Sturgeon Szechuan Recipes

STURGEON SZECHUAN

Steps:

• Heat the sesame oil and the butter until hot.
• Dust the fillets with flour.
• Pan fry until light brown on both sides.
• Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
• Cook until the garlic just starts to brown.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the sturgeon and de-glaze the pan with the sake.
• Add the teriyaki sauce and reduce until caramelized.
• (If the sauce appears to break as it reduces, add a tablespoonful of sake or sherry).
• Garnish with chopped peanuts.
• Teriyaki Sauce: Mix all ingredients together; will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month; before using, stir up from the bottom.

SZECHUAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast szechuan peppercorns in a hot dry skillet over medium heat, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Crush.
• Place all ingredients in a medium bowl or small jar and whisk until well combined.
• If using as a stir-fry sauce, and you would like to thicken it, whisk in 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
• If using as a marinade, forgo the cornstarch and make sure to season what you are marinating ( chicken, tofu, beef) with salt. The marinade alone will probably not be salty enough.
• If making a stir-fry, try adding a few dry Chinese or Arbol chilies (5-10) to the stir-fry, right before adding the Szechuan Sauce. Do not eat the chilis. ????

STURGEON WITH CAPER, OLIVE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat saute pan over medium high heat (hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick) until just warm and add the olive oil. Let oil heat and place fillets in the pan. Let sides brown for 1 minute or 2, then add onion. Stir until onion starts to become translucent. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until garlic just begins to brown. Flip fillets over to brown. Add olives and stir in. Then, add capers. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, then, add white wine. Increase heat for a few minutes to reduce wine. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients and let sit for a few minutes. Flip fillets so that both sides are coated with sauce. Fish is done when there is resistance to pressure. (Check also with your seafood market person about recommended cooking times for the fish.) Freshly ground pepper can be added during the cooking, but salting the dish isn't necessary since there is a lot of salt in the olives and capers. Serve with rice, pasta, or couscous. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

STURGEON WITH MUSHROOM AND THYME REDUCTION

Steps:

• Heat the grill, (or use a grill pan) on high while you prepare the sturgeon.
• Remove the skin from the sturgeon and place in a large stainless steel bowl.
• Add the olive oil, garlic, course black pepper and salt.
• Mix the seasonings into the fish to coat.
• Prepare the mushroom sauce by heating a large sauté pan on high.
• Add the olive oil and add the sliced mushrooms and shallots just as the oil begins to smoke.
• Sauté the mushrooms and shallots for about 1 minute and add the whole butter followed by the fresh thyme and salt and pepper.
• Place the sturgeon on the grill and reduce the heat to a medium setting.
• Close the grill and leave the fish as is for 2 minutes.
• While the fish is cooking add both the stock and white wine to the mushroom mixture and continue to cook to reduce the liquid.
• Reduce by almost half.
• Flip the fish after two minutes of cooking and cook another minute or until the fish reaches an internal cooking temperature of 145 degrees.
• Remove the grilled fish and plate, top with the mushroom and shallot mixture and enjoy.