Simmered Kinmedai (金目鯛の煮付け, Kinmedai no Nitsuke)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide shallow simmering pan or deep skillet
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment with a small center hole
• •Two wide fish spatulas
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with cloth for dashi

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat. Pull the konbu just before the water boils, when small bubbles climb the sides of the pot. Add the katsuobushi, take the pot off the heat, and let the flakes sink for two minutes. Strain without squeezing. Boiled konbu turns the stock bitter, and squeezed flakes cloud it with harshness.

   This dashi is not the loud part of the dish. It gives the simmering broth a clean base so the soy and sweetness don't taste flat.
2. 2

   Prepare the fish

   Rinse the fish quickly under cold running water, especially inside the belly and around the gills, then pat it very dry. Wash it twice, wash it thrice, if the cavity asks for it. Score the thickest side with two shallow diagonal cuts down to the bone. The cuts let heat and seasoning enter evenly without tearing the skin apart.

3. 3

   Set the broth

   Choose a wide shallow pan that fits the fish snugly without bending it. Combine 1 1/2 cups dashi, sake, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and ginger, then bring to a lively simmer. Taste a spoonful. It should be stronger, saltier, and sweeter than soup because it has only a short time to season a whole fish.

4. 4

   Add the fish

   Slide the kinmedai into the simmering broth, presentation side up. Do not start in cold liquid, or the proteins tighten slowly and the skin is more likely to stick and tear. Spoon the hot broth over the top for the first minute so the surface firms cleanly.

5. 5

   Cover and baste

   Lay an otoshibuta, a wooden drop-lid, directly on the fish, or use a circle of parchment with a small hole in the center. Keep the broth at a steady simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, lifting the lid now and then to spoon broth over the scored flesh. The drop-lid keeps the liquid moving over the fish without the rough work of stirring.

   Never flip the fish. Basting seasons the top while keeping the red skin whole, which is both technique and presentation in the same motion.
6. 6

   Glaze the surface

   Add the naganegi or scallions for the last 4 minutes. When the thickest part of the fish just flakes from the bone, remove the drop-lid and simmer briefly while spooning the broth over the skin until it looks glossy and lacquered. Stop there. Overcooked kinmedai loses the softness that made it worth buying.

7. 7

   Plate and serve

   Use two wide spatulas to lift the fish onto a shallow platter. Spoon a modest amount of broth around and over it, then set the ginger, softened scallion, and a few threads of yuzu peel near the head. Serve at once with rice. The broth is strong, so it is a seasoning for the fish and rice, not a soup.

Chef Tips

• •Ask the fishmonger for kinmedai with clear eyes, bright red skin, firm flesh, and a clean sea smell. If the fish looks tired, change the dish. No sauce will make an old fish young again.
• •A whole fish with the head on gives the best nitsuke because the collar, bones, and skin enrich the broth as it cooks. Fillets work in a small pan, but reduce the simmering time to 6 to 8 minutes and handle them even less.
• •Use an otoshibuta if you have one. A parchment circle is the sensible stand-in because it keeps the fish bathed in seasoning without pressure. A heavy lid traps too much force and can break the skin.
• •Do not reduce the broth until it becomes sticky. Nitsuke should be glossy and strong, not candy-thick. The fish must still taste like fish.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently before mixing the simmering broth.
• •The fish can be scaled, gutted, rinsed, and patted dry a few hours ahead. Keep it uncovered on a tray in the refrigerator so the skin stays dry.
• •Nitsuke is best served just after cooking. Leftovers keep one day refrigerated, but rewarm gently in the broth and do not boil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)