Miso-Marinated Chilean Sea Bass with Sesame Cucumber Salad

Steps

1. Step 1

   Make the marinade: in a small saucepan, whisk together the white miso, sake, mirin and sugar. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking, for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Don't let it boil. Cool completely to room temperature.

   10 min

   • 1/2 cup white (shiro) miso
   • 3 tbsp sake
   • 3 tbsp mirin
   • 3 tbsp sugar
2. Step 2

   Pat the sea bass fillets very dry with paper towels. Spread a thin layer of the cooled marinade in a dish or zip-top bag, lay the fillets in, and coat them all over with the rest. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours (12 hours minimum, 48 hours maximum).

   24 hr, hands-off

   • 4 pieces Chilean sea bass fillets (6 oz each, skin on or off)
3. Step 3

   About 45 minutes before serving, cook the rice: combine the rinsed rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, still covered, 10 minutes before fluffing.

   30 min, hands-off

   • 1 1/2 cups short-grain Japanese rice
   • 2 cups water
4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, make the cucumber salad: toss the sliced cucumbers with the kosher salt in a colander and let sit 10 minutes, then squeeze gently to drain off the liquid. In a bowl, stir the rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then add the cucumbers, sesame oil, sesame seeds and scallions. Toss and chill until serving.

   15 min

   • 2 English cucumbers
   • 1 tsp kosher salt
   • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
   • 1 tbsp sugar
   • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
   • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
   • 2 scallions
5. Step 5

   Set an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Line a sheet pan with foil and brush it with the neutral oil.

   • 1 tsp neutral oil
6. Step 6

   Lift the fillets from the marinade and wipe off all but a thin film with your fingers or a paper towel — leftover marinade burns before the fish cooks. Set them on the prepared pan, spaced apart.

7. Step 7

   Broil 7 to 10 minutes, without turning, until the tops are deep caramel-brown in patches and the fish flakes easily at the thickest point. Watch closely from minute 5 on; if it is browning too fast, move the pan down a rack. Let rest 3 minutes.

   10 min

8. Step 8

   Serve each fillet with a scoop of rice and a pile of the sesame cucumbers alongside, spooning any pan juices over the fish.

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026