Sea Bass Thai Style Recipes

THAI SEA BASS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, warm 3 tbsp oil over medium heat. Season the fillet front to back with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, cook the fish skin-side down without moving for 4 minutes to get a nice crisp skin. Lower the heat a bit if you see smoke. Flip and cook the other side for 2-4 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove and rest on a plate (skin-side up).
• Return the skillet to the heat, saute the shallot and ginger with a pinch of salt, stirring constantly for 10 seconds. Add the bok choy, carrots, and kaffir lime leaves and sauté over medium low heat for 1 minute.
• Add coconut milk, raise heat a bit to medium to simmer for 5 minutes. Portion the broth and vegetables into bowls and top with the fish (skin-side up). Season with red pepper flakes or fresh chili pepper if you want a little spiciness to cut through the richness of the broth.

THAI-STYLE CRISPY SEA BASS

Steps:

• Trim and halve the spring onions, finely shred lengthways and place in a bowl of ice-cold water to crisp up. Pick in the coriander leaves, reserving the stalks.
• Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
• With a sharp knife, score the sea bass skin at 2cm intervals, then rub all over with the curry paste, inside and out, getting into all the cracks and crannies.
• Pack the coriander stalks into the cavities, season with sea salt and black pepper, then place in the hot pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until dark golden and cooked through (depending on the thickness of your fish).
• Drain and shake off the spring onions and coriander and pile on to your plates.
• Sit the sea bass on top, spooning over any spicy oil from the pan. Finely grate over the lime zest, and serve with lime halves, for squeezing over.

THAI STYLE STEAMED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Use a knife and make 3 to 4 shallow cuts on the flesh of the fish. This will allow the meat to cook evenly.
• Place fish on a large heatproof plate and stuff the lemongrass into the belly of the fish.
• Bring water to boil in a large steamer and carefully the fish into it. Steam over high heat for 8 to 10 mins depending on the size of the fish. Mine was done is 9 mins.
• In a medium pot, add all the ingredients for the sauce and bring to boil. Taste and adjust with more seasoning if needed. The flavor profile should be tart, spicy and umami-rich.
• When the fish is ready, remove the lemongrass transfer the fish onto a large serving plate.
• Pour the sauce all over the fish, garnish with coriander and spring onions. Serve immediately.

SEA BASS WITH SIZZLED GINGER, CHILLI & SPRING ONIONS

Steps:

• Season 6 sea bass fillets with salt and pepper, then slash the skin 3 times.
• Heat a heavy-based frying pan and add 1 tbsp sunflower oil.
• Once hot, fry the sea bass fillets, skin-side down, for 5 mins or until the skin is very crisp and golden. The fish will be almost cooked through.
• Turn over, cook for another 30 seconds - 1 minute, then transfer to a serving plate and keep warm. You'll need to fry the sea bass fillets in 2 batches.
• Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil, then fry the large knob of peeled ginger, cut into matchsticks, 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 3 thinly shredded red chillies for about 2 mins until golden.
• Take off the heat and toss in the bunch of shredded spring onions. Splash the fish with 1 tbsp soy sauce and spoon over the contents of the pan.

SEA BASS THAI STYLE

Steps:

• Apart from the sea bass, mix all the other ingredients together.
• Arrange the sea bass fillets on a sheet of tin foil so that the shiny side is on the outside.
• Score the fillets, and pull up the corners of the foil. Spoon over the Thai dressing and crimp the corners together to create a sealed bag.
• Dip the base of the bag in some oil and place on a chargrill or hot dry pan and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the pan, tear open bag and serve.

SEA BASS EN PAPILLOTE WITH THAI FLAVOURS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. To prepare the stuffing mixture, bash the lemongrass with the blunt side of your knife to bruise it, then slice it into thin rings. Finely slice the ginger (across the grain) - you can leave the peel on. Squash the unpeeled garlic cloves to release their aroma. Put all the stuffing ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
• Take a piece of baking parchment about 50cm in length and place the 2 sea bass across its width. Fill the stomach cavities with ¾ of the stuffing mixture, scattering the rest over the fish, then season. Fold the sides of the parchment over the heads and tails of the fish, then roll it into a parcel. This can now be stored in the fridge for a few hrs, if you like. When ready to cook, place on a tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins, until the flesh flakes off the bone.
• While the fish bakes, put the new potatoes in cold water and bring to the boil. Once cooked, drain well, slice in half and return to the pan with a knob of butter.
• Arrange the new potatoes and sea bass on the plate, still in the parcel, if you like, and sprinkled with the coriander leaves.