Accounting for Taste

Lean white fish is mild in flavor, so before steaming the fillets we season it boldly with garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and fiery-sweet Sriracha. We often carve out the start of our weekday meals for a “Meatless Monday” and this combo from Milk Street (MS) fit the bill.

From their “New Rules Cookbook” it emphasizes a gentle heat as best for keeping the delicate flesh of fish tender. Steaming is ideal because the heat surrounds the fish, cooking it from all sides without movement. An aromatic sauce is added to complement the mild fish.

Because we are fungi fanatics, we increased the shiitake mushrooms by 50% for a total of 12 ounces. For a little spice, drizzle the plated fish fillets with a little chili oil before sprinkling with the scallions. Or sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with steamed or stir-fried greens and jasmine rice.

Pairing the cod with stir-fried baby bok choy made with garlic, ginger soy and a few red pepper flakes, and a side of steamed jasmine rice brought the entire dinner together. And plating it all on a singular platter makes for an easy presentation and allows each diner to serve themselves as much as they want.

Simple. Healthy. Tasty. What more could you ask for?

Steamed Fish with Shiitake Mushrooms

Servings: 4
Time: 40 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

3 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
8 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 6-oz. skinless cod, haddock or halibut fillets (each about 1 inch thick)
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. packed light or dark brown sugar
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the oyster sauce, Sriracha sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the fillets and turn to coat, gently rubbing in the sauce.
Add the mushrooms and toss until evenly coated. Marinate at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Place a steamer basket in a large Dutch oven. Add enough water to fill the bottom of pot without touching the basket. Remove the basket. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high.
Meanwhile, mist the steamer basket with cooking spray. Arrange the fish in an even layer in the basket and top the fillets with the mushrooms, evenly arranging them. Return the basket to the pot, cover and steam over medium until the fish flakes easily, 8 to 12 minutes. (Ours took the entire 12 minutes.)
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and ¼ cup water.
When the fish is done, use a thin metal spatula to transfer the fillets and mushrooms to a platter. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve with the sauce on the side.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe for Milk Street