Jasmine Tea-steamed Fillet of Opakapaka with Coriander Butter Sauce
Ginger brightens the crust on these fish fillets, coated with a silken cream reduction sauce. The simple but intensely flavored dish is garnished with a pick-up-sticks design of julienned carrot and green onion.
Ingredients
- Opakapaka Fillets - four, 5-ounce (alt. red snapper)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Bread Crumbs - 1 cup
- Fresh Ginger - 1 tablespoon, grated
- Fresh cilantro sprigs - 2, large, stemmed and minced; reserve stems
- Water - 3 cups
- Jasmine tea bags - 2
- Coriander-Butter Sauce
- Coriander seeds - 1-1/2 tablespoons
- Dry white wine - 2 tablespoons
- Plain rice wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Reserved cilantro stems, above
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/4 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks), cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Garnish
- Green Onions - 2 cups, julienned
- Carrot - 1, peeled and cut into very fine julienne
- Fresh Ginger - 1 teaspoon, finely diced
Instructions
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ginger, and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle this mixture over the fish. Put the fish in the top part of a steamer. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Set aside, add the tea, and steep for 3 minutes. Pour the tea into the bottom of the steamer, discarding the tea bags. Bring to a simmer, add the steamer section, cover, and steam for about 12 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm.
To make the sauce: In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine the coriander seeds, wine, vinegar, and cilantro stems. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium, add the heavy cream, and cook to reduce again by half. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time; control the heat by taking the pan off the burner if it becomes too warm and golden streams start to show in the sauce. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Place 1/4 cup of the sauce on each plate and place 1 fillet in the center of each. Garnish the tops of the fish with green onion julienne. Sprinkle carrot julienne around the sauce, and sprinkle ginger over the plate.
