Banana Leaf Wrapped Chilean Seabass With Pickled Red Onions Recipes

BANANA LEAF WRAPPED BASS WITH SCALLION-GINGER FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Add water to a medium pot, fitted with a steamer insert, and bring to a boil.
• Coat a large wok heavily with 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and heat until the oil is almost smoking. Meanwhile, season the eggs with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the heated oil and stir vigorously until puffed and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside in a bowl. To the same wok, add another 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and heat until hot, then add the garlic, 2 tablespoons scallions and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and eggs back in, mixing gently. Season with the tamari and sesame oil. Mix well to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Lay a banana leaf on your work surface. Place about 1/4 cup cooled rice in the middle. Sprinkle a piece of fish on both sides with salt and pepper and place on top of the rice. Top with a few Thai basil sprigs. Fold the banana leaf and wrap tightly, similar to wrapping a sandwich in foil or plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining fish. Carefully place each piece of wrapped fish in a steamer insert, seam-side down. Add the tea leaves to the simmering water and set the filled steamer insert over the water and cover. Steam until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, when is the fish has about 3 minutes left, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan.
• Cut the fish packets open with scissors, then top each pieces of fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons scallions and tablespoon ginger. Spoon the hot olive oil over the top of each piece of fish and serve.

BANANA-LEAF-WRAPPED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.
• Place oil, tamarind pulp, nuoc nam, garlic, shallots, chile, turmeric, shrimp paste, lemongrass, sugar, ginger, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a smooth paste is formed.
• Place banana leaves on the grill for about 2 seconds to make them more pliable. Using tongs, transfer them to a work surface. Trim tops and bottoms of each leave and place a fish fillet in the center of each leaf. Evenly divide the oil mixture between each fillet and spread over fish in an even layer.
• Working with one fish at a time, fold one side of the leaf over the fish, then the other, then fold in ends. Repeat process until all fillets are wrapped. Wrap banana-leaf-wrapped fish in aluminum foil.
• Place foil-wrapped fish on grill and grill, turning once, until a metal skewer or sharp, thin-bladed knife inserted into the center of the fish comes out hot, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Carefully unwrap fish from foil and place each banana-leaf-wrapped fillet on a plate; serve immediately with lime wedges.

FISH WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES WITH CHILE RAJAS AND CREMA

Steps:

• Roast chiles on racks of gas burners over high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 10 to 12 minutes. (Or broil chiles on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.) Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let stand 20 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, peel chiles, discarding stems and seeds (do not rinse under running water as this washes away flavor), and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Cook onions with salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are tender but still have texture, about 10 minutes. Stir in chiles and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then season with salt.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Unfold banana leaves. Cut off (and reserve) tough center rib that runs along bottom edge of each leaf with kitchen shears. Cut ribs into 12- to 14-inch strips for tying packets. Gently cut leaves into 8 (12-inch) squares, being careful not to split them.
• Slowly run a banana-leaf square across flame of a gas burner, just enough to "melt" outer coating on leaf (it will become quite shiny; if you have an electric stove, hold leaf slightly above burner on moderately high). Place a piece of fish in center of square and season with salt, then top with 1/2 cup rajas and 2 tablespoons crema. Fold 2 sides of banana leaf over fish to enclose it, then fold in opposite sides to form a packet. Tie packet with a strip of banana-leaf rib and transfer to a large baking sheet. Assemble 7 more packets in same manner.
• Bake fish packets in middle of oven 20 minutes, then transfer each to a large plate or shallow soup bowl. Cut ties of packets and open them (leaves are not edible). Drizzle fish with additional crema.
• Available at Latino and Asian markets.