West side Mitsuwa kinda insane this weekend. Here’s some stuff I don’t usually see…
10 Likes
WOW. I’d be all over that shirako!
1 Like
Just happened to be on my way to Nijiya
5 Likes
Is yellowtail collar relatively easy to cook at home? We like eating in a restaurant, but it seems like it might be kind of intimidating to do at home.
3 Likes
Super easy broil for color then bake for doneness.
Or you could use a grill but that’s trickier.
Let me know if you see any fresh ones any where haven’t seen it at mitsuwa, nijiya or the Korean markers recently
5 Likes
set oven to broil. adjust rack to highest position. add a good amount of canola oil to a cast iron pan. generously salt your hamachi kama and make sure it’s evenly coated in oil. make sure to trim or tuck parts of the fin into the pan so it’s not vertically protruding (it will burn otherwise as it’ll be very close to the element). put cast iron pan in, directly under the element. I like to do it skin side down first, then flip it half way through cooking and add a splash of soy sauce. serve with lemon.
7 Likes
They def have this at Yama but they do sell out so if you want it, call ahead.
2 Likes
Tokyo Central usually has them but they go quickly. If you go later they only have the salmon collars which are still good but not as good as the hamachi.
2 Likes
Yes, whole fish, collars and such are much easier to grill & broil than they seem.
5 Likes
yes, very easy, hard to mess up. its usually a weeknight dinner for us. Everyone else has given the same tips i would’ve given.
6 Likes
Sometimes the fish stall (Dry Dock) at the Thursday South Pasadena Farmers’ Market sells fresh collars and heads, varying species. Dry Dock will also ship fish to you for free with a $100 minimum order (all too easy to rack up; they’re good but not cheap). You can contact them with special requests, and I’ve gotten salmon collars shipped to me, I think they were about $6/lb.
I would add that if you plan on eating that yummy, crispy skin, go over the collars to make sure they are free of scales and scrape off any that you find (I think that part of the fish is often overlooked during the scaling process), as they can be unpleasant to eat.
6 Likes
Ding ding ding! I 
Dry Dock. Straight from the docks. No middle man. Super friendly and accommodating. They’re also at Beverly Hills & Larchmont Farmers Markets. I like BH because they have more selection, it’s close to my ‘hood and Jamie is da bomb. They can sell out fast but will hold things if you call. Pricey but worth it for the freshness & trust factor.
5 Likes
I see hamachi kama regularly at Tokyo Marketplace in Little Tokyo.
My favorite pairing is with ponzu!
4 Likes
Also at Brentwood FM’s on Sundays, IIRC.
1 Like
Based on their website Dry Dock frequent a lot of FM. The very clean and well kept store is located in Fullerton but check their hours.
2 Likes
Dang I’ll have to look more closely at the mitsuwa in torrance but I didnt see it last time.
This is one of the easiest things to cook, easier than most other fish or meats. It’s our go-to when we’re too tired to make an actual meal.
- Pat Kama dry with paper towels.
- Place skin side down on a crinkled foil “rack” on quarter sheet or mini pan
- Salt
- Broil “medium” in toaster oven, 5" from heat source if possible
8-10 minutes. Fish is done when the flesh flakes. This is as close to foolproof as it gets.
Source: Namiko Chen
pro tip: look for bulk-pack frozen kama at Marukai/Tokyo Central or 99 Ranch where it was on sale last month for $12.99/lb. It’s all from Japan.
6 Likes