Miso Sea Bass

Instructions

1. Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a marination time overnight (8–12 hours). Now, gather all the ingredients.
2. Lightly sprinkle both sides of 2 fillets MSC-certified Chilean sea bass with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Let rest for 10 minutes. Nami's Tip: Salting draws out excess moisture and odor, firms the flesh, and enhances the natural flavor.
3. Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup miso, ¼ cup mirin, and 1 Tbsp sugar in an airtight container that's big enough to hold the fish (I used my favorite stainless prep tray). Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp sake over the fish to rinse it, then pat dry with a paper towel. Nami's Tip: Rinsing with sake cleans the fish and removes odor.
5. Add the fish to container. Spoon the marinade over the fillets to coat them completely. Cover and marinate overnight (8–12 hours) in the refrigerator.
6. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with neutral oil or cooking spray. Remove the marinated fish from the refrigerator. Preheat the broiler on the Medium setting for 3 minutes. Set the oven rack in the middle position about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the top heating element. Nami's Tip: For this recipe, I use the Medium broiler setting at 500ºF (260ºC) and 6 inches (15 cm) away from the heating element. Alternatively, you could use the High setting at 550ºF (288ºC) and 8 inches (20 cm) away.
7. Gently wipe off the miso marinade completely from the fish with your fingers. Don't leave any excess, as miso burns easily. Place the fish skin side up on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Broil on Medium until the surface is blistered and browned, about 7–8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets). You don't need to flip it. Nami's Tip: I broiled for 10 minutes this time, so you can see that my fish was well charred. For a bit less char, remove after 7–8 minutes.
9. Transfer the fish to individual plates and enjoy!
10. For leaner fish, I recommend baking instead of broiling—it keeps the meat tender and moist. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218ºC) with the rack placed in the middle position. For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the fish on top, skin side up. Bake until the surface is blistered and slightly charred, about 15–20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets). You don't need to flip it.
11. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.