Wild Alaska Pollock Chilli Ramen

Ingredients

3 tbsp of white miso paste
1½ tbsp of mirin
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of sesame oil
A good dash of maple syrup
4 x Alaska pollock fillets, cut in half
750ml of fish stock or vegetable stock
1 star anise
8 dried shitake mushrooms
2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, lightly bashed
4 spring onions, white and green parts separated, finely chopped
4 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground white pepper
200g dried ramen noodles, cooked
100g of baby spinach leaves
100g of tinned sweetcorn
1 tbsp Japanese chilli sauce
1 red chilli, deseeded and cut into thin strips, to serve
Black sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Method

To marinade the pollock, place 1 tablespoon of white miso paste, ½ a tablespoon of mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil and maple syrup into a wide shallow bowl and stir to combine. Add the Alaska pollock fillets. Coat well, cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pour the stock into a large saucepan and add the star anise, shitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic and the white parts of the spring onions. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid, return to the pan and place over a medium heat. When the broth comes to the boil, carefully add the eggs (in their shells) and cook for 6 minutes. Meanwhile pan fry the Alaska pollock fillets in a little vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes and remove from the pan.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the eggs out of the broth and place in a bowl of iced water to cool. Shell the eggs and cut into halves.

Whisk the remaining miso paste into the broth, then stir in the remaining mirin. Season with a pinch of sea salt and a small pinch of white pepper.

Add the noodles to the broth and cook until the noodles are warmed through. Remove the noodles with a slotted spoon and divide between four warmed bowls. Top each bowl with some spinach followed by some sweetcorn and place a couple of pieces of pollock on top and finish with the egg halves.

Bring the broth back to the boil then ladle it into the bowls. Garnish the ramen with the green parts of the spring onions and a dollop of chilli sauce. Sprinkle with red chilli and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.