A nice healthy dish with lots of flavour going on, perfect for when you pick up a whole sea bass. Serve with some steamed basmati.
Wine Suggestion:We find that lighter, youthful fruity whites with a zippy freshness work well with these steamed, aromatic fish dishes. Something like Villa Wolf’s Pinot Blanc from the Pfalz in Germany which has charming white peach and citrus fruit flavours. Super light and juicy with a zippy refreshing finish we love this super summery wine.
Whole steamed sea bass with soy – serves 2
- 1 sea bass, about 400g, gutted and scaled
- 200g tenderstem broccoli, halved lengthways
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, thinly sliced
- a handful of coriander stalks
- 1 carrot, peeled into thin strips
- ½ a small cucumber, peeled into thin strips
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- basmati rice, to serve
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Make 3 slashes in the fish with a sharp knife.
Cut two large pieces of baking paper big enough to completely fit and seal in the fish and broccoli. Place the sheets on top of one another on a large baking sheet and lay the fish in the middle. Scatter around the broccoli.
Mix together the soy sauce, shaoxing , sesame oil and sugar and pour over the fish. Stuff the belly of the fish with the ginger and garlic and a handful of coriander stalks. Season the fish and wrap the parcel up tightly to seal. Cook in the oven for 18-22 minutes (start checking at 18 minutes – the fish is done when it is coming away from the bone or when the internal temperature reaches 60C).
Meanwhile, put the carrot and cucumber strips into a bowl with the rice vinegar and some seasoning, and toss. Leave to pickle for 20 minutes.
When the fish is cooked, open up the parcel and top with the pickled carrot and cucumber strips, sliced red chilli and scallions. Serve with rice.
(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, January 2022.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 