Northern-inspired Walleye

Directions

1. For Walleye: Skin removed, portion into 1.5 oz pieces, 6 pieces total (optional: brine filets whole in 2% salt brine beforehand) Heat 3 tbsp oil to smoking point, season fish with kosher salt to taste. Place fish in pan skin side up. Press fish lightly to ensure even browning. Lower heat. Cook until flesh is opaque but not fully cooked through. Finish with 3 tbsp of butter. Remove from pan and allow to drain on a c-fold towel.
2. For Asparagus: Remove woody ends and peel to be the same diameter. In a pot, combine chicken stock, 4 oz butter, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 200g fresh horseradish, 300g fresh conifer or spruce, 10g juniper berries and 10g grapefruit zest. Reduce by half, allow to cool. Place white asparagus in a shallow baking dish and cover with the reduced broth. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Place in oven at 300 degrees. Check after fifteen minutes. Cooking time varies depending on size of asparagus. Allow to cool in liquid. Optional: Soak a fresh pine cone in water for half an hour and place in with the binchotan charcoal and lightly grill and perfume the asparagus with the pine smoke. Allow to cool and portion each stalk into three pieces.
3. For Beurre Blanc: Reduce 1/4c wine and 1/4c spruce vinegar with 20g spring onion by 2/3. Add 1/3c heavy cream and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in 1c cold butter until fully combined. Pass through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt, a little spruce vinegar and a little lemon juice. We also season with horseradish extract.
4. For Spruce Salt: Mix 100g spruce tips and 2tbsp of Maldon sea salt and store in an airtight container.
5. For Mussels: In a large non-reactive pan, sweat garlic and onion until caramelized, and add mussels. Add 1/4c wine and cover for about a minute, or until mussels just barely begin to open. Remove, strain, and shuck mussels by hand. Strain cooking liquid. Reserve mussels in liquid.
6. For Grapefruit Curd: Combine 150g grapefruit juice, 10g grapefruit zest, 200g whole butter, 175g sugar, 120g egg yolk, 13g gelatin, 5g citric acid and 1g kosher salt in crovac bag and cook at 75C for one hour. Emulsify in blender until smooth. Pass through chinois. Allow to cool in deli containers.
7. To Finish: Place asparagus and mussels in beurre blanc until just heated through. Remove and allow to drain on c-fold towels. Season with spruce salt. Garnish with spruce oil, tangerine lace and spring onion flowers.