Pacific saury (sanma), an oily autumn fish, simply grilled with coarse salt to bring out its flavor. Served with grated daikon, lemon, and a spicy soy sauce.
Ingredients
- 500 g whole Pacific saury (sanma), gutted and scaled
- 30 g coarse sea salt (Guérande or fleur de sel)
- 200 g fresh daikon (white radish)
- 1 piece lemon
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu)
- 1 pinch shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice blend)
Method
- Rinse the saury under cold water with a gentle stream, then pat them dry carefully with paper towels. Do not gut the fish: the innards are eaten and provide a traditional bitterness. With a sharp knife, make two oblique cuts on each side of each fish, down to the bone, about 2 cm apart. This ensures even cooking and better salt penetration.
- Sprinkle the fish generously with coarse salt on both sides, working it into the cuts and over the head. Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature: the salt will firm the flesh and draw out a little excess moisture. Do not rinse off the salt after resting.
- Preheat the oven broiler on its highest setting (or a charcoal barbecue) to very high heat (approximately 260 °C). Place the fish on a lightly oiled, foil-lined rack (or directly on the barbecue grate). Grill for 5 to 6 minutes without turning, until the skin is crisp, golden, and slightly charred in places. Carefully turn with a spatula and grill the other side for 4 to 5 minutes. The flesh should come away easily from the bone, and the eyes should turn white and opaque.
- While the fish cooks, peel the daikon and grate it finely (with a box grater or food processor). Drain it slightly if necessary to remove excess juice. Cut the lemon into wedges. Mix the soy sauce with the shichimi togarashi in a small dish.
- Place each grilled saury on a warm plate. Serve with a mound of grated daikon, a lemon wedge, and the spicy soy sauce. Serve immediately. Traditionally, squeeze the lemon over the fish and dip the flesh into the sauce, eating the bitter innards as well.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 570.6 kcal
- Protein
- 47.25 g
- Carbohydrate
- 10.38 g
- Fat
- 37.74 g
- Fibre
- 3.34 g
- Calcium
- 10.7 mg
- Iron
- 0.35 mg
- Magnesium
- 17.3 mg
