Acadian Redfish
Fish Sauce, Toasted Peanuts, Smoked Fish Bone Oil, Scallion Oil, Shiso, Sesame Rice Crackers
Chef Son Pham of Eleven11 | Nashville, TN
Adapted by StarChefs | July 2026 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Smoked Fish Bone Oil:
500 grams fish bones
125 grams kosher salt
125 grams granulated sugar
250 grams Corto 51-49 extra virgin olive oil-sunflower oil blend
Acadian Redfish:
Whole Acadian redfish, cleaned, gills, fins, scales, and organs removed
Scallion Oil:
250 grams canola oil
175 grams sliced scallion tops
Kosher salt
Shiso Oil:
150 grams shiso leaves
375 grams neutral oil
Shiso Powder:
500 grams shiso leaves
Aromatic Fish Sauce:
106 grams granulated sugar
100 grams lime juice
29 grams fish sauce
Brunoised garlic
Brunoised ginger
Thinly sliced red Thai chiles
Brunoised shallots
Rice Crackers:
80 grams tapioca flour
30 grams rice flour
17.6 grams kosher salt
30 grams black sesame seeds
500 milliliters canola oil
5 rice crackers
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
500 milliliters canola oil
Kosher salt
15 grams toasted peanuts, crushed
7 shiso leaves
METHOD
For the Smoked Fish Bone Oil:
In a nonreactive container, combine fish bones, 62 grams salt, and 62 grams sugar. Let cure 7 days at room temperature. Once cured, drain and coat with remaining salt and sugar. Let cure additional 7 days at room temperature. On the last day, prepare and heat smoker. Rinse fish bones and pat dry. Smoke 14 hours. The next day, heat dehydrator to 130°F. Transfer bones to a parchment-lined sheet tray and dehydrate overnight. The next day, heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 185°F. In a vacuum bag, combine dehydrated and smoked fish bones. Seal and cook sous vide 10 hours. Strain into a bowl set over an ice bath. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Acadian Redfish:
Using a stainless steel hook, hook fish by its tail and hang in refrigerator above a parchment-lined sheet tray. Place a skewer in between the fish's ribcage to keep open and allow airflow. Let dry age 4 days, or until skin has a leather texture. Once aged, transfer to a clean work surface. Butterfly, debone, and refrigerate.
For the Scallion Oil:
In a sauté pan over high flame, heat oil to 375°F. In a metal mixing bowl, add scallions. Season with salt. Add hot oil and stir to cook evenly. Let cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and reserve.
For the Shiso Oil:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, add all ingredients. Blend on high speed until mixture reaches 150°F. Pass through a coffee filter into a nonreactive container and refrigerate. The next day, transfer oil to a squeeze bottle and reserve.
For the Shiso Powder:
Heat a dehydrator to 130°F. Place shiso on a parchment-lined sheet tray and dehydrate overnight. The next day, in a Vitamix Commercial blender, blitz leaves until a fine powder is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Aromatic Fish Sauce:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Season with desired amount garlic, ginger, chiles, and shallots. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Rice Crackers:
Heat dehydrator to 130°F. In a pot over medium heat, bring 500 grams water to a simmer. Add flours and salt. Mix to combine until a thick gravy-like consistency is achieved. Remove from heat and stir in sesame seeds. Let cool, then spread evenly onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Dehydrate overnight. The next day, break into pieces. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
To Assemble and Serve:
Prepare and heat a charcoal grill. In a sauté pan over high flame, heat oil to 325°F. Add Rice Crackers and fry until puffed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Generously season with salt and Shiso Powder. Let drain. On a clean work surface, brush Acadian Redfish with Smoked Fish Bone Oil. Season with salt. Grill, skin-side down, until crispy. Flip and cook additional 1 minute, or until just cooked through. Transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with 15 grams Scallion Oil. Top with peanuts. Pour Aromatic Fish Sauce over top. Finish with drizzle Shiso Oil and shiso leaves. Serve with side of Rice Crackers.
