Name: Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 1 Splendid Alfonsino (Kinmedai); 1 piece Kombu; Junmai sake, to taste; Salt, to taste; Plastic wrap

About "Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino"

In this video, a master Japanese chef with 50 years of experience explains the essential prep work that determines the quality of Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino (Kinmedai). He demonstrates scaling using 75°C (167°F) water, drawing out moisture and odor with salt-curing, and explains why pre-steaming prep is so critical. The video also covers using the fish collar/bones (ara) and steaming tips, diving deep into the fundamental techniques that professional chefs live by.

Introduction to 大将に聞いてみた! →

Tips for Making "Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino"

Prep
- In addition to standard scaling, dip the fish in 75°C (167°F) water to thoroughly remove fine scales from the head and tail. Plunge into cold water immediately to protect the red skin.
Seasoning
- Salting to draw out moisture is critical. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours to remove excess water and odor, which firms up the flesh and determines the final quality.
Prep
- Never discard the bones and collar. Steam them with kombu to extract broth for the sake-steamed soup, or skewer, dry, and grill them for an amazing dish.
Heat Control
- Bring the steamer to a boil, then steam on medium heat for 15 minutes. The fat and umami that melt into the plate broth create an exquisite flavor.
Cooking Tip
- Steam the fish directly on its serving plate inside the steamer to capture all the natural juices and umami, which form the core of the final dish.

Ingredients for "Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino"

5 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

1Splendid Alfonsino (Kinmedai)
1piece Kombu
Junmaisake, to taste
Salt,to taste
Plasticwrap

How to Make "Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino"

1
Scaling the Kinmedai Head
Prepare hot water at about 75°C (167°F). Briefly submerge the Kinmedai head to loosen the scales. Being careful not to peel off the beautiful red skin, gently scrape away the loosened scales using the tip of a knife. Once scaled, immediately plunge it into ice water to firm up the flesh.
Essential because standard scaling tools cannot remove the finest scales.The optimal water temperature is around 75°C (167°F).Firm up the flesh immediately in ice water.
2
Scaling the Tail Fin
Set your water heater to 75°C (167°F). Dip the tail fin in the hot water to loosen the scales, then scrape them out of the tight crevices. Treat this part with care, as there is delicious meat around the tail fin.
Using a water heater ensures a constant supply of water at the perfect temperature.Make sure to thoroughly remove scales from the tightest crevices.
3
Salting (Drawing out Moisture)
Generously sprinkle salt over the clean, scaled Kinmedai and let it sit for 1 to 2 hours. This process draws out excess moisture and odor while firming up the flesh. This salting step heavily influences the final taste.
Let sit for 1 to 2 hours to thoroughly remove moisture and odor.If this initial salting is insufficient, the overall quality of the dish will suffer.
4
Preparing the Fish Collar and Bones (Ara)
Never discard the collar and bones (ara) after filleting the Kinmedai. Steaming them alongside the kombu when making sake-steamed fish yields an incredibly rich broth. Alternatively, lightly salt the bones, skewer them, air-dry them in the kitchen for about an hour, and grill them for an exquisite treat.
The bones and collar are excellent for extracting rich umami broth.Skewering, drying, and grilling them creates a wonderful separate dish.
5
Preparing for Sake-Steaming
Place a piece of kombu on a plate and lay the prepped Kinmedai on top. Pour Junmai sake directly over the fish, cover the plate with plastic wrap, and place it in the steamer. The secret is to steam the fish directly on the serving plate inside the steamer.
Laying the fish on kombu infuses it with deep flavor.Steaming directly on the plate captures all the juices and umami.
6
Steaming in the Steamer
Bring the steamer to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and steam for about 15 minutes. As it steams, the fish's natural juices, umami, and fats will melt onto the plate, creating an exquisite broth.
Bring to a boil first, then lower to medium heat.Steam on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes.The collected broth on the plate is the core of the final dish.
7
Combining the Broth and Finishing
Combine the broth collected from the steamed Kinmedai with the broth made by boiling the grilled bones in kombu dashi. This creates an incredibly concentrated, umami-rich soup. Serve by dissolving kanzuri (fermented chili paste) in ponzu.
Combining it with the bone broth concentrates the umami flavor.If the initial salting was done correctly, the meat will slide effortlessly off the bone.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

Salting the Kinmedai triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture (dehydration) along with any fishy odors, firming up the flesh. Additionally, combining the inosinic acid (a rich umami compound in Kinmedai) with the glutamic acid in the kombu creates an umami synergy, exponentially elevating the deliciousness of the dish.

Umami CompoundsMoisture Control

Detailed Commentary on "Sake-Steamed Splendid Alfonsino"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Scaling the Head: 75°C Water Technique

The chef demonstrates his technique for scaling the Kinmedai head using 75°C (167°F) water. This temperature is perfect for loosening scales, though it is quite hot to the touch. To avoid peeling off the beautiful red skin, the chef briefly dips the head to loosen the scales. Since standard scaling tools cannot reach the fine scales on the head, this hot-water prep is essential. Leaving scales behind would ruin the dining experience when guests eat the head, making this an uncompromising step for a professional chef. Once the scales loosen, he gently scrapes them off with the tip of a knife and immediately plunges the fish into cold water to firm up the flesh.

The Crucial Role of Salt-Curing (Dehydration)

With the clean Kinmedai head prepped, the chef explains the vital role of salting. This step is not just for seasoning; it performs the crucial function of 'sweating' (dehydrating) the fish to draw out odor-causing moisture. Letting the salted fish sit for 1 to 2 hours removes excess water and odor while firming up the flesh. If the salt flavor feels too light later, you can always add a touch more salt right before cooking. However, the chef emphasizes that if this initial salting prep is neglected, even the finest fish will fail to reach its full culinary potential.

Scaling the Tail Fin: Using a Water Heater

Next, the chef scales the tail fin, which is often used in simmered dishes. Here, he shares a clever modern shortcut: using a water heater. Instead of constantly measuring the temperature with a thermometer, he sets the water heater directly to 75°C (167°F) to get the perfect temperature instantly. 'We're used to it, so we can stick our hands in for a second to scale it even at this heat,' he laughs. Dipping the tail fin in the hot water loosens the scales in the tightest crevices, making them easy to scrape off. Since this area contains plenty of delicious meat, prepping it thoroughly ensures nothing goes to waste.

Using Kinmedai Bones: Broth, Grilling, & Soup

The chef explains how to utilize the leftover bones and collar (ara) after filleting the Kinmedai. 'Never throw them away,' he insists. These parts yield an incredible broth. Steaming them alongside kombu for the sake-steamed dish creates an even richer soup. Alternatively, lightly salting the bones, skewering them, air-drying them in the kitchen for about an hour, and lightly grilling them makes for an exquisite snack. They also make an excellent base for clear soups (owan). This process embodies the chef's philosophy of wasting nothing and maximizing flavor through professional craftsmanship.

Sake-Steaming Prep & Cooking: 15 Mins Medium Heat

Now, it is time to steam the fish. Place a piece of kombu on a plate, lay the prepped Kinmedai on top, pour Junmai sake directly over it, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the steamer. The chef's secret is to steam the fish directly on the serving plate. Bring the steamer to a boil first, then steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes. During this time, the fish's natural moisture, umami, and fats melt onto the plate, creating an exquisite broth that plays a key role in finishing the dish.

Combining the Broths and Tasting

The steamed Kinmedai releases a broth rich in fat and umami. The chef combines this plate broth with the broth made from boiling the grilled bones in kombu dashi, concentrating the umami multiple times over. For the tasting, they dissolve kanzuri (an 8-year aged traditional fermented chili paste from Niigata) in ponzu. The filming crew takes a bite and exclaims, 'So good! This is incredibly delicious!' Thanks to the thorough salting prep, the meat slides beautifully off the bone. 'This perfect finish is only possible because of the proper salting prep,' the chef reiterates, highlighting the importance of the pre-steaming steps.

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