Plate Steamed Red Snapper Recipes

PLATE-STEAMED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Place a steaming rack in a large wok. Fill wok with water to 1 inch below the rack. Place a heatproof plate on rack, making sure plate doesn't touch sides of wok.
• Season fillets with salt and pepper. Coat lightly on both sides with sesame oil. Sprinkle flesh side with chopped cilantro.
• Place one fillet on the plate, skin side down. Sprinkle with some lemon grass or peel; sprinkle remainder around plate. Place second fillet, skin side up, on top of first.
• Scatter scallions, ginger, and mushrooms on top of and around fish. Drizzle with soy sauce and vinegar.
• Bring water to a boil, turn down to a steady simmer, and cover wok. Steam until the fish flakes at thickest part, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve directly from plate.

STEAMED RED SNAPPER WITH GINGER, CHILES, AND SESAME OIL

Steps:

• Arrange a 9-inch metal cake rack or steamer basket in a 12- to 14-inch wok or a deep 12-inch skillet (with a domed lid) and add enough water to reach just below rack. Cover wok and bring water to a boil.
• Score skin of fish in several places, then put on an oiled heatproof plate that will fit into wok or skillet with 1 inch clearance around plate. Stir together Sherry and salt in a small bowl, then rub mixture onto both sides of fish, leaving skin side up.
• Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté ginger, scallion, and chiles, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds, and spoon over fish. Carefully transfer fish (on plate) to rack in wok and cover tightly, then steam until fish is just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove plate from wok and sprinkle fish with sesame oil.

QUICK STEAMED RED SNAPPER (SEAFOOD)

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper and salt.
• Arrange fish on steaming rack.
• Brush fish with soy-ginger mixture.
• Place rack over boiling water.
• Cover.
• Steam 10 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.
• Brush occasionally with soy-ginger mixture.

PAN SEARED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Rinse snapper under cold water, and pat dry. In a shallow bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, rice vinegar, mustard, honey, green onions, and ginger.
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip snapper fillets in marinade to coat both sides, and place in skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Pour remaining marinade into skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

STEAMED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH ASIAN FLAVORS

Steps:

• Sprinkle inside of each fish with salt. Using sharp cleaver or knife, make 4 diagonal slits on 1 side of each fish, spacing equally and cutting to the bone. Insert 1 slice of ginger, 1 slice of garlic and 1 cilantro leaf into each slit. Turn fish over. Make 4 diagonal slits on second side of each fish and insert remaining sliced ginger, sliced garlic and cilantro leaves. Arrange fish in 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; refrigerate).
• Place a slice of ginger and garlic, then a whole cilantro leaf in each slit; they will add flavor to the fish during the steaming process. Hold back the flaps to insert the seasonings more easily.
• Pour enough water into wok or large pot to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Place bottom of 11- to 12-inch-diameter bamboo steamer over water in wok or open a steamer rack and place in pot. Place dish with fish in bamboo steamer (or on steamer rack). Curl tails if necessary to fit.
• The classic Chinese way to cook the fish is in a tiered bamboo steamer set over boiling water in a wok. Pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into the wok.
• If you don't have a bamboo steamer or a wok, you can use a vegetable steamer rack set in a large pot. The pot should be large enough to allow steam to circulate around the glass pie dish that holds the fish.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions into dish around fish. Combine broth and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in cup and pour into dish. Bring water to boil. Cover bamboo steamer (or pot). Steam fish until just opaque in center at bone, about 18 minutes.
• Before steaming, surround the fish with chopped shallots, lemongrass, green onions, and cilantro. Then pour a broth and soy sauce mixture into the dish to flavor the fish as it cooks.
• Meanwhile, combine sesame oil and vegetable oil in heavy medium skillet. Add chopped ginger and chopped garlic, then 2 tablespoons each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions. Stir over medium heat until oil is hot and seasonings are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour seasoned oil into small bowl; add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
• Using oven mitts as aid, transfer dish with fish to work surface. Using large spatula, transfer fish to platter. Spoon juices from dish over fish. Spoon some of seasoned oil over fish. Serve fish with rice; pass remaining seasoned oil.
• You may have to special-order whole fish from the supermarket or fish market.
• ** Available at Southeast Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.