Steamed Wild Turbot with...Steamed Wild Turbot with Lemon Verbena Dashi and Shaved Matsutake

An ethereal, health-forward Michelin-caliber dish featuring delicate wild turbot gently steamed over aromatic kelp, bathed in a fragrant lemon verbena and kombu broth, finished with raw shaved matsutake mushrooms and bright finger lime pearls.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a saucepan, combine 600ml filtered water and kombu. Bring slowly to 60°C (140°F) over low heat for 20 minutes to extract umami. Remove the kombu, bring the broth to a gentle simmer, turn off the heat, and steep the fresh lemon verbena leaves for 6 minutes. Strain through a fine chinois and season with white soy sauce. Keep warm at 65°C.

2. 02

   Blanch the Romanesco florets in lightly salted boiling water for 90 seconds until crisp-tender, then immediately shock in an ice bath. Drain and reserve.

3. 03

   Lightly season turbot fillets with a touch of sea salt. Place fillets on a perforated steaming tray lined with parchment or aromatic herbs. Steam gently at 62°C (or low steam) for 6–8 minutes until the internal core reaches 48°C (118°F) and the fish is pearlescent and succulent.

4. 04

   Warm the blanched Romanesco and sea beans in a splash of the warm dashi for 30 seconds.

5. 05

   Center a steamed turbot fillet in the base of four pre-warmed shallow artisanal ceramic bowls. Artfully arrange the Romanesco florets and sea beans around the fish.

6. 06

   Drape raw paper-thin matsutake ribbons over the fish and scatter finger lime pearls on top. Finish with a delicate grain of Fleur de sel.

7. 07

   Pour the hot lemon verbena dashi tableside into the perimeter of each bowl and serve immediately.