Marinated and Seared Yellowtail, Steamed Bimi, Champagne Beurre Blanc

Myriam Minne

Ingrédients 

For the yellowtail

• 1 yellowtail loin

For the Fish Marinade

• 60 g lemongrass
• 50 g ginger
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 40 g salt
• 700 ml water
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Fish Marinade Method

Trim the outer layer from the lemongrass. Lightly crush it with the back of a heavy knife and cut into pieces. Peel the ginger and slice it thinly.

Place the water, lemongrass, ginger, salt, rice vinegar, and kaffir lime leaves in a saucepan. Heat the mixture to 80°C and let it infuse for 30 minutes.

Important: allow the liquid to cool completely before adding the fish. Ideally, let the marinade cool at room temperature first, then refrigerate it.

Marinate the fish in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. The exact time depends on the thickness of the fillets: the longer the fish stays in the marinade, the more intense the flavour will become.

Remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.

For the Champagne Beurre Blanc

• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 120 ml dry champagne
• 30 ml white wine vinegar
• 100 ml cream
• 150 g cold butter, diced
• White pepper and salt

Champagne Beurre Blanc Method

Place the shallots, champagne, and vinegar in a small saucepan.

Bring gently to a simmer and reduce until almost dry (about 2 tbsp of liquid remaining). This usually takes 8–12 minutes over medium heat.

Strain the reduction through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.

Do not press too hard on the shallots — use only the liquid.

Add the cream and heat gently until just below boiling point. Let it reduce slightly for 1–2 minutes.

Turn the heat to very low or off completely. Add the cold butter little by little while whisking constantly. Wait until each addition is almost fully melted before adding the next cube.

Season with salt and white pepper. Serve immediately or keep warm briefly (do not boil).