Suzuki ‡ Recipe

Prepare and season

Pat the striped bass fillets dry with paper towels. Lightly score the skin with 2–3 shallow diagonal cuts (don’t cut through flesh) to prevent curling during cooking. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; set on a tray while you make the marinade.

Make marinade

In a shallow dish or bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, grated ginger and minced garlic. Stir to blend. Place the fillets skin-side down in the marinade and spoon some over the tops. Marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes or refrigerate up to 30 minutes. Do not marinate longer — the alcohol and salt can firm the flesh too much.

Bring to room temp

About 10 minutes before cooking, remove fillets from marinade and let sit uncovered at room temperature. Reserve the used marinade (see note) for later use only if you plan to simmer it to make a sauce.

Prepare miso glaze

In a small bowl whisk together white miso, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Taste and adjust balance — it should be slightly sweet, savory and spreadable. If too thick, add up to 1 additional teaspoon water.

Sear the fish

Heat a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat. Place fillets skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for 15–20 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque about two-thirds of the way up the side, 4–6 minutes depending on thickness.

Glaze and finish

Flip the fillets carefully and immediately brush the tops with a thin layer of the miso glaze. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover loosely with a lid or tent with foil, and cook 1–2 more minutes until the fish is just cooked through (internal temperature ~125–130°F / 52–55°C for moist, flakey fish) and the glaze is warm and slightly tacky. If the glazed surface needs more color, finish under a hot broiler for 30–60 seconds, watching closely to avoid burning.

Optional sauce from marinade

If you reserved the marinade, bring it to a rolling boil in a small saucepan for at least 2–3 minutes to kill bacteria and reduce slightly, then simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust with a touch of sugar or soy if needed and spoon around plated fish.

Transfer fillets to warmed plates, skin-side up. Spoon any optional reduced marinade sauce around each portion. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with lemon or yuzu wedges to squeeze over. Serve immediately with steamed rice and simple greens or pickles.