Braised Whole Fish In Hot And Sour Sauce Recipes

CHINESE BRAISED FISH (HONGSHAO YU)

Steps:

• Using paper towels, pat the fish thoroughly dry. Wrap the fish in fresh paper towels while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. The goal is to make the fish as dry as absolutely possible. Use a sharp knife to score both sides of the fish three times.
• Once the prep work is done, unwrap the fish and dust it with a thin, even layer of cornstarch on both sides. This step will help keep the skin in tact during pan-frying.
• Heat the wok until it starts to smoke, and immediately add the oil and ginger slices. Reduce the heat to medium. Once the ginger slices start to brown, remove them from the wok and set aside. Carefully lay the fish in the wok, and DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER NOT TO MOVE OR TOUCH THE FISH for the next 5 minutes. You can tilt the wok around so the oil glides around to evenly brown the fish.
• After 5 minutes, shake the wok slightly to see if the fish has seared enough to stop sticking to the wok. This is when you can carefully flip the fish over and do the same process for the other side.
• Once both sides are nicely browned, add the ginger back to the wok along with the scallions, shaoxing wine, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Keep the heat at medium low, and cook the fish by continuously spooning the cooking liquid over the fish. Cook on each side for 4-5 minutes. By now, the sauce should be cooked down and almost syrupy. Serve!
• Tip: If you want to make sure the fish is done, carefully pick apart the thickest part of the fish. If the meat readily comes apart from the bone, it's done. You can plate it so that the hole you made is facing down!

WHOLE FISH WITH SOY AND CITRUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Thinly slice half the lemon, half the lime and half the orange.
• Using a sharp paring knife, make 2 to 3 1/2-inch-deep diagonal incisions on each side of the fish, not quite down to the bone, but enough to visibly score the flesh. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in the largest, oven-safe skillet you own (at least 12 inches) on the stove over medium-high heat. Pick up the fish by the tail and gently lower the fish into the skillet away from you to avoid hot oil splatters.
• As soon as the fish is in the skillet, use tongs or a fish spatula to lightly press the fish, encouraging the skin to make even contact with the skillet. Cook, continuing to press lightly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place a few slices of citrus inside the cavity of the fish, letting a few escape and sizzle in the skillet alongside the fish.
• Add butter and soy sauce to the skillet, letting the butter sizzle and foam up. Tilt the skillet slightly toward you to allow the buttery soy sauce mixture to pool on one side. Using a large spoon, baste the fish a few times, letting the sauce sizzle and foam up around the fish and into the parts where you've made the incisions.
• Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and continue to cook until the fish is firm to the touch and you can see that the flesh has gone from translucent to white and opaque, 15 to 18 minutes. (You may need a few minutes more if you have an especially meaty snapper.)
• Place fish on a large serving platter (leaving the sauce behind), along with remaining halved lemon, lime and orange for squeezing over the top. Add lime juice to the skillet and swirl to combine. Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, serving cilantro alongside for nibbling in between bites of fish, like a very spriggy salad.

BRAISED FISH, POT-ROAST-STYLE

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it is hot, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, and add it to the pot. Cook, undisturbed, until it is well browned, 5 or 6 minutes. (If you're using halibut fillet, and it has skin, brown the nonskin side.) Transfer it to a plate, browned side up.
• Add the onion, thyme, saffron, carrots, fennel and potatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and smoked paprika, and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens a bit, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and let it bubble away until it almost disappears.
• Add the stock, bring to a boil and let it bubble vigorously until the liquid reduces by about a third, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers; when the vegetables are nearly tender - about 10 minutes later - nestle the fish, browned side up, among the vegetables; keep the browned crust above the liquid. Cook, undisturbed, until the fish and vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer the fish to a cutting board, and divide the vegetables among shallow bowls. Slice the fish and put it on top of the vegetables. Taste the cooking liquid, and adjust the seasoning; ladle it over all, garnish with the parsley and serve.

BRAISED WHOLE FISH IN HOT-AND-SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make 3 shallow cuts, from top to bottom, on each side of the fish. If you're using dried mushrooms, heat the stock or water and soak the mushrooms in it.
• Put the 1/2 cup oil in a nonstick skillet that will accommodate the fish and place over high heat. A few minutes later, when the oil is hot-a pinch of flour will sizzle-dredge the fish heavily on both sides in the flour, then gently lower it into the oil. Cook, sprinkling with salt, until golden brown on both sides, turning just once and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Transfer the fish to a platter and pour off the oil from the skillet. Return it to the stove over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
• Drain the mushrooms if dried (reserving the stock) and slice them thinly, discarding their stems. Add them to the skillet along with the onion and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, and black beans and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and stock. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and return the fish to the pan.
• Cover and cook gently until the fish is cooked through (peek into one of the slashes; the meat should be opaque clear to the bone), about 15 minutes. Use a pair of spatulas to gently move the fish to a platter. If the mixture is very soupy, turn the heat to high and reduce it until thick, stirring occasionally (if it's not, proceed). Spoon the sauce over and around the fish, then drizzle with the sesame oil and garnish with the scallion and cilantro.
• Omit the chiles or not, as you like. After adding the liquids in step 3, stir in 1/2 cup honey or sugar and cook until it dissolves. Proceed as directed.
• Omit the onion, chiles, black beans, and vinegar. Add 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, sliced, with the mushrooms to the skillet in step 3. Proceed as directed.

QUICK-BRAISED FISH FILLETS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour about 1/8 inch of oil into a wide, deep skillet, preferably nonstick. Place over medium-high heat. Soak the beans in the wine. Mix the flour with enough water to make a paste the consistency of sour cream. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
• When the oil is hot-it will shimmer, and a pinch of flour tossed into it will sizzle-coat the fillets with the batter and brown them quickly, about 2 minutes per side.You may have to work in batches; do not crowd the fish. As you finish browning, transfer it to a plate. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool down a bit, then discard the oil and wipe out the pan.
• Put 2 tablespoons oil in the pan and turn the heat to high. A minute later, add the ginger, garlic, and scallions and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Turn the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and the black beans and their liquid. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, just until the tomatoes begin to break up.
• Return the fish to the pan (now it's okay to crowd) and continue to cook until it is done, about 5 minutes more (a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center will meet little resistance). Taste and add soy sauce if the dish is not salty enough; serve the fillets with the sauce over rice.