Thai Red Curry Black Sea Bass
I recently had the opportunity to host my parents for dinner during their short trip to the city. After all of the foodporn they’ve seen over the past several months, it was time to actually taste the food! I went with a whole fish family meal with the help of the good people at Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. We snagged an incredible whole arctic char and also a whole black sea bass.
I really had no clue what I wanted to do with either fish but landed on a Japanese soy miso inspired flavor profile for the char. It was simple and fresh but just one dimensional. The sea bass got a Thai red curry treatment that turned out incredibly delicious and went very well with the firmer flesh and red wine. It was the winner for the night and will surely be revisited very soon in the kitchen. I hope you give this whole fish recipe a try. If that bugs you out, then consider giving firm fleshed fish filets this saucy treatment!
INGREDIENTS:
2.5 - 3.5 lbs Whole Black Sea Bass - Gutted, cleaned, definned, descaled
juice from 1 lemon
Salt & Pepper
2 bunches basil
2 bunches cilantro
1 bunch parsley
1 stick lemon grass
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1.5 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4-6 cloves garlic crushed into paste
1 in ginger thumb grated into a paste
zest of 3 limes
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sambal or thai chili sauce
½ cup water
2/3 cup roasted peanuts crushed
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Have your fishmonger gut, scale, and de fin the fish. Rub the fish inside and out with coarse salt and lemon juice and let sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. Rinse the fish with water inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels.
Score the fish in inch increments on both sides. This means, cut about ½ inch in to the meat along the length of the fish every inch. Season liberally with salt and black pepper both inside and outside ensuring that the seasonings make their way in to the scored cuts.
On a large baking sheet, lay out 2 sheets of foil long & wide enough to enclose the fish in a foil case. Lay out half a bunch of basil, cilantro, and parsley. Cut the lemon gras in half and using the back of your chef’s knife, hammer the length of both halve to open it up and activate it. Lay half of the lemon grass on top of the bed of herbs. Lay the fish on top of the bed.
Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, oyster sauce, Thai red curry paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, lime zest, lime juice, sambal, and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce until slightly thicken. Removed from heat and let cool for 5 min.
Pour ¼ of the sauce over on side of the fish. Flip and repeat with another ¼ of the sauce. Wrap the fish loosely in a foil cocoon ensuring that the seal is airtight. Place in the center of the oven and cook 30 - 40 minutes or until the inner flesh is just opaque. Don’t be afraid, dig in to one of the scored cuts and check for doneness. Let the fish rest for 5-10 min. Top with the remaining sauce and a generous dusting of the basil/cilantro/peanut topping.
Devour and enjoy! Don’t forget the eyeballs and cheek.
