Mackerel with sungold tomato, mentaiko, and hijiki by Mary Attea

Ingredients

• Spanish mackerel filet: 1 x 5 oz/142g. cleaned
• Red tomatoes: 8.8 oz/250g . blended
• Ginger: 0.7 oz/20g
• Scallion: 0.5 oz/15g
• Kombu: 1pc 4x4
• Bonito flakes: 0.4-0.5 oz/10-15g
• Egg yolk: 1
• Japanese mustard powder: 1 tsp
• Extra virgin olive oil: .5 oz/100g
• Mentaiko: 0.5 oz/14g
• Tomato dashi: previously prepared
• Lemon juice: a few drops
• Dried hijiki: 1 tsp
• Still water: 6.8 oz/200ml
• Water: for rehydrate
• Pickling liquid: 3 parts vinegar. 2 parts water. 1 part sugar
• Sungold tomatoes: 2-3
• Shiso leaves: 2

Instructions

1. 1

   For the mackerel: Score fish skin by cutting without going all the way through. Scores can be 0.25 inches apart.Soak flesh side down in rice wine vinegar for 15 mins.Season with salt and pepper. Use blow torch to char skin until blistered and slightly blackened.Finish in oven set to 350°F/175°C for 3-4 minutes,depending on thickness of filet.

2. 2

   For the tomato dashi: Robocoupe/food process tomato and ginger.Add water,kombu,and bonito flakes.Simmer for 20-30 minutes to infuse flavors. Strain through coffee filter and fine mesh strainer. Reserve tomato water.Season with rice wine vinegar and salt to taste.

3. 3

   For the mentaiko sauce: Whisk oil slowly into egg yolk and mustard powder to make an emulsion. If it starts to get too thick,add a splash of tomato dashi and then keep whisking. Season with salt,lemon,and tomato dashi to get consistency correct.

4. 4

   For the hijiki: Put the hijiki in water and let it soak for 15-20 minutes.When soft,put it in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain.Move it to a jar and cover it with pickling liquid made with 3 parts vinegar,2 parts water,and 1 part sugar.

5. 5

   To plate: Cut golden tomatoes in half and season with salt and a touch of pickling liquid from the hijiki.Spread a dollop of mentaiko mayonnaise in the base of the bowl and place tomatoes on top. Garnish with hijiki and shiso chiffonade.Place the fish atop the tomatoes. Pour the warm dashi onto tomatoes. Enjoy!