JAPANESE SEA RECIPES

Steps:

• Lay fish slices in a shallow glass or earthenware baking dish. Put white and red miso, sake, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and sugar in a small bowl and stir well.
• Dot half the miso mixture evenly over fish, then rub with fingers to lightly coat slices. Leave to marinate 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Beat egg yolks into remaining miso mixture. With a spoon, smear tops of fish slices with this egg-enriched mixture. Bake on top shelf of oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until fish is firm, then place pan under broiler to glaze. Broil 1 to 2 minutes until topping begins to brown. With a spatula, transfer fish to serving platter.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups well-salted water to a boil in a wide stainless steel skillet. Add mustard greens and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain in colander, rinse briefly with cold water, then press out excess water with wooden spoon. Transfer to serving dish. Drizzle with sesame oil and garnish with thin slices of pickled ginger.

Steps:

• In a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the chicken, combine ginger, garlic, sake, soy sauce and sugar. Toss chicken pieces in marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• Fill an aluminum or thin stainless steel pot (best for quick temperature adjustments), with sides at least 5 inches tall, with about 3 inches of peanut oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Place several layers of newsprint or paper towels on a sheet pan.
• While the oil heats, place a wire rack over a second sheet pan. In a bowl, combine potato starch, salt and pepper. Remove one piece of chicken at a time from marinade, and tuck in any jagged bits or skin as you roll it in starch mixture to coat. Rest it on the rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
• Gently shake off excess potato starch before cooking each piece of chicken. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, keeping oil temperature around 325 degrees (temperature will fall when you add chicken) and no lower than 300 degrees. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oil using a wire-mesh spoon or long chopsticks, and cool on newsprint or paper towels.
• When all the chicken has been fried once, increase the oil’s temperature to 375 degrees. Fry chicken pieces a second time, keeping the oil between 350 and 375 degrees, until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on newsprint or paper towels. This second frying makes the coating stay extra crisp, even if you don’t serve it immediately.
• Serve hot or at room temperature, with a lemon wedge, and lettuce and cucumber slices for a cool, fresh contrast, if you like.