- Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- FOR THE FISH AND THE MARINADE:
- 1½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm or light brown sugar
- 1 shallot, sliced paper-thin
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1¼ pounds (560 g) rm white sh, such as lingcod, flounder, haddock, or halibut, bones and skin removed, cut into 6 equal pieces
- About 6 rm lettuce leaves, such a those from a head of escarole or romaine
- FOR THE SPINACH:
- 1 pound (500 g) spinach, trimmed and rinsed, with the water still clinging to it
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- FOR THE GARNISH:
- ½ cup (125 ml) Macadamia and Coconut Sprinkle (Chapter The Basics)
DIRECTIONS:
- Whisk the tamari, palm sugar, shallot, and sake together in a small bowl. Rinse the fish and pat it dry, then lay the fillets in a shallow nonreactive dish and pour the marinade over them. Turn them, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- Just before serving, place the spinach in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook the spinach, turning it once, until it is wilted but still bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. When the spinach has cooled enough to handle, press on it to remove as much liquid as possible—there should still be a slight bit remaining in the spinach, so that it isn’t completely dry. Coarsely chop the spinach, transfer it to a medium bowl, and drizzle it with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss thoroughly, taste for seasoning, then reserve, keeping the spinach warm.
- Bring 3 cups (750 ml) water to a boil in the bottom half of a steamer. Line the top of the steamer with the lettuce leaves. When the water is boiling, place the fish in the steamer and cook until it is opaque through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish from the steamer to a platter and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- To serve, reheat the spinach if necessary, then divide it evenly among four warmed dinner plates, patting it gently into a small round in the center of the plate. Cover the spinach with a piece of fish, then sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons of the macadamia sprinkle and serve.
- This is a simple preparation that will seduce the palates of all who taste it, for who can resist toasted coconut and the buttery crunch of toasted macadamias?
- While the macadamia is native to Queensland, it was introduced to Hawaii in 1851 as both an ornamental tree and one that would help reforest islands. It was only a matter of years before Hawaii became the largest producer of macadamias in the world. When I spent time in the Hawaiian islands, which are now the world’s second-largest producer of macadamias, I found the nuts used ubiquitously in inspired fish dishes like this one.
Note: If the exact fish you are looking for doesn’t measure up to your quality standards, simply substitute another. The fish here can be marinated from 30 minutes to overnight. The flavor naturally intensifies the longer it marinates. Remember to turn the fish from time to time.
