Miso-Glazed Seabass with Crispy Rice from Private Chefs of Beverly Hills

A previously unpublished recipe from Teenage Tasteland, aka The Episode Where Children Made Me Cry. But there's nothing sad about this seabass, which can be served with or without the crispy rice cakes. With is better if you're serving it as an appetizer, without is better as an entree, perhaps with some sauteed bok choy and a little brown rice. Enjoy!

Miso-Glazed Seabass with Crispy Rice

Miso-Glazed Seabass
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup yellow miso
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
4 sea bass fillets, approximately 5-6 oz each (black cod can be substituted)
2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped

Mix sake, mirin, miso, brown sugar and soy sauce in a shallow baking dish and add fish, turning to coat.

Cover and marinate at least two and up to six hours.

Preheat broiler.

Broil fish until top is caramelized, fish is firm to the touch and flakes easily, about 7-8 minutes depending on thickness of fish.

Remove from oven and place on serving platter.

Transfer any marinating liquid to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Allow to reduce slightly, about two minutes, and pour over fish.

Sprinkle with green onions and pickled ginger and serve immediately, or, if placing on crispy rice cakes, flake fish into large chunks and set aside while preparing rice.


Crispy Rice Cakes

2 1/2 cups cooked sushi rice (if unfamiliar with how to prepare sushi rice, ask nicely at your local sushi restaurant and they’ll usually sell it to you)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Spread rice on a large piece of plastic wrap. Lightly wet your hands and press rice down until you have a rectangular sheet of rice approximately a 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Cover with plastic wrap and press down on rice with a large, firm object like a cutting board.

Unwrap and cut rice into 20 equal pieces, each about 3 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add sesame oil. When oil-butter mixture is hot, add rice cakes and sauté until crispy and golden brown.

Top with seabass, scallions and pickled ginger and serve.