Serves 4
45 min
Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce
Recipe GLPRf95bb72a0cd0a5
Delicate fish fillets steamed to tender perfection and finished with a aromatic black bean sauce, topped with fresh ginger slivers and chives, then drizzled with hot infused oil. This elegant dish is simple yet sophisticated, highlighting the natural sweetness of the fish with bold umami flavors from the black bean paste.
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Ingredients
4 thick fish fillets (about 1.25 inches thick)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Chinese salted black bean paste
1 tablespoon sake (Japanese rice alcohol), for mixing with black bean paste
7 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice alcohol), for steaming
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 bunch fresh chives, cut into 1.5-inch lengths
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Directions
Season both sides of the fish fillets evenly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a small bowl, stir together the black bean paste with 1 tablespoon of sake until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly over the top side of each fish fillet.
Arrange the seasoned fillets skin-side down in a heatproof steaming dish and pour 7 tablespoons of sake around them (not over them). Place the dish in a steamer basket over high heat and steam for 10-12 minutes until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork (internal temperature 145°F for fish). Do not overcook.
While the fish is steaming, use a vegetable peeler to create thin slices from the peeled ginger piece. Stack the slices and use a sharp knife to cut them into very fine julienne slivers. Set aside.
Carefully remove the steaming dish from the steamer and pour the accumulated cooking liquid into a large serving plate or shallow bowl.
Arrange the steamed fish fillets on top of the cooking liquid. Scatter the ginger slivers and chive pieces over the fish.
In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil and sesame oil. Heat until the mixture just begins to shimmer and smell fragrant (approximately 30 seconds), being careful not to let it smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the fish, ginger, and chives—they will sizzle as the hot oil hits them.
Serve immediately, making sure each portion includes some of the flavorful steaming liquid.
