Whole grilled madai with soy-ginger-lemon glaze and sesame cucumber

Ingredients

• 1 piece whole Japanese sea bream (madai), scaled and gutted, or whole wild gilthead sea bream
• 45 ml Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi)
• 25 g fresh ginger
• 1 piece untreated lemon
• 1 bunch fresh scallions
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 40 ml Japanese cooking sake
• 1 tsp mild runny honey
• 160 g Japanese short-grain rice
• 1 piece English cucumber
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 piece mild fresh red chili
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 2 pinches fine salt

Method

1. Rinse the Japanese rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Transfer to a saucepan with an equal volume of water, bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to very low, cover tightly, and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steam without lifting the lid for 10 minutes.
2. Pat the sea bream thoroughly dry with paper towels, inside the cavity and out. Check that no scales remain near the fins. Make 3 to 4 diagonal slashes about 5 mm deep on each side, cutting just down to the bone, to promote even cooking.
3. Season the skin and cavity with salt, then let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes on a wire rack to dry the surface and ensure crisp skin.
4. Make the glaze: finely grate the ginger, zest the lemon, then whisk together the soy sauce, sake, honey, a portion of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, and the sesame oil until fully dissolved.
5. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white and green parts. Reserve the greens for garnish and tuck the whites into the cavity of the sea bream along with a spoonful of grated ginger.
6. Slice the cucumber into very thin half-moons, about 2 mm thick. Toss with a squeeze of lemon juice, a little of the soy glaze, sesame seeds, and sliced chili, then chill until ready to serve.
7. Heat a grill, plancha, or cast-iron grill pan over high heat until it reaches about 220 °C (a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate instantly). Lightly oil the surface with neutral cooking oil, then lay the sea bream down without moving it.
8. Grill the first side over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes undisturbed, until the skin is well browned, crisp, and releases cleanly from the grate.
9. Delicately flip the fish using two spatulas. Continue cooking the second side for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat (about 180 °C), until the flesh turns opaque to the center and reaches 55 °C along the bone.
10. Generously brush both sides of the sea bream with the glaze using a pastry brush. Let caramelize for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping once, until the sauce bubbles on the surface and turns syrupy without burning.
11. Transfer the sea bream to a warm platter. Garnish with the sliced scallion greens, sesame seeds, and sliced chili, then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Let rest for 3 minutes to relax the flesh and allow the internal temperature to reach 58 °C.
12. Plate and serve immediately with hot Japanese rice and the crisp sesame cucumber, spooning any glazed juices collected on the platter over the fillets.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

579.2 kcal

Protein

20.19 g

Carbohydrate

77.71 g

Fat

19.3 g

Fibre

5.89 g

Calcium

86.02 mg

Iron

2.09 mg

Magnesium

53.18 mg