A Recipe by Food Writer Tsurezure Hanako Using the “Iron Grill Plate That Keeps Your Fish Grill Clean”

A sudden question, but how often do you make use of your fish grill?

You may be one of many who have somehow avoided it, thinking, “I’m not quite sure how to use it,” or “Cleaning up afterwards seems like a nuisance.” In truth, I was one of them too. Although it came fitted with the hob in my rented flat, I had hardly given it a second thought.

It was food writer Tsurezure Hanako who reached out to those of us in the “unused fish grill” camp and said, “What a waste!” She believes that once it becomes part of everyday cooking, both the pleasure of mealtimes and the stress of cooking can change remarkably.

With Hanako’s ideas in mind, Nakagwa has now developed the “Iron Grill Plate That Keeps Your Fish Grill Clean” together with her.

“Making use of the fish grill already feels like a hurdle, and the material is iron?”

…You can almost hear the concern. But there is no need to worry. After repeated prototyping and adjustment, it has been shaped into something reassuringly easy to use, even for those who tend to shy away from iron.

This time, we introduce the iron grill plate, a new ally in the kitchen that broadens the range of what you can cook, together with tips on how to use it and a few recipes we hope you will try.

Making the fish grill part of everyday cooking

Hanako’s kitchen is filled with a love of food and a spirit of curiosity: a wide worktop lit from the side, a pantry packed with dried ingredients and seasonings, and shelves displaying pots from around the world.

The moment you step inside, it is a wonderful sight that lifts the heart, even for those who do not usually cook.

From this kitchen, which feels almost like a private retreat, Hanako proposes dishes that are sometimes a little elaborate, but more often are simple recipes made with ingredients easily found at an ordinary supermarket. These are dishes that can somehow still be made even on a tiring day, and they have helped many home kitchens.

It was together with Hanako that we created the “Iron Grill Plate That Keeps Your Fish Grill Clean”. But why turn our attention to the fish grill in the first place?

“My first impression was that many people have a fish grill at home, but are hardly making full use of it. There is such a strong image of it being troublesome—having to clean away dripping oil and scrub between the grill bars—and I felt that was such a waste.

Of course, grilling fish directly on the rack has its own merit, because the fat drips away and the flavour is improved. But if you do not want the bother of cleaning, you can simply place cookware inside instead of putting food directly on the rack. I felt that many people may not have realised they could use it that way.”

Hanako herself is an enthusiastic fish grill user. When building her home, she even chose her current gas hob specifically because it came with a fish grill.

“When the hob is full of pots and frying pans, it gives you another heat source, and there is also the benefit of grilling from above. Because the heat reaches the food directly, it cooks at a higher temperature than the hob and gives a beautifully crisp finish. It is also useful when you want to add colour to the surface.

I wanted people to know that it can make food more delicious, and that there are dishes you can only make properly with a fish grill, so I wanted to suggest some ideas.”

And so the making of a piece of cookware that would bring the fish grill into daily use began.

For the material, we chose iron.

“Iron conducts heat very well, so it gives a delicious crisp finish, and because it is durable, it can last a lifetime. I hoped it might become the sort of tool you can use hard and love all the more as it changes over time.

To begin with, we started by making it in cast iron, but when the sample was finished and we held it, it felt too heavy. Heavy cookware tends to be picked up less and less as time goes on, and because I wanted people to use it every day, I wanted to make it as light as possible, so we moved away from cast iron.

One point I would not compromise on during development was that it should be light enough to lift easily with one hand, something you could reach for casually as an everyday companion.”

Because iron is often associated with being troublesome, care was taken to make maintenance easy as well.

As it is uncoated, it can simply be washed after use without fuss, and thanks to a special finish, there is no need to season it with oil before first use, making it reassuringly approachable even for first-time iron users.

And in fact, this iron grill plate is not only for the fish grill. It can also be used on the hob, much like an iron frying pan.

The key feature is the ridged pattern on the base. This creates beautifully balanced grill marks, giving food a finish almost like that of a restaurant.

“I wanted to share the pleasure of seeing those grilled marks on food, so we kept fine-tuning it together with the designer. I think this really comes through when it is used on the hob.

In that sense, I hoped we could create a two-way tool—something you could use both for dishes you want to mark on the hob and for dishes you want to finish in the fish grill.”

Its size was designed to make the best possible use of the interior of the fish grill. It also has a little depth, so that dishes such as gratin can be cooked comfortably.

The handles were placed on the sides as well, so that they would not catch when putting it into the grill.

Recipes for the Iron Grill Plate, suggested by Tsurezure Hanako

Once Hanako begins speaking about the points she loves, there is no end to them. In the hope that you will use the iron grill plate often in daily cooking, she also shared three recommended recipes.

Each recipe below is given in a quantity that is easy to prepare using one iron grill plate.
The cooking times and methods for the fish grill assume a grill with heat from both sides.

 

Prawn and Mushroom Miso Cream Gratin

＜Ingredients (serves 2–3)＞

・Peeled prawns…150g
・Macaroni…80g
・Onion…1/4 (approx. 50g)
・Shimeji mushrooms…1/2 pack
・Pizza cheese…100g
・Milk…2 cups
・Butter…30g
・Salt…a pinch
・Miso…1 tbsp
・Potato starch…1 tbsp
・Plain flour…3 tbsp

＜Method＞

1. Remove the vein from the prawns, coat with salt and potato starch, rub lightly, then rinse with water. Boil the macaroni according to the packet instructions. Thinly slice the onion, trim the base of the shimeji and separate into small clusters. Grease the inside of the iron grill plate with a little butter (extra to the amount listed).

2. Melt the butter in a separate frying pan and sauté the onion, then the prawns, then the shimeji. Add the flour and stir so that it coats everything, then add the milk in three parts, allowing it to blend in as it cooks.

3. Once it comes to the boil, add the miso and macaroni and warm through. Transfer to the iron grill plate and scatter over the cheese. Place in the fish grill and cook over a high heat for about 10 minutes, until the top is browned.

“The first dish I would like to suggest is gratin. The top heat of the fish grill is ideal for dishes where you want colour on the surface. Another advantage is that, unlike an oven, there is no need to preheat, so you can begin cooking straight away. The bubbling finish you get from direct heat is appealing in itself. It is something I would recommend both for an everyday table and for cooking when you have guests.”

Pork Sauté with Japanese-style Cherry Tomato Sauce

＜Ingredients (serves 1)＞

・Pork loin steak (thick-cut)…1 slice
・Cherry tomatoes…6–8 (approx. 150g)
・New potatoes…2
・Shiso leaves…2
・Grated ginger…from 1/2 piece
・Salt and pepper…a little of each
・Light soy sauce…1 tsp
・Olive oil…1 tbsp

＜Method＞

1. Trim the sinew from the pork and season with salt and pepper. Remove the stalks from the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Wash the new potatoes well and microwave them with the skins on at 600W for about 3 minutes, then cut in half. Finely shred the shiso leaves.

2. Heat the iron grill plate over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Once fully heated, place the pork and the potatoes cut side down, and cook for 2–3 minutes without moving them. Turn the pork over, lower the heat, and add the tomatoes to the empty space. Cook until they begin to collapse slightly.

3. Add the ginger and soy sauce to the tomatoes, then transfer everything to a plate and finish with the shiso.

“For the second dish, I wanted to suggest a pork sauté cooked on the hob, as something that lets you enjoy the grill marks. That rich browning adds a sense of occasion to the table, and because the ridged base allows some of the fat to fall away, the ingredients cook beautifully.

It makes a colourful main dish, and because even the tomato sauce is made in the iron grill plate, there is not much washing up. It is a dish very well suited to everyday meals.

One important point is to preheat the plate before using it on the hob. This helps prevent sticking, reduces stress when cooking, and gives a better finish.

Do take care not to use pork that is too thin, as it tends to curl. Cutting the sinew helps prevent this, but if it starts to rise up, pressing gently in the centre will help it cook neatly.”

Tandoori Chicken

＜Ingredients (serves 2)＞

・Chicken thigh…1 piece (approx. 350g)
・Lotus root and red pepper…as needed
・Olive oil…1 tbsp

［A］
・Plain yoghurt…100g
・Grated garlic and grated ginger…1 piece each
・Tomato ketchup…1 tbsp
・Curry powder…1 tsp
・Salt…1 tsp

＜Method＞

1. Put the chicken and the ingredients in ［A］ into a plastic bag, then massage from the outside so everything is combined. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to overnight. Cut the lotus root into 8mm slices, and the red pepper into strips about 1.5cm wide. Toss with 1/2 tsp olive oil (extra to the amount listed).

2. Add the olive oil to the iron grill plate, place in the chicken, then put it into the grill and cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes.

3. Open the grill door once, place the lotus root and red pepper into the empty spaces, and cook for a further 5 minutes or so. If it looks as though it may catch, cover loosely with foil.

“Tandoori chicken with beautifully crisp skin is a dish that lets you really appreciate what is special about the fish grill, which browns the surface whilst cooking through to the centre.

Because it is cooked on a plate, the marinade does not drip away too much, which is another benefit of using this tool. Once the ingredients are marinated, all that remains is to grill them, and the dish comes together with very little effort.

The key point is that the heat is strong, so to stop the vegetables from becoming too dry and crisp, coat them with oil beforehand to help retain moisture. If an ingredient is naturally low in fat, keeping this in mind will help it cook well.”

Finally, Hanako, may we ask for a word now that the iron grill plate is complete?

“Both the fish grill and iron cookware feel a little distant to many people. That is exactly why we wanted to create a tool that lowers the barrier and fits naturally into everyday life. I hope it becomes the sort of good tool you find yourself reaching for every day.

I would be delighted if people could first come to know it as an easy and approachable ‘my first iron’, and in the process find more range and variety on their table.”

An iron grill plate that brings the fish grill—and grilled cooking itself—closer to everyday life, and makes it more delicious. We hope it becomes a trusted companion in many kitchens.

Tsurezure Hanako

A writer and food researcher with a love of food,drink, and travel. Her books include Mainichi Sake Gohan Nikki, Tsurezure Hanako no Oishii Meiten Ryokoki, and Tsurezure Hanako no Karada Tonoe Bento. Her social media, where she writes about food and daily life, is also widely followed.

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https://www.instagram.com/turehana1

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Text: Junko Yajiri
Photography: Kiyoko Eto