red or green?: Sea Bass with Spicy Asian Ginger Sauce

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Sea Bass with Spicy Asian Ginger Sauce

This week starts Food Network's Sensational Sides weekly blogging event. For the next 7 weeks we will be transitioning into Spring and Summer produce dishes. But first, we need to account for the fact that, in most parts of the country, we are still dealing with cold weather and a lack of fresh, local, in season ingredients. So this week is "Clean Out the Pantry Night", a way for bloggers from around the country to share a common theme.

I love making Asian Style dishes so my pantry always includes soy sauce, and rice vinegar, and sherry, and Sriracha (lots and lots of Sriracha...I love spicy condiments.) This recipe combines all of these ingredients plus shallots, garlic, fresh ginger and chiles to first glaze sea bass and then top with a delicious sauce. Easy, Spicy and so, so Good.

I adapted the original recipe from Bon Appetit magazine back in 1996 and have been tweaking it ever since. The original was not spicy...but I think the heat really wakes up the fish. The perfect thing to help transition into warm, sunny springlike weather. I cannot wait.

Sea Bass with Spicy Asian Ginger Sauce
adapted from Bon Appetit December 1996
(serves 4)

Sauce
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup shallots, minced
1/2 cup fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

Fish
6 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 1/2 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

4 6- to 7 oz sea bass fillets

For sauce:
Combine wine, shallots, ginger and red pepper in heavy small saucepan over high heat. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Add cream and a pinch each salt and pepper and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

For fish:
Mix soy sauce, syrup, rice vinegar and sriracha in another heavy small saucepan. Mix water and cornstarch in small bowl until smooth. Add to soy sauce mixture. Stir mixture over medium heat until glaze boils and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool glaze to room temperature. (Sauce and glaze can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange fish on small rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with some of glaze. Bake until opaque in center, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Bring remaining glaze to boil. Spoon glaze over fish.

Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat. Gradually add butter to sauce, whisking just until melted. Strain. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce onto 4 plates, dividing equally. Top with fish and serve.

It is "Clean Out the Pantry Night" week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. Do you have a favorite pantry recipe? Feel free to share in the comments section or link to your blog if you have one.

Here is the full schedule for #SensationalSides:

April

3: Clean out the pantry night

10: Kid-Friendly

17: Easy Easter Side

24: Something mashed

May

1: Salad (Lettuces)

8: Cheesy