The Versatile And Very Dramatic Whole Fish

 

By Kerry Shelby

 

A fish cooked whole makes for a memorable main course and gives you and your guests the true “head-to-tail” experience. It seems every culture serves this dish using their preferred preparation. Thais serve it fried with a spicy sauce, Italians and French roast it in a hot oven with vegetables, and the Greeks throw it on a blazing grill slathered in olive oil and skewered peppers. The possibilities are endless!

 

 

However you cook it, follow these basic first steps for finding the right fish and preparing it for cooking. If you don’t catch the fish yourself, be sure to buy it from a fishmonger that you trust to have fresh, sustainably-caught product. Choose a fish that looks bright and clean. Make sure the eyes are clear and sharp and that the only smell is a subtle hint of the sea. If you plan to cook the fish in a wok or skillet, make sure to consider a small to medium fish that will fit comfortably in your pan. Have the fishmonger scale it and remove the gills.

 

 

Back in the kitchen, place the fish on a flat surface and cut three or four diagonal cuts across each side of the body angled inward toward the head (see step by step photos at kwkitchen.com). This makes seasoning and eating the fish easier and allows for even cooking. When seasoning the fish, make sure to get plenty of your herbs and spices into these cuts.

 

 

One of my favorite preparations for a whole fish is frying medium-sized snappers in a smoking hot wok and topping with a fiery Thai sauce. If a wok is not your thing, it’s just as easy in a large skillet. Be sure to allow time to cook the fish separately so as not to crowd the pan. The sauce works very well on grilled fish as well.

 

 

Thai Whole Fish with Spicy Thai Sauce

 

 

Make the Thai sauce

 

 

In a small sauce pan, heat about a half cup soy sauce, juice from a lime, a couple of thinly sliced garlic cloves, a small, seeded jalapeno, some honey, ginger, fish sauce (I highly recommend Red Boat Vietnamese fish sauce, available online), and a third of a cup of water for about five minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a food processor. Return to sauce pan, add a half cup chopped red bell pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes until pepper is soft. Keep warm.

 

 

Cook the whole fish

 

 

Pat dry a couple of very fresh snappers or other medium-sized fish. Score the fish as described above and rub with minced garlic, ginger (in equal amounts) salt, pepper and chopped cilantro. Dust lightly with flour. Heat a wok until smoking, swirl in canola oil, reduce heat to medium and fry fish one at a time, turning only once, until golden on both sides, about 10-12 minutes total. Using a fish spatula, carefully remove fish to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 180 degree oven while you cook the other fish. When done, plate fish and top with Thai sauce, scallion, and cilantro. Serve with steamed Jasmine rice.

 

 

Serves 2

 

 

Wine recommendation: A cold Asian beer (!) or a medium-bodied, very cold Riesling

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