Pan-Roasted Chilean Seabass in...Pan-Roasted Chilean Seabass in Shiso-Infused Matsutake Dashi

An elegant, Michelin-caliber masterpiece featuring buttery Chilean seabass nestled in a deeply savory, aromatic matsutake mushroom dashi, finished with a vibrant, cold-pressed shiso herb oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the Shiso Oil: Blanch the shiso leaves in a pot of boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. Immediately shock in an ice bath to lock in the vibrant green color. Squeeze out all excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel. Blend the dried leaves with 100ml of grapeseed oil on high speed for 2 minutes until completely smooth. Strain through a coffee filter or ultra-fine chinois. Set aside in a squeeze bottle.

2. 02

   To make the Matsutake Dashi: Combine 500ml of cold water, the kombu, and dried matsutake mushrooms in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Just before boiling, remove and discard the kombu. Add the bonito flakes, let simmer gently for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the rehydrated matsutake mushrooms to slice for plating. Season the clear broth with mirin and Usukuchi light soy sauce.

3. 03

   Prepare the garnish: Blanch the halved baby bok choy in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then shock in ice water and drain. In a small pan, quickly sauté the shimeji mushrooms with a drop of grapeseed oil and a pinch of salt until tender (about 2 minutes). Keep warm.

4. 04

   Cook the fish: Lightly score the skin of the Chilean seabass and season both sides with sea salt. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Place the fish skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula to ensure flat contact. Cook for 5 minutes until the skin is exceptionally golden and crispy. Flip carefully, reduce heat to low, and baste with the hot pan oil for another 2-3 minutes until the flesh is just opaque and flakes beautifully.

5. 05

   Assembly: Place a neat mound of sautéed shimeji mushrooms and a piece of baby bok choy in the center of two shallow, warm bowls. Carefully rest a seabass fillet on top, crispy skin-side up. Gently ladle the warm Matsutake Dashi into the bowl around the fish (not over it, to preserve skin crispness). Dot the dashi with drops of the vibrant green Shiso Oil and garnish with the sliced matsutake mushrooms.