Steamed whole sea bass
Prep
15 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
There's something special about cooking a whole fish, and this steamed sea bass is one of my go to meals when I want something impressive but genuinely simple. The beauty of this recipe is that it comes together in under an hour, and honestly, most of that time the fish is just steaming away while you relax. Sea bass is packed with omega 3 fatty acids which are wonderful for your heart and brain, so you're eating something truly nourishing. I love how the ginger and garlic infuse the delicate flesh with such lovely warm flavors, and that drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the end brings everything together. It's the kind of dish that feels like you've spent hours in the kitchen but really it's completely fuss free.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 900whole sea bass(whole No.1 Greek Large Whole Sea Bass (from the fish counter), gutted and scaled)
- 3 tbsplight soy sauce
- 4 cmginger(peeled and cut into thin matchsticks)
- 2 clove/sgarlic clove(cloves garlic, roughly chopped)
- 5salad onion(salad onions, trimmed and cut into 0.5cm rounds )
- 2 tsptoasted sesame oil
- 1red chilli(finely sliced)
- 75 mlsgroundnut oil
- 1wholegrain rice( Rice, to serve)
- 1mixed vegetables(Vegetables, to serve)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Using a sharp pair of scissors, trim the fins from the fish, then use a sharp knife to slash 1 side of the body 4 times. Remove the head and tail if you like, to make it fit your tin.
- 2
Lay a large piece of foil (a few centimetres longer than the fish) on the work surface. Place the fish on the foil. Slowly drizzle over 1 tbsp soy sauce, ensuring some of it goes into the slashes. Arrange the ginger and garlic on top, then ½ the salad onions.
- 3
Unless you have a large steamer, you will have to create one. I used a large flameproof roasting tray with 3 upturned ramekins in it (if you have a small grill rack this would also work). Gather the fish up in the foil and place it open on the ‘trivet’. Pour about 3cm water into the roasting tray underneath, then cover everything with foil. If you have a large steamer (or fish kettle), put the fish, in its foil, into the steamer, then place over a large pan or wok containing 3cm water. Cover the steamer with its lid.
- 4
Set the pan over a high heat and steam the fish for 25 minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. When cooked, carefully transfer the fish to a serving plate. Pour over the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce and the sesame oil, then top with the remaining salad onions and red chilli.
- 5
Heat the groundnut oil in a pan, until smoking. Carefully spoon the hot oil over the fish to make everything sizzle. Serve with rice, vegetables and a huge smile.
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