Steal this chef’s Hawaiian fish favorite!

In this special weekly feature, “Today” Food Editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across the world. See how much money you can save — and fun you can have — by cooking these dishes at home!

This week: Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish With Kim Chee Lime Butter Sauce, from Roy’s, in Hawaii

He must be doing something right. Since chef Roy Yamaguchi opened the first Roy's in Hawaii in 1988, he has since launched 30 others, including 21 in the continental U.S., six in Hawaii, three in Japan and one in Guam. Famed for his “Hawaiian Fusion” cooking, Yamaguchi blends European cooking techniques with the fresh ingredients, especially seafood, found in Asia and the Pacific Rim.

More about the chef
Born in Japan, Yamaguchi was inspired by family trips to Hawaii to study cooking in the United States. He then went to work in several U.S. restaurants before opening Roy’s in Honolulu in 1988. Food & Wine magazine dubbed the first Roy's "the crown jewel of Honolulu's East-West eateries" while critic Mimi Sheraton selected Roy’s as one of Conde Nast Traveler's "Top 50" in America. Gault-Millau went on to award it two "toques" (a 17/20 rating) and in a Forbes FYI, Andre Gayot ranked it amongst the nation's "Top 40." Bon Appetit and Forbes have included Roy's in cover stories and Gourmet acknowledged Yamaguchi as "the father of modern East-West cooking." The New York Times recently included Roy's in a "Choice Tables" article in which Yamaguchi was described as "the Wolfgang Puck of the Pacific" and his food as "outstanding." Yamaguchi has also received the James Beard Award for "Best Pacific Northwest Chef," Hawaii's first recipient of this prestigious, peer selected national honor.

(Please note that ingredient prices are estimates and based on national averages. Amounts listed are for one portion. Increase proportionately according to number of portions desired.)

Courtesy of Roy's

Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish With Kim Chee Lime Butter Sauce
($26.00 for dinner at Roy's, accompanied with panko breaded deep fried tofu [or rice if requested] and a vegetable. Cost to make at home, $8.55.)

7oz. butterfish (also known as black cod). Sea bass or halibut can be used instead. ($4.80)

Miso Marinade
1 cup sake ($0.45
1 cup mirin, a sweet Japanese beverage used mostly in cooking ($0.55)
1/2 lb sugar ($0.22)
1/2 lb miso paste ($0.35)

(Note: Marinade quantity is sufficient for several pieces of fish)

Kim Chee Lime Butter Sauce
3 tablespoons. olive oil ($0.08)
1 small sweet onion, chopped ($0.12)
1 tablespoon shallots, chopped ($0.18)
1 clove garlic ($0.04)
1/3 cup white wine ($0.45)
2 teaspoons fish Sauce ($0.35)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice ($0.13)
2 tablespoons cream ($0.26)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped ($0.02)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter ($0.28)
1 tablespoons. kim chee sauce ($0.12)
3 tablespoons chili sauce ($0.15)

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Combine marinade ingredients in small saucepan and simmer until it becomes a dark, caramel color. Authentic sake, mirin and miso can all be found at any market specializing in Far East foods. Possible substitutions would be rice wine for the sake and Mirin, and powdered miso soup for the authentic miso paste. After marinade has cooled, submerse fish completely and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Begin sauce by slicing the garlic thinly and slow roasting it in the oven for 40 minutes, at 250F. Using a small amount of the olive oil, sauté the onion, shallot and garlic, until they become translucent. Deglaze the pan with white wine and fish sauce, and then reduce by half. Add cream, lime juice and a pinch of cilantro. Reduce the mixture until it thickens and slowly blend in the kim chee sauce and butter. (Kim chee sauce, which originates from Korea, is hot and spicy.) Strain sauce through a chinois (a fine sieve) or cheese cloth and then mix in 1 tablespoon of cilantro and the chili sauce.

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Take the marinated fish and place it into a sauté pan on medium heat with a small amount of oil. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side. Place fish on the center of the plate on top of your starch of choice. Ladle the Kim Chee Lime Butter Sauce around the fish and top with chopped cilantro.

Roy's
www.roysrestaurant.com
(813) 282-1224

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