Sesame Arctic Char Donabe Recipes

SESAME ARCTIC CHAR DONABE RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine kombu and 4 1/2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Let sit until kombu is pliable, 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Shake off excess water and toss noodles in a medium bowl with 2 tsp. oil. Divide among serving bowls and set aside.
• Bring kombu mixture to a boil over medium heat, then immediately remove pan from heat. Lift out kombu from broth with tongs and discard. Add bonito flakes to broth and stir once to moisten. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium, then reduce heat and simmer very gently 5 minutes. Let sit off heat 15 minutes. Strain dashi through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof measuring glass or a medium bowl; discard solids. (You should have about 4 cups.)
• While the dashi is infusing, remove the dark green tops of the scallions from the white bulbs. Thinly slice tops and set aside for serving. Slice bulbs on a diagonal into 1/2" pieces; set aside.
• Pour dashi into a large donabe or skillet and add mirin and soy sauce; season with salt. Place fish in the center of the skillet and arrange turnips, daikon, mushrooms, and reserved scallion bulbs around fish. Heat over low until liquid is steaming but not bubbling (simmering will make the liquid cloudy; reduce the heat if needed). Cook until fish looks opaque all across the surface, 10-15 minutes. Remove donabe from heat and let rest 5 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle sesame seeds and reserved scallion tops over fish and vegetables and drizzle with more oil. Break fish into smaller pieces and divide among reserved noodle bowls. Ladle vegetables and dashi over.
• Dashi can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

CRISP-SKINNED ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Season the fish well with salt and pepper. Cook, skin side down and undisturbed, for 7 minutes. The fillets will cook from the bottom up so that the flesh stays moist while the skin gets so crisp that it crackles; if the skin becomes crisp before the top of the fish finishes cooking (it should look just opaque), flip it over and cook very briefly to finish. Serve with a lemon wedge.

SEARED SOY-SESAME ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush with half of the sauce.
• Heat a small cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the fish skin side up for 4 minutes. Pour the remaining sauce over the fish and swirl the sauce around the pan. Carefully turn the fish, spoon the sauce over the top, and cook for 3 more minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

OH MY ARCTIC CHAR!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Season arctic char with salt, place in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with lime zest.
• Combine lime juice, olive oil, sherry, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until garlic is finely chopped. Spread mixture over fish and season with black pepper and cayenne pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes, basting with pan juices about halfway through. When the fish is close to being cooked, switch the oven to broil for remaining two minutes or until browned.