
This recipe is chef Judy Joo’s love letter to umami in two languages – earthy Korean doenjang and smoky Spanish chorizo simmered with sweet clams into a broth so savoury it could be eaten on its own. She serves it, however, with a perfectly fried crispy-skinned sea bass fillet, yuzu-brightened crushed potatoes and samphire tempura that ties in all those salty flavours of the sea.
Most live clams bought from a UK fishmonger or supermarket have already been purged of sand. But if they have been foraged, or need purging, simply dissolve 2 tbsp of table salt in 1 litre of water, and then pour this over the clams. Let them purge for 1 hour in the fridge, and then lift the clams out of the sandy, salty water. Rinse them, and then use as normal in the recipe.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with enough generously salted water to cover by 5cm. Bring the water to a boil over a high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes (18-22 minutes if using Charlotte potatoes), until tender and a knife slips in with no resistance
Meanwhile, start the base for the sauce. Place a wide deep sauté pan with a lid over a medium-high heat. Melt the butter, then add the garlic and shallot and sweat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured. Add the chorizo and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and the chorizo fat has rendered out
Pour in the sake and let it bubble for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula, then add the clam juice and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the doenjang and miso until fully dissolved, then simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes to concentrate the flavours slightly
Add the clams to the broth, put the lid on and cook over a medium-high heat until the shells just open – about 3-4 minutes. As soon as they open, remove the clams to a warm bowl with a slotted spoon (discard any which still remain closed). Lift out the chorizo and reserve with the clams
Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing gently to extract all the flavour. Reduce for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the yuzu juice, taste and adjust with more doenjang for depth or yuzu for brightness. Keep warm
Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pan off the heat. While still hot, crush lightly with a fork to achieve a range of sizes. Fold in the softened butter, then add the yuzu juice and chives. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Cover and keep warm
Preheat the oven to 90°C. Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium-high heat, or preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180°C. Set up a tray lined with kitchen paper for the cooked tempura
To make the tempura batter, in a chilled bowl, whisk the tempura flour with enough chilled sparkling water to form a thick, lumpy slurry – keep it slightly lumpy and do not overmix (you may not need all the water)
Working in batches, use tongs to dip the samphire sprigs into the batter, shake off the excess, and lower into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes until pale golden and crisp, then drain on the tray. Keep warm in the oven
To cook the sea bass, season both sides with salt. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers, then add the butter. When the butter foams, lay in the fillets skin-side down and press each fillet flat with a fish slice for the first 30 seconds so the skin stays in contact with the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp, then flip, baste with the foaming butter and cook for a further 30-60 seconds until just cooked through. Rest on a warm plate
Use a 6cm ring mould to plate the potatoes onto warm plates. Spoon the crushed potatoes into the mould and press gently to fill, then lift the mould straight up to remove. Stack 2 pieces of sea bass on top. Spoon the broth around the potatoes and arrange a few clams (in their shells) and chorizo around the plate. Top the fish with samphire tempura and finish with micro cress and kizami nori. Serve immediately
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