Togarashi-seared Kumu with Pohole Fern Salad and Sesame Dressing
Amy Ferguson-Ota
The Dining Room,
The Ritz-Carlton Mauna Lani
Kohala Coast, Hawaii HI
Entrée, Great Chefs of Hawaii #20
Togarashi-seared Kumu with Pohole Fern Salad and Sesame Dressing ►
Kumu (a goatfish) is a local favorite in Hawaii for its delicate flavor. The head is saved to make a rich fish stock. For this warm salad, the pan-seared fillets are stacked on a bed of blanched fern shoots accented with a sauce that blends ginger, soy, and chili flavors. Cajun seasoning is similar to Japanese togarashi seasoning.
Ingredients
- Kumu or Red Snapper Fillets - Eight 8-ounce, skin left on one side
- Hawaiian or Kosher Salt - to taste
- Togarashi Seasoning - to taste
- Lemon Juice - 2 lemons
- Peanut Oil - 1 to 2 tablespoons
- Sesame Dressing
- Garlic - 1/2 teaspoon, minced
- Pickled Ginger - 1-1/2 tablespoons, minced
- Soy Sauce - 2-1/2 tablespoons
- Rice Wine Vinegar - 2 tablespoons plain
- Chili Paste - 1 teaspoon
- Asian Sesame Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Chives - 1 teaspoon, snipped, fresh
- Sugar - 1 teaspoon
- Fern Salad
- Fiddlehead Ferns (Pohole) - 1 pound, blanched, (alt. haricots verts or baby blue lake green beans)C
- Baby Greens - 4 handfuls (about 4 ounces), mixed
- Maui - 1 small, cut into 1/4-inch strips (alt.other sweet white onion)
- Tomatoes - 2, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips
Instructions
To prepare the fish: Score the filets about 1/2-inch deep so they will not curl when fried. Use pliers to pull out any visible bones. Season with the salt, togarashi, and lemon juice. In a large saute pan or skillet over high heat, heat the peanut oil and sear the fish for 1 minute on each side, or until opaque throughout. Set aside and keep warm.
To make the salad: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together. Combine all the salad ingredients and toss with the dressing.
To serve: Lightly dust the rim of the plates with paprika. Pile salad in the middle of each plate. Top with the tomato strips. Lean 2 fillets against the greens on each plate, skin-side down. Drizzle dressing around the edges of the plates and sprinkle with togarashi and chives.
