CATFISH A LA SICHUAN

CATFISH A LA SICHUAN image

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 17

1½ pounds fillets of catfish, or other white fish
1 cup Shaoxing wine or sake
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned
4 tablespoons fish sauce
½ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons Chinese chili bean paste or Sriracha
5 cups chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
1 head Napa cabbage, cored and roughly chopped into ½-inch dice
¼ cup pickled chilies, roughly chopped
¼ cup pickling brine, from pickled chilies or other pickle jar
1 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns or black peppercorns, toasted and coarsely smashed
½ cup chile de àrbol, or other whole dried chili
1 cup cilantro leaves

Steps:

1. Fill a Dutch oven with 1 inch water. Set over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and lay in steamer. 2. In a bowl, season fish with Shaoxing wine, ginger and 2 tablespoons fish sauce. Place fish in steamer and pour marinade over fish. Steam until fish is just tender and flakes easily, about 5 minutes. Remove fish from steamer and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, make broth: Swirl 2 tablespoons oil into a deep pot set over high heat. Add sugar and stir until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add chili bean paste, stock, white peppercorns and cabbage. Cover and boil until cabbage is wilted, 5-7 minutes. Continue to cook, uncovered, at a rapid boil until liquid is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. At the end, add chilies, brine, vinegar, remaining fish sauce and soy sauce. Simmer 1 minute more and turn off heat. Cover with lid to keep hot while preparing oil. 4. In a small pot, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, after 1 minute, add Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies. Continue to heat oil until aromatic and popping but not burned, 1-2 minutes. 5. Nestle fish into pot containing cabbage and broth. Pour hot oil and spices over top. Note: This will cause sputtering, so take care. Quickly distribute broth, fish and cabbage among four plates. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.