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Steamed sea bass with wok-fried bacon lardons, chestnuts & dried Chinese mushrooms

 



Method 1


Ingredients


For the fish

1 heaped tbsp cornflour

1 sea bass

rinsed and patted dry

pinch of ground white pepper

2½ cm piece ginger

sliced into matchsticks

1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

For the sauce

4 large dried Chinese mushrooms

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 garlic cloves

finely chopped

2½ cm piece ginger

finely peeled and grated

2 medium red chillies

deseeded and finely chopped

150g unsmoked bacon lardons

1 tsp dark soy sauce

¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder

180g pouch cooked chestnuts

1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tsp chilli bean sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

3 spring onions

sliced into 1-inch pieces

To serve

1 spring onion

sliced into strips and soaked in ice water for 5 mins to curl, then drained

1 red chilli

deseeded and thinly sliced

sprigs of coriander


step 1

Combine the cornflour with 2 tbsp water and set aside. Put the whole seabass on a deep, heatproof plate (that fits inside a steamer). Season both sides with salt and ground white pepper. Stuff the belly with the ginger then pour over the rice wine, followed by the cornflour slurry. Set the plate on a steamer set over a wok filled halfway with simmering water. Place the lid on and steam over a medium heat for 6-7 mins. When the fish is cooked, turn the heat off and keep warm in the steamer.


step 2

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour boiling water over the mushrooms then leave to soak for 20 mins. Drain and finely slice. Heat another wok or large frying pan over a high heat until smoking, then add the oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies. Stir in the lardons and cook for 1-2 mins until slightly browned. Pour in the soy sauce and stir to coat, then add the five-spice powder. Mix in the soaked mushrooms, chestnuts, rice, wine, chilli bean sauce and soy sauce. Toss well to combine. Stir in the spring onions until just wilted.


step 3

Carefully remove the fish from the steamer and transfer to a large serving plate. Add any remaining fish cooking juices to the sauce in the wok and stir well, then pour over the sea bass. Garnish with the spring onions, chilli and coriander and serve immediately.




Method 2


Ingredients:

- Sea bass fillets

- Bacon lardons

- Chestnuts (you can use either fresh or canned ones)

- Dried Chinese mushrooms

- Soy sauce

- Oyster sauce

- Garlic

- Ginger

- Green onions

- Cooking oil

- Salt and pepper

- Cornstarch

- Water


Instructions:

1. Soak the dried Chinese mushrooms in warm water until they are rehydrated. Squeeze out excess water and slice them thinly.

2. Cut the bacon into lardons (small strips) and fry them in a wok until they are crispy. Remove the bacon from the wok and set it aside.

3. In the same wok, add some cooking oil and sauté minced garlic and ginger until fragrant.

4. Add the sliced Chinese mushrooms and chestnuts to the wok and stir-fry for a few minutes.

5. Season the mixture with soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

6. In a separate pan, heat some oil and pan-sear the sea bass fillets until they are cooked through and golden brown on both sides.

7. Once the sea bass is cooked, add it to the wok with the mushroom and chestnut mixture.

8. Mix some cornstarch with water to create a slurry and add it to the wok to thicken the sauce.

9. Garnish with chopped green onions and the crispy bacon lardons before serving.



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