Best Plate Steamed Red Snapper Recipes

CANTONESE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths, and cut the pieces in half lengthwise. Julienne them thinly. Thinly slice about 15g of ginger, and julienne them. Give the cilantro a rough chop. Set the aromatics aside.
• Combine the light soy sauce, salt, sugar and hot water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
• Prepare your steaming set-up, and fill with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil.
• Rinse your fish fillet, and carefully lay it on an oblong heat-proof plate that will fit into your wok or steaming setup. Carefully place it in the steamer, and adjust the heat to medium. The water should be at a slow boil that generates a good amount of steam, but not so high that the water evaporates too quickly.
• Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes depending upon the size and thickness of your fish fillet. If you have extremely small, thin fillets (half an inch), cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for doneness using a butter knife. If it falls easily through the thickest part of the fillet to the bottom of the plate, the fish is done.
• Turn off the heat, and carefully drain any liquid on the plate. Spread about ⅓ of the scallions, ginger, and cilantro on the steamed fish (alternatively, you can wait to do this AFTER adding the sauce).
• To make the sauce, heat a wok or small saucepan to medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the remaining ⅔ of the ginger, and fry for 1 minute. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for 30 seconds.Then add rest of the scallions and cilantro. The mixture should be sizzling.
• Add the soy sauce mixture. Bring the mixture to a bubble, and cook until the scallions and cilantro are just wilted, about 30 seconds.
• Pour this mixture over the fish. If you prefer to add the raw aromatics after adding the sauce, you can do so now, and heat an additional 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to pour over the raw aromatics. Serve immediately!

RED SNAPPER WITH MISO BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat an oven-safe saute pan over medium heat. Season fillets with josher salt on both sides. Turn heat to high and add 3 tablespoons Miso Butter to the preheated pan; when it has melted, place fish on top of the butter, skin-side up, in an even layer. Move the fish around in the butter as it starts to bubble and the miso begins to caramelize, 2 minutes. Place pan in the oven to finish cooking fish, about 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness. Meanwhile, make the Herb Salad. (Note: If using a convection oven, place skillet on the middle rack. If using a conventional oven, place skillet on lower rack.)
• In a small saucepan over high heat, bring sake and mirin to a boil to burn off the alcohol. Once boiling, add sugar, stir, and continue boiling until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid is translucent. Turn off heat and stir in miso.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add butter. Whisk at medium speed until butter is fluffy and pale yellow, 1 minute. Continuing on medium speed, slowly add the miso mixture in a steady stream to combine. Turn off motor, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue mixing again, just until incorporated. Pour Miso Butter into a bowl and set aside. Makes about 2 cups. (Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.)
• In a bowl, combine Thai basil, mint, chervil, dill, and celery leaves (or a fresh herb combination of your choosing). Set aside.
• Remove fish from oven: it's fully cooked when opaque throughout, and should flake when touched. The Miso Butter will be brown and caramelized in the pan. Flip the fish onto a serving plate, skin-side up, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt. Pan sauce: To the caramelized butter in the hot pan, add 1 tablespoon of fresh Miso Butter and stir to combine. Spoon pan sauce over the fish. Add ponzu to the Herb Salad, toss, and serve with the fish.

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.

UNCLE GLENN'S ONAGA (STEAMED RED SNAPPER WITH SOMEN)

Steps:

• The day before cooking, submerge the garlic in the oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, check the fish for any remaining scales and scrape off, paying special attention to the head and tail. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
• Boil the somen according to the package instructions, rinsing and draining well. While the noodles are still damp, arrange them on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Loosely toss together the celery, carrot, scallions, onion and cilantro leaves in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature (if refrigerated, the hot oil added at the end won't sizzle). In another small bowl, mix the chung choi, ginger and cilantro stems, and stuff 1/2 cup of the mixture inside the fish cavity, including the head. Pat the remaining few tablespoons over both sides of the fish's body.
• Set a steamer rack or other metal rack inside a wok or roasting pan large enough to accomodate the fish and set on the stove, straddling two burners if needed. Have ready the wok's lid or sheets of foil large enough to cover the roasting pan tightly. Add enough water to come up to the rack (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, stack 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold the fish. Turn up and crimp the foil at the edges to create a boat just large enough to fit the fish. The raised edges will catch the drippings, which will make the sauce. Put the foil boat on the rack over the boiling water, then lay the stuffed fish on the foil. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil and let steam for 15 to 18 minutes (6 minutes per pound). Don't lift the lid to check on the fish, as this will cause the temperature to drop. Adjust the temperature as needed if the lid begins to clatter. Uncover and check to see if the fish is done: The eyes should be white and bulging, the mouth slightly agape and a chopstick inserted into the flesh should slide in easily. Turn off the heat.
• Using two long spatulas, gently transfer the fish to the somen platter, laying it on top of the noodles. Lift the foil boat out of the steamer, careful not to spill any sauce, and pour the sauce into a small bowl. Add the oyster sauce and scallop powder (or fish sauce) and stir. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the fish with the vegetable and herb garnish.
• Pour the reserved garlic oil into a small saucepan. Heat over high until the garlic turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic. Slosh the soy sauce over the garnished fish, then carefully pour on the hot garlic oil, letting it sizzle. Serve immediately.

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.

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.