A classical Japanese method of lightly curing seafood with kombu (kelp), kobujime infuses your favorite fish with a punch of umami. Originally a way to preserve fast-spoiling fish, it didn’t take long for pre-modern Japanese chefs to realize wrapping seafood with kombu overnight made for a delightful dish the next day.
That alone would be enough for a satisfying meal, but upon finishing legendary producer Rick Rubin’s new book, “The Creative Act,” I was struck by my own bolt of inspiration: After curing fish (salmon, in this case), crisping the skin on parchment both diffuses heat and makes any pan nonstick. It’s a synthesis of old and new I think both Rubin and our nameless Japanese fisherman of the past would approve.
This recipe can work with any skin-on fish, from luxurious kinmedai (golden-eyed snapper) to ubiquitous salmon or trout. The sauce is a pared-back beurre blanc playing on the humble kasujiru (sake lees soup).