Nigri Sushi

SAVORY

Oct 15

Written By Team StarChefs

Arrow Squid, Gizzard Shad, Flounder Fin, Nikiri Shoyu, Sushi Rice, Wasabi

Chef Jason Liang of Brush Sushi Izakaya + Momonoki | Atlanta
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Gizzard Shad:
4 gizzard shad
Salt
Rice vinegar

Nikiri Shoyu:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
½ tablespoon mirin

Arrow Squid:
4 arrow squid

Flounder Fin:
1 flounder

Sushi Rice:
36 milliliters rice vinegar
10 grams sugar
5 grams salt
2 cups cooked sushi rice, hot

To Assemble and Serve:
Wasabi
Lemon juice
Sea salt

METHOD

For the Gizzard Shad:
Using a deba (Japanese fish boning knife), remove the back fin, head (starting from behind the pectoral fin), and the belly (up to the anal fin) of the gizzard shad. Using your thumb, eviscerate the fish. Chop off the tail. Insert the tip of the deba above the spine and slice toward the tail. Place the fish spine-side down and remove the spine and pin bones. Insert a perforated pan into a hotel pan. Sprinkle insert with salt. Place fish fillets skin side down in insert and season with salt. Let fish cure for 25 minutes. Rinse off salt and pat fish dry. In a nonreactive container, cover fish with vinegar. When flesh turns white, drain, transfer to a hotel pan lined with a perforated pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

For the Nikiri Shoyu:
In a saucepot, combine all ingredients, bring to boil, and cook until alcohol burns off. Let cool, cover, and set aside overnight.

For the Arrow Squid:
Using your fingers, completely eviscerate and clean the arrow squid, removing the fins, outer membrane, eyes, beak, cartilage etc. Slice the mantle open lengthwise and trim ⅛-inch from the edges. Peel off any remaining membrane. Rinse and pat dry.

For the Flounder Fin:
Remove flounder scales with yanagiba (Japanese fish slicing knife). Use deba to cut off the head from behind the pectoral fin. From the tail, insert deba along the edge of the fin, following the line on the skin to reach the spine, and slice between the flesh and the bone to get 4 fillets. Skin the fillet and separate the fin meat from the fillet. Set aside fillets for another purpose. Reserve fin meat.

For the Sushi Rice:
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Pour into container with rice and stir to combine. Set aside at room temperature.

To Assemble and Serve:
Slice Arrow Squid mantle into a 1-inch by 2-inch rectangle and score in a crosshatch pattern. Apply a tiny bit of wasabi to the squid. Form a small ball of Sushi Rice, and then form the Arrow Squid and rice into nigiri sushi. Season with a few drops of lemon juice and sea salt. Apply a tiny bit of wasabi to the Gizzard Shad. Form a small ball of Sushi Rice, and then form the Gizzard Shad and rice into nigiri sushi. Brush with a thin layer of Nikiri Shoyu. Score Flounder Fin meat and fold it into a 1-inch by 2-inch rectangle. Lightly sear with a torch, and apply a tiny bit of wasabi to the fin. Form a small ball of Sushi Rice, and then form the Flounder Fin meat and rice into nigiri sushi. Brush with a thin layer of Nikiri Shoyu. Season with a few drops of lemon juice and sea salt. Serve sushi immediately.

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