Sesame-Coated Cod Fillets with Asian-Style Sauce
2/3 cup mirin (available at Asian grocery stores)
1/4 soy sauce, regular or sodium-reduced
1/3 cup plum wine (available at liquor stores) or sweet sherry
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger (available at supermarkets and Asian grocery stores)
1 egg or equivalent egg substitute
2 tablespoons Silver Palate Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons milk, regular or low-fat
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1-1/4 cups sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1-1/4-1-3/4 pounds cod or other firm fish fillets, cut into serving portions, bones removed and blotted dry
2+ tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, including green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
This recipe makes a modestly priced fish look and taste like a million dollars! For a special meal, use swordfish or yellowfin tuna steaks cut about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches thick. The taste of mirin, soy sauce, plum wine and pickled ginger can vary a lot. Try this ratio of ingredients and then adjust, if necessary, according to your own taste.Pour mirin into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Carefully ignite it to burn off alcohol. Add soy sauce, plum wine and ginger and keep warm. Blend egg, Silver Palate Dijon Mustard, milk and salt, if using, in a shallow dish. Pour sesame seeds in another shallow dish. Dip fillets in egg batter, letting extra egg run off, then coat well with sesame seeds. Place fillets on a cake rack and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Turn oven to warm. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add only as many fillets as will fit without crowding. Sauté until golden brown, 4 to 4-1/2 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets. Turn, cook second side for same length of time, or until fish is just cooked through. Transfer to an oven-safe platter and place in warm oven until all fillets are cooked. Add small amounts of additional oil as needed and continue with remaining fillets. Place fish on plates, sprinkle scallions over fillets and pour on sauce. Serve immediately.