Sorghum-Marinated Amberjack

Benne Tahini, Barbecued Carrots, Sorghum Syrup, White Shoyu, and Lime

Chef Scott Bacon of Magdalena | Baltimore, MD

Adapted by StarChefs | March 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Sorghum-marinated Amberjack:
1.16 kilograms shio koji
200 grams white miso paste
300 grams white grain sorghum syrup
150 grams tamari 
10 pounds amberjack, deboned, skin removed, and cut into 6-ounce portions

Benne Tahini:
1 pound black sesame seeds, soaked overnight in the refrigerator
100 grams raw honey
50 grams rice vinegar
20 cloves black garlic
10 cloves garlic confit
40 grams tamari
Salt

Barbecued Carrots:
300 milliliters carrot juice
500 milliliters ketchup
150 milliliters sweet soy sauce
50 milliliters apple cider vinegar
75 grams apricot harissa
2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper
4 tablespoons toasted and ground cumin
4 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 tablespoons toasted and ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
20 cloves garlic confit
Salt
3 pounds assorted heirloom carrots, tops removed

To Assemble and Serve:
Sorghum syrup
White shoyu
Lime juice

METHOD:

For the Sorghum-marinated Amberjack:
In a large bowl, whisk to combine koji, miso, sorghum, and tamari. Add amberjack and toss until well-coated. Transfer fish to a hotel pan and cover with any remaining marinade. Wrap the pan with plastic. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours depending on desired level of firmness. Gently rinse amberjack portions then place on a sheet tray. Refrigerate until dry. 

For the Benne Tahini:
Strain soaked sesame seeds and place in a medium saucepan. Add honey and vinegar then fill then cover sesame seeds with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until water is absorbed. Continue adding water and repeating the simmering process until seeds become soft and can easily be smooshed between the fingers. Strain sesame seeds and reserve the water. Transfer soft sesame to a Vitamix blender and add black garlic, garlic confit, and tamari. Blend on high, gradually adding 500 milliliters of the reserved warm sesame water and moving the mixture with a plunger or ladle. Once smooth, season with salt and adjust seasoning with more vinegar, tamari, and honey. Reserve.

For the Carrot Barbecue Sauce:
To a Vitamix blender, add carrot juice, ketchup, soy sauce. Vinegar, harissa, spices, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Season with salt. Reserve. Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 186°F. In a large bowl, toss the carrots in the barbecue sauce until well-covered. Add carrots and any remaining barbecue sauce to a vacuum bag then seal. Cook sous vide until tender, about 2 hours, checking every 15 minutes after the 1 hour mark. Shock the bag in an ice bath. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat a charcoal grill. In a small bowl, combine sorghum, shoyu, and lime. Brush 1 Amberjack portion with the sorghum mixture. Place Sorghum-marinated Amberjack on the grill and char on both sides. Remove from heat. Serve with Barbecued Carrots and Benne Tahini.

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