27 September 2008

Date #5b: Tonight

So Date #5 got postponed, which actually works out great because I was EXHAUSTED last night and fell asleep in front of the presidential debate around 9:30 p.m. I might have fallen asleep even if I hadn't been exhausted as that debate was a total snoozer. Wow. So boring!

But I digress.

Date #5b will find me in the kitchen, making sake-steamed sea bass. A few of you expressed interest in the recipe, so as a prelude to the date, here it is. My notes in [square brackets].

SAKE-STEAMED SEA BASS WITH GINGER AND GREEN ONIONS
from Bon Appétit, April 2003

3/4 c. sake [or whatever white wine you plan to drink with the meal]
3/4 c. bottled clam juice [or extra wine or broth, although the clam juice really does make the stock deliciously flavorful, despite the fact that the words clam and juice sound totally vile together]
1 T. minced, peeled ginger
1 clove garlic, cut into a few large chunks
4 5-oz. sea bass filets [or halibut steaks, or some other firm, white fish]
2 green onions, chopped
4 t. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil [or a bit more; I love sesame oil]
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
2 t. toasted sesame seeds [a mix of black and white look really pretty]

1. Combine sake, clam juice, ginger, and garlic in the bottom of a large skillet that can accommodate a steamer rack. Bring liquid to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 min.
2. Arrange fish on steamer rack; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place rack in skillet. Top fish with onions, then drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil.
3. Cover skillet and steam fish until opaque in center, about 5 min. for fresh fish. [I have made this with frozen fish and it works fine, it just takes a bit of extra time.] Remove steamer rack from pan.
4. Mix cilantro with juices in skillet.
5. Serve fish over steamed rice, topped with juices from skillet and sesame seeds.

So easy! So delicious! So impressive for company! If you and your company like fish, that is. I'm serving it with edamame and a green salad with a soy/ginger dressing.

It's Asian Theme Day at our house; in addition to the dinner that's on tap, we met friends for dim sum this morning. John and I used to go to dim sum at least twice a month, and we took the twins all the time when they were babies. It's a great meal for kids of all ages because as soon as you sit down, food starts to arrive, so you can be in and out quickly. I had only taken Maddie and Riley once or twice since they started eating real food, and they had never loved it but had always gotten by. Today, they found lots of thing appealing: conjee, shrimp rolls, pork buns, shrimp in taro root, tea, sesame balls, and straight-up soy sauce. Yum!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wawowow! I'm impressed! Will I get the same treatment when I come on the 2nd, 4th, whenever you reschedule me to?
Just kidding!
I say Take Out and JUNK! Lots of junk!
Have fun!
I'll be off to see Nights of Rodanthe....but I think you'll have alot more fun than me...well, definitely more action!

Gracie said...

Sounds like an awesome meal planned. I only wish I liked fish, but I can give it a try my dh and the twins, I am sure they would like it.

Have fun tonight, more fun than I will be having that's for sure. And don't worry about the debate, you didn't miss much!

Anne said...

I fell asleep during the debate too (!), but plan to watch the rerun on CNN tonight. Hope you have a better evening than I do!
:-)

watercolordaisy said...

OMGosh. I totally nearly feel asleep during the debate and thought it was so boooooring, too.

Have fun tonight!!! Sounds yummy!!

I got a new dog so am being "adult supervision" to make sure the new dog and the old dog continue to get along. Oh, my crazy single life.... lol.

Mouthy Girl said...

I am so very happy for you.

Kids behaving and HAPPY.
Another great date.
A superb meal.

You deserve all of it.

Gloria said...

My mom actually steams chicken with ginger and sesame oil, so for those who doesn't eat fish, try it with chicken. I think you'll probably want to leave out the clam juice and use chicken broth instead. Also rice wine can be used in place of sake/white wine.

Heather said...

This recipe sounds really good -- I may just have to try it out!! And I *so* miss having people around that enjoy dim sum to sucker into going with me. Plus, having to drive 2 hours to a place that serves isn't particularly appealing.

I turned the debate off after an hour. I was too bored to spend any more of my time in front of that.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like things are progressing quite well.

How was Riley's "vacation" at the water park and the rest of the week with your Moo? Did she continue to be supportive of the fantastic new developments in your life?

Anonymous said...

Gotta try that recipe. I had Hong Kong style sea bass at our favorite local eaterie (the Carlylye in Shirlington, No. Va.) and loved it. I've gotta try this recipe SOON!

Cheers,

Paul

Ashley said...

Thanks for posting this recipe. I made it for my hubby last night and it was a huge hit!

Anonymous said...

I'll be making this recipe for the return of Keen from her latest journey. Thanks for the idea!

BB