Bluefish Sashimi

Fermented Asparagus-Buttermilk Whey, Plum, Cauliflower Purée, Basil

Chef Chris Cote of Pearl Street Supper Club | New York
Yield: 4 servings

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Adapted by StarChefs | january 2023

INGREDIENTS:

Fermented Asparagus:
Asparagus trim
Salt

Cured Bluefish:
One 10-pound bluefish, fileted, bones and trim reserved
Salt 

Asparagus-Whey Sauce:
½ gallon buttermilk
75 grams heavy cream

Charcoal-Infused Oil:
1 quart neutral oil

Cauliflower Purée:
1 head cauliflower, cored and diced
1 cup grapeseed oil

To Assemble and Serve:
Salt
½ elephant heart plum, cut into ¼ inch by ¼ inch pieces 
2 basil leaves, torn
2 cosmo flowers, petals picked

METHOD:

For the Fermented Asparagus: 
Weigh asparagus trim and place in a large mixing bowl. Add two percent water and two percent salt by weight of trim. Cover and let cure 3 days, at room temperature. Refrigerate and ferment at least 1 month. Once fermented, strain mixture and refrigerate.

For the Cured Bluefish:
Place bluefish filet in a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and let cure 20 minutes. Rinse and dry. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. On a rack set over a large basin, lay the cured fish, skin side up. Ladle hot water over the fish to scald and curl the skin. Pat dry and refrigerate. 

For the Asparagus-Whey Sauce:
In a large pot over medium heat, add reserved fish bones. Cover with water until bones are submerged at least two inches. Bring to a boil and cook 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Strain and transfer to a nonreactive container. Set aside. In a large stockpot over medium high heat, bring buttermilk to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes until the curds begin to set. Remove from pot and hang using a cheesecloth to drain whey. In a large stockpot over medium heat, combine heavy cream, 150 grams reserved fermented asparagus juice, 150 grams whey, and 75 grams reserved bluefish stock. Gently warm, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and immediately let mixture cool over an ice bath. Set aside.

For the Charcoal-Infused Oil:
Prepare and heat a charcoal grill. In a metal bowl, add oil. Drop 1 piece of hot charcoal into the bowl and cover immediately. Let oil infuse until the smoking has stopped. Strain and set aside.

For the Cauliflower Purée:
In a large stockpot over medium high heat, add chopped cauliflower, oil, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until cauliflower is tender. Strain and transfer to a Vitamix blender. Blend until florets are finely chopped. Add 9 grams Charcoal-Infused Oil to emulsify. Strain and set aside. 

To Assemble and Serve:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 cup Cauliflower Purée, stirring occasionally. In a separate saucepan, warm the Fermented Asparagus-Whey Sauce until it reaches 180°F. On a work surface, remove blood line and pin bones from Cured Bluefish. Cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Using a blowtorch, crisp and char the fish skin. Season with salt.  In a small mixing bowl, combine plum and basil. Season with salt and vinegar; toss to coat. On a serving plate, place a dollop of Cauliflower Purée off-center left. Arrange 4 pieces Cured Fish to the right of the Cauliflower Purée. Place the plum-basil salad in between the Cured Fish. Froth 2 cups Fermented Asparagus-Whey Sauce with an immersion blender. Place 2 spoonfuls on top of the entire dish. Garnish with cosmo petals. 

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