2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins, plus one 7.5cm piece, peeled and julienned
1 whole rockfish or other mild, white-fleshed fish (340-455g), cleaned and scaled
2tbsp Chinese cooking wine, such as Shaoxing rice wine
3tbsp light soy sauce
2tbsp dried fermented black beans, soaked for 30 minutes then drained
3 spring onions, sliced
60ml peanut or rapeseed oil
Method
Put half the ginger ‘coins’ on
a 30.5cm heatproof plate and
place the fish on top, making
sure the coins are under the
fish. Put the remaining ginger
coins inside the cavity of the
fish and set aside.
Pour water to a depth of
2.5cm into a large sauté pan or
wok and bring to a boil. Put the
bottom of a bamboo or metal
steamer basket on top, making
sure the water does not touch
the basket. Put the plate with
the fish in the steaming basket,
cover the pan with foil and
steam for around 15 minutes
until cooked through. To test
whether it’s done, open the foil and, using a small, sharp
knife, check that the fish is
opaque throughout.
Using a tea towel and tongs,
transfer the plate to a cooling
rack and pour off the excess
liquid. Drizzle the wine and
soy sauce over the fish, then
scatter the julienned ginger,
black beans and spring onions
over the top.
Pour the peanut or rapeseed
oil into a pan set over a high
heat and heat until just starting
to smoke. Drizzle the hot oil
over the fish before serving.
Recipes and photographs taken from the Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood by John Ash. Photography by Ashley Lima (Cameron & Company)
