Sea Bass Steamed With Lemon Grass And Chili Coconut Broth Food

THAI STYLE STEAMED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Use a knife and make 3 to 4 shallow cuts on the flesh of the fish. This will allow the meat to cook evenly.
• Place fish on a large heatproof plate and stuff the lemongrass into the belly of the fish.
• Bring water to boil in a large steamer and carefully the fish into it. Steam over high heat for 8 to 10 mins depending on the size of the fish. Mine was done is 9 mins.
• In a medium pot, add all the ingredients for the sauce and bring to boil. Taste and adjust with more seasoning if needed. The flavor profile should be tart, spicy and umami-rich.
• When the fish is ready, remove the lemongrass transfer the fish onto a large serving plate.
• Pour the sauce all over the fish, garnish with coriander and spring onions. Serve immediately.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH LEMONGRASS & GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Wash the sea bass inside and out, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Score across the fish and through the skin 4-5 times on each side, then lay the fish on a large piece of oiled foil, big enough to wrap it up loosely.
• Put the lemongrass, chillies, garlic and ginger into a mortar with the honey and 1 tbsp of the oil. Squeeze in the juice of one of the limes. Bash a few times with the pestle until everything's bruised - there's no need to grind it finely.
• Season the fish inside and out. Scrape out half the pounded mixture over the fish, add the last of the oil and rub everything in, making sure you push some into the cuts.
• Cut the second lime into quarters and push two pieces into the cavity along with the remainder of the pounded mixture. Fold each kaffir lime leaf in half and tear out the central vein to give you two halves. Push these into the cavity, too.
• Squeeze the juice from the last two lime quarters over the fish and pull the sides of the foil up to create a loose parcel. Crimp the edges to seal, making sure there is some space around the fish.
• Bake for 25 minutes. If you're eating the fish straight away, let it rest for about 5 minutes before opening the parcel. If you're taking it to a picnic, wrap it in another layer of foil the minute it's out of the oven.

BASS ROSACE, STEAMED IN LEMON GRASS, SERVED WITH CAVIAR AND LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• To prepare the fish: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and arrange the sliced bass in a single layer. In a small sauce pot, bring 1/4 pound unsalted butter and vermouth to a high simmer, melting butter. Remove from heat. When slightly cooled, brush both sides of fish with butter glaze.
• To form the rosace: Take one strip of bass and wrap tightly around your index finger. Remove your finger and tightly wrap another strip around centerpiece. Repeat procedure until you have formed a rose (approximately 7 strips per rose). When rose is shaped, fan out top of rose by bending top part of the fish backwards to give it a petal shape.
• To prepare steamer: Fill the bottom half of steamer with lemon grass, onion, celery, carrot, 2 sprigs of thyme, bay leaf, half of the peppercorns and half bottle of champagne
• To prepare the lemon sauce: In a medium rondeau, sweat shallots with olive oil over medium heat. When translucent, add lemon peels, juice of lemon, garlic, remaining thyme, and peppercorns. Deglaze with remaining champagne and reduce until dry. Add heavy cream and reduce. Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter one at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a chinois or fine mesh cap. Reserve and keep warm.
• To prepare zucchini: Cut into 4 1/4-inch segments. Quarter each segment and `tournee into leaf shapes. Blanch into boiling salted water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and shock in ice bath for 1 to 2 minutes. Reserve.
• To plate: Bring liquid in steamer unit to boil. Arrange rosace in the top part of the steamer unit and cover. Steam for 7 to 9 minutes until fish is cooked and moist. In a small saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with chicken stock to form a glaze. Add zucchini and warm through. When bass is cooked, remove from steamer and dry the base of the rose. Place on the left side of the plate. To the right, arrange the zucchini petals into a leaf shape. Place 2 to 3 pepper strips at the base of the zucchini petals to form the stem. In a small bowl, combine caviar with a small amount of lemon sauce. Spoon sauce around the base of the rose. Top off with lemon segments and chervil. Serve immediately.

STEAMED SEA BASS WITH VANILLA, BABY VEGETABLES AND CAPPUCCINO SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove the seeds from the vanilla pod and place both the seeds and pod on a plate with the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix up with a fork, then place the fish on the plate and turn it so both fillets are covered. Place the vanilla seeds and lemon leaf on top of the fillets, reserving the vanilla pod.
• Split the leeks down the middle, 1-inch from the end, and wash under cold water. Mix the peas, broad beans and new potatoes together.
• Put the milk into a saucepan with the reserved vanilla pod and slowly simmer over a medium heat. In a bamboo steamer* place the leeks on the bottom, then cover with the pea mix. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then place the steamer over the pan of milk. In a second bamboo steamer place the lemon leaf, and the fillets skin side up. Open up the score marks and pour over the juices from the plate. Place the lid on top and cook for 10 to 15 minutes on a slow simmer.
• Remove the steamers from the pan, place some vegetables on each plate, and top with the fish. To finish the sauce, remove the vanilla pod from the milk and whiz up with a cappuccino frother or 'whizzer', or in a liquidizer. This gives the sauce a thick cappuccino effect, which is both visually and texturally very nice.

SEA BASS NAPOLEON WITH GALANGAL BLACKENED SCALLOPS AND SMOKED SALMON, BLACKENED TOMATOES AND COCONUT LEMON GRASS REDUCTION

Steps:

• Baste raw bass pieces with Guajillo Chile Marinade and set aside. Heat coconut reduction sauce and set aside, keep warm. Brush scallops with blackened galangal powder blend and sear quickly, set aside and keep warm. Heat saute pan with little oil at medium low heat. When oil is hot, add bass, careful not to burn fish. Chile marinade contains a lot of sugar so watch your temperature, keep it low. Blacken tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Add spinach and enoki mushrooms. Cook down until spinach has wilted and sauce is hot. Check on bass and turn when ready. Plate the dish when fish is done. Place coconut reduction sauce on large plate to cover completely. Place spinach mushroom mixture in center of plate. Place largest piece of bass on top of spinach. Place scallops on top of bass. Cover scallops with smoked salmon slices (salmon is chilled or at room temperature, do not cook). Cover salmon with second piece of bass and use rosemary sprig to hold it all in one place. Add avocado around the outside of fish and garnish with tobiko.
• Place dry chiles in large stockpot and cover with rice vinegar. Place sugar on top and bring to simmer, allow to cook until chiles are tender. Place chiles in blender and puree. Use liquid as needed for puree. Add Ginger Oil to 2 quarts of the puree and mix well.
• Mix and bring to a boil, then leave at room temperature for 2 hours. Strain.
• Place coconut milk and lemon grass in large pan and bring to simmer, do not boil. Reduce heat by 65 to 70 percent and cool. Add remaining ingredients working in slowly and tasting so as not to over-season. Chill and hold. Use heavy cream if sauce breaks.

CHINESE STEAMED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Season sea bass with salt.
• Place 1/3 of the spring onions and ginger onto a glass or ceramic plate; cover with sea bass. Scatter remaining spring onions and ginger over the sea bass.
• Bring a wide pot of water to a boil. Set a rack inside the boiling water; place the plate of sea bass on top. Cover pot and steam until sea bass flakes easily with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour out any water that may have collected on the plate.
• Mix soy sauce, chile oil, and sugar together in a small bowl; pour over the sea bass before serving.

STEAMED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put half the ginger in the cavity of the fish, then lay it on foil. Pull the sides of the foil up around the fish to create a foil bowl, then add 1 tbsp water (this will steam the fish), seal and cook in the oven for 15-20 mins or a large bamboo steamer until the fish is flaking apart.
• Transfer to a serving platter, leaving the juices in the foil. Heat the soy sauces, oil and palm sugar in a saucepan with 1 tbsp water until boiling and bubbling. Top the fish with the spring onion, chilli, most of the coriander and the rest of the ginger. Pour the hot liquid over the fish to 'cook' the aromatics on top. Scatter over any leftover coriander stalks to serve.