The foods of the Japanese izakaya (taverns) are among the most beloved in the world. There’s not a chef in the country who doesn’t try his or her hand at chawanmushi, ramen, soba and yakitori. Surprisingly, though, very few home cooks do. Myths abound about arcane ingredients and difficult techniques, but that couldn’t be less true. “This is simple, easy bar food,” F&W contributing editor Andrew Zimmern says. If you can’t find yellowtail collars, you can use tuna, salmon or swordfish collars instead. Slideshow: Japanese Recipes
How to Make It
Season the yellowtail all over with salt and let stand for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
Preheat the broiler and position the rack 8 to 10 inches from the heat. Season the yellowtail collars lightly with salt and arrange skin side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil for about 10 minutes, until the skin is lightly charred. Flip the collars and broil for 10 minutes longer, until the meat flakes with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the lemon juice and sugar.
Transfer the collars to a platter and pile the daikon alongside. Drizzle some of the lemon soy sauce over the daikon and serve, passing additional lemon soy sauce at the table.
