Chinese Rickenbacker Bass Recipes

12 MINUTE STICKY ASIAN SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200c/400f
• Mix the oil, chilli, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and lime in a small bowl.
• Place the sea bass fillets, skin-side down, on a baking tray. Sprinkle on the cornflour and rub it into the fish gently.
• Spoon on the honey-soy sauce mix (it will pour off a little, but that's fine). Sprinkle on the sugar and place in the oven to cook for 8 minutes. Half-way through cooking, open the oven and baste the fish with the sauce in the tray (it will be stickier now it's been in the oven).
• Once the fish is cooked, take out of the oven and baste again with sauce, then sprinkle the top with coriander (cilantro), spring onion (scallion) strips and slices of chilli.
• Serve with lime slices and some boiled rice or salad.

CHINESE STEAMED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Make 3 diagonal slashes on both sides of the fish to help with the cooking.
• Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the fish with half the marinade while you get all the other ingredients ready. Be sure to rub it in between the slashes you made.
• Clean and cut the stems off the pak choi, leaving them whole.
• Slice the tomatoes.
• Thinly slice (julienne) the spring onions, ginger and chilli, as in the pictures.
• Decide on the dish that you are going to cook and serve the fish on. It doesn't matter if the head and tail hang over the edges. Line the dish with the tomatoes, followed by the pak choi.
• Place the marinated fish on the vegetables.
• Tuck a few ginger strips in the slices you made. Top the fish with half the aromatics - the spring onions, ginger and chilli strips. Keep the rest to top the finished dish with.
• Drizzle the rest of the marinade all over the fish and aromatics.
• Sprinkle some pepper, then steam the fish for 10 minutes. If you are using a makeshift steamer, the water wants to be simmering, not boiling. Check that the fish is cooked. You can do this by just lifting the meat off the bone with a butter knife or something similar. The meat should be completely opaque. If not done, give it another 2-3 minutes.
• Chop up the coriander (cilantro) while waiting for the fish to cook.
• When the fish is done, heat the 1 Tbsp of sesame oil in a small frying pan on medium heat. When smoking, quickly fry the rest of the spring onions, ginger and chillies for 10 seconds and pour this aromatic oil all over the fish.
• Top with the coriander and serve immediately.

PAN SEARED CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH ASIAN MARINADE

Steps:

• Prep: Prep the sea bass by patting it dry with a paper towel. Flip it skin side up and score the skin by making shallow cuts with a knife.
• Marinate: Add all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl or a resealable plastic bag. Add the sea bass and massage the marinade into the fish. Let it marinade on the counter for 15 minutes. See Note 1.
• Heat pan: Heat a non-stick pan over medium to medium low heat and add a bit of vegetable oil to the pan. See Note 2. Once the pan is heated, scrape off any excess marinade and place the fillets skin side down. Leave it alone until it starts sizzling and rendering out fat. Leave the pan uncovered. Lightly press down with the flat side of your spatula for a few seconds. Let the skin continue cooking until very crispy. Depending on thickness, times will vary. Mine took 4 to 5 minutes. Check halfway through and lower the heat if necessary to avoid burning the skin.
• Flip: Flip the fish and cook it skin side up until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes apart. Do not cover the pan with a lid as the steam will soften up the skin. See Note 3.
• Serve: Plate the sea bass crispy skin side up and serve immediately with lemon wedges and herbs.

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.

SAUTEED CHILEAN SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• Place flour for dredging in a shallow bowl. Coat each fillet with seasoned flour and shake off excess. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter/olive oil combination. Add the fillets, without crowding. Increase heat to high and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the bottom of the fish is nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Remove fish to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining fillets.
• Deglaze the pan with white wine. Cook, stirring over high heat until reduced by about one-third. Stir in remaining butter and drained capers.
• Plate fish and drizzle sauce around each fillet.

ASIAN-STYLE SIZZLING BLACK BASS

Steps:

• Make 4 deep, diagonal slashes down to the bone on both sides of the fish. Insert the ginger into the slashes. Refrigerate the fish until ready to cook.
• In a small saucepan, bring the sake, soy sauce, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and sugar to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool. Stir in the sliced scallions.
• Fill a wok or deep-fryer large enough to hold the fish with peanut oil to cover the fish by 1 inch. Heat the oil until very hot, about 375 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer.
• Season the fish lightly all over with salt and pepper, then dust it lightly but evenly with cornstarch. Hold the fish by the tail, carefully slip it head first and away from you into the hot oil. Fry it until the skin is crispy and golden brown and the flesh is cooked through, flaky, and separates easily from the bone, about 10 minutes.
• With long-handled metal tongs, remove the fish from the wok, letting excess oil drip back into the wok. Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Garnish the fish with scallion strips and cilantro and squeeze the lemon half over it. Serve immediately, passing the sauce on the side.