Steamed Red Snapper with Sherry and Ginger

Red Snapper is a great fish to cook with because it offers a great canvas for flavour pairings, especially strong flavours like ginger and chili. It can be baked, pan-fried, grilled or steamed without losing its delicate flavour. 

With fish, I always prefer to cook either the whole fish or skin-on filets, and they don't lose their shape and integrity during the cooking. 

In this recipe, I marinated the fish with a light bodied sherry as it enhances the sweetness of the fish.

Ingredients

• 2 filets of red snapper (skin-on)
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 3 rehydrated red chilies, chopped
• 1 tbsp light bodied shiraz
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 scallions, with stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• sesame oil (infused with burnt garlic) for drizzling

Method

1. Mix the wine with the salt and add to the fish. Store it skin-side up in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan, and add the ginger, scallion and chilies. Lightly fry it for a minute till aromatic and spread evenly on the fish.
3. Place the dressed fish, with the marinade, in plate with a raised rim and steam for 8-10 minutes.
4. Drizzle lightly with the sesame oil and serve it up.

Steamed Croaker with Ginger and Soy

I bought these filets the other day, and with my gym instructor breathing down my neck, couldn't get myself to pan fry them. So decided to adapt a Bobby Chinn recipe from his trip to Xi Tang. Its extremely simple and brings out the flavour of the fish. You need a firm fleshed fish for this recipe, and can either steam the whole fish or cut out filets and steam them. I prefer the filet route as ensures greater melding of flavours. For steaming, use fresh ingredients as the aroma they release is just divine.

Ingredients

• 2 filets of croaker (with skin), or any other firm white fish
• 2 inches of ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
• 3 rehydrated red chilies, chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce, chopped
• 2-3 stalks of scallion stems
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Salt the fish liberally and rub it into the filets. Add the soy and set it rest aside for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the the ginger, scallion steps and red chilies and add it to the filets.
3. Place it in a plate with a raised rim and place it on the wire rack of a steamer.
4. Let it steam for 10-12 minutes and serve hot.

Gazpacho

I remember seeing this being made on Planet Food and just being amazed at how easy it is. There are two variants, one made with ground almonds and the other with tomatoes. It just uses a handful of ingredients and is a great way to use stale bread. It also very cooling, especially with the cucumber garnish, and is a great accompaniment at lunch.

Ingredients

• 200g stale bread 
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 tbsp chopped cucumber
• Some matchsticks of cucumber for the garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 rehydrated red chilies, chopped
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Remove the crust from the bread and soak it in some water for 10 minutes to soften it.
2. Add the bread, garlic, cucumber and chilies to a food processor and blend it till it resembles coarse sand. 
3. Add the red wine vinegar and tomatoes and blend it into a smooth mixture.
4. Add the wine and blitz it to create a thick emulsification.
5. Add some salt and pepper to taste and add the cucumber match-sticks as a garnish.
6. Keep in the fridge to cool for an hour and serve.