strain out the shallot and leek.

Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the dashi mixture, mix thoroughly, and return to the pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove the fish from the fridge, pat off moisture, and season with salt.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 60 grams of butter until it stops foaming, then place the fish skin side down and let it crisp for about 2 minutes.

Flip the fish and transfer it to a preheated oven at 200°C for about 8 minutes to ensure it is cooked through.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens