STRIPED BASS WITH YUZU KOSHO AND WILTED SPINACH

Striped Bass with Yuzu Kosho and Wilted Spinach image

Striped bass takes on savory Asian flavors in this impressive recipe from Michael Cimarusti, head executive chef at Providence.Also try:Black Sea Bass with Matsutake Mushrooms and Rosemary

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

1 (750 mL) bottle sake, preferably Junmai Daiginjo
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mirin
1 1/2 teaspoons yuzu kosho
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
Coarse salt
Zest of 2 yuzu or limes
Yuzu juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
4 (5-ounce) pieces skinless wild striped bass
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground espelette pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bunches spinach, preferably Bloomsdale spinach
Freshly grated yuzu zest, optional

Steps:

Place sake and mirin in a nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced by two thirds. Remove from heat and add yuzu kosho. Using an immersion blender, blend to combine. Cut 1 cup (2 sticks) butter into small cubes and add to saucepan. Using the immersion blender, blend to combine. Season with salt, zest of 1 yuzu, and a few drops of yuzu juice; keep warm and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season fish on both sides with Maldon sea salt and espelette pepper. When butter has melted, add fish to skillet, skin-side down; reduce heat to low and cook, basting with butter and olive oil from skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and add thyme and one garlic clove to skillet; cook, continuing to baste, until fish is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Remove fish from skillet and transfer to a small lightly oiled baking sheet; let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes. Preheat broiler.
Wipe skillet clean with a clean paper towel. Add remaining tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium heat. Insert the tines of a fork into remaining clove of garlic and set aside. Add spinach to skillet and season with salt; cook, stirring with garlic clove attached to fork, until spinach is wilted.
Transfer spinach to a paper-towel-lined plate. Gently reheat fish under a broiler until just heated through. Divide spinach evenly among 4 warmed plates and top each with a piece of fish.
Strain sauce; using an immersion blender, briefly blend sauce to reincorporate. Spoon sauce around fish and top with yuzu zest, if using; serve immediately.