Cured Fish: Niki Nakayama’s Quick Sashimi Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 24, 2022 • 6 min read
Chef Niki Nakayama puts a modern spin on the standard sashimi recipe by briefly salt-curing rockfish with fresh dill, parsley, and lime zest before slicing it into bite-size pieces. The combination of flavors and techniques led Niki to call this preparation her modern zukuri. “We always think that it’s very nice to start a Japanese meal that’s based on tradition with something untraditional.” Learn how to transform cured fish into sashimi.
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Meet Chef Niki Nakayama
Niki Nakayama is the world-renowned chef, culinary personality, and owner of the award-winning Los Angeles restaurant n/naka. In 1997, she took on a formal apprenticeship in kaiseki under Chef Masa Sato in Japan. The decision to do so set her on a path that would revolutionize the culinary world’s understanding of Japanese food and seasonal cooking.
What Is Cured Fish?
Cured fish is fresh fish that has been preserved or flavored with salt. There are two curing processes: wet cure (such as brine or marinade) and dry cure (also known as a salt cure or dry brine). In traditional Japanese cooking, fish is often cured by wrapping it in salty seaweed (known as konbu); in South American cuisine, ceviche recipes use a similar method to curing by marinating fresh, raw fish in citrus juice.
Chef Niki likes curing because it “adds flavor to the fish first by drawing out excess moisture,” which helps rid it of overly fishy flavors. In her rockfish sashimi recipe, Niki uses a curing mixture of kosher sea salt, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley, and lime zest inspired by a preparation by Adeline Grattard, head chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant Yam’Tcha in Paris. These ingredients “impart their special flavoring and aromas onto the flesh.”
In addition to adding flavor, curing is a tried and true method for cleansing the fish from impurities. “I think it's a really great process to use when we’re dealing with some kinds of fish for raw consumption”, Niki says.
What Fish Can Be Cured Like Salmon?
You may be familiar with cured salmon from gravlax and lox, but other types of fish can be cured (and smoked) using a similar method, including:
- Anchovies
- Cod
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Tuna
How to Cure Rockfish
Here’s a step-by-step guide to curing rockfish that you can also apply to other types of fish:
- 1. Blanch the rockfish. Blanching helps enhance the flavor of the fish and softens the texture so it’s easy to bite through. To blanch, prepare an ice bath and bring a pot of water to boil. Put the rockfish in a heat-proof dish skin side up. Gently ladle hot water over the skin one or two times so the skin curls slightly, then transfer the fish to the ice bath.
- 2. Remove the scales. Lightly run the edge of a spoon against the direction of the scales to ensure no scales remain on the fish's skin. When scraping against the direction of the scales, you will feel some resistance, which will help catch any leftover scales.
- 3. Make the curing mixture. Curing mixtures usually contain salt and herbs or other flavorings, like star anise, coriander, fennel, and crushed peppercorns. Niki likes to use parsley, dill, and grated lime peel for rockfish. However, you can use whatever citrus you’d like, such as yuzu or lemon zest.
- 4. Cure the fish. Sprinkle a little of the cure on the bottom of a container big enough for the rockfish pieces. Place the fish on top of the cure. Then completely cover the fish with the remaining cure. Lightly pat the cure on the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for forty minutes. If you desire the fish to absorb more or less flavor from the cure, adjust the curing time accordingly.
Niki Nakayama’s Zukuri (Modern Rockfish Sashimi) Recipe
makes
prep time
30 mintotal time
45 mincook time
15 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include 40 minutes of inactive time.
For the cured rockfish:
For the burnt romaine sauce:
For the garnishes:
For the cured rockfish:
1. Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and remove from the heat.
3. Put the rockfish in a heatproof dish skin side up. Gently ladle hot water over the skin 1 or 2 times so that the skin curls slightly.
4. Transfer the fish immediately to the ice cold water so that the fish is still raw. After 15–20 seconds, use tongs to move the fish to a paper towel–lined plate to remove excess water. Pat the top of the fish dry with paper towels.
5. Lightly run the edge of a spoon against the direction of the scales to make sure no scales remain on the skin of the fish.
6. Mix the salt, parsley, dill, and grated lime peel in a bowl. Sprinkle a little of the cure on the bottom of a container big enough for the rockfish pieces. Place the fish on top of the cure. Then completely cover the fish with the remaining cure. Lightly pat the cure on the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.
7. Remove the cure from the fish. Gently rinse the fish under cold low-running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
8. Cut 1 piece of fish loin into thin slices (usuzukuri). For each slice, use one stroke of the knife to glide through the fish (don’t saw). If you don’t have a sashimi knife, use a sharp chef’s knife—the longer, the better. Cut with one fluid motion all the way to the tip of the blade, letting the weight of the knife glide through the fish. Cut the other fillet into slightly thicker slices (hiragiri). Set aside in the refrigerator.
For the burnt romaine sauce:
1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the lettuce to the pan, cut-side down. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook the romaine on each side until charred, being careful not to burn it, about 1 minute on each side. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.
2. Blend the charred lettuce with the garlic and ponzu until completely puréed. Add just enough grapeseed oil as needed to loosen. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
For the garnishes:
1. Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice water. Set a fine-mesh strainer in the bowl so that it’s submerged in the water.
2. Using a mandoline, cut the radishes into paper-thin slices. Put the slices in the strainer and set them in the ice bath until you’re ready to plate the sashimi.
3. Cut the chives into 1-inch pieces on the bias.
4. Cut the ½ lime in half (so you have 2 quarters of a lime). Cut a few thin half-moon slices from the lime quarters, then cut those half-moons in half again.
5. Remove the radish slices from the ice bath and shake off any excess water. Put the slices on a paper towel to dry.
6. Place several leaves of microgreens in the ice bath to perk them up, then remove them and dry.
To plate:
1. Place several radishes on one side of a plate so that they’re overlapping in a circle.
2. Using chopsticks, place a few slices each of the thick-cut and thin-cut fish next to the radish, folding them upright and decoratively on the plate. Repeat for the second plate.
3. Artistically intersperse the chives and microgreens among the slices of fish, and add at least one slice of lime to each plate.
4. Serve the sashimi with a small bowl of burnt romaine sauce for dipping.
Dive into kaiseki cuisine with chef Niki Nakayama when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership. The renowned chef will guide you through her interpretations of essential Japanese recipes, from homemade ichiban dashi to smoky grilled tuna and crispy tempura.