Sea Bass En Papillote With Thai Flavours Recipes

SEA BASS EN PAPILLOTE WITH THAI FLAVOURS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. To prepare the stuffing mixture, bash the lemongrass with the blunt side of your knife to bruise it, then slice it into thin rings. Finely slice the ginger (across the grain) - you can leave the peel on. Squash the unpeeled garlic cloves to release their aroma. Put all the stuffing ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
• Take a piece of baking parchment about 50cm in length and place the 2 sea bass across its width. Fill the stomach cavities with ¾ of the stuffing mixture, scattering the rest over the fish, then season. Fold the sides of the parchment over the heads and tails of the fish, then roll it into a parcel. This can now be stored in the fridge for a few hrs, if you like. When ready to cook, place on a tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins, until the flesh flakes off the bone.
• While the fish bakes, put the new potatoes in cold water and bring to the boil. Once cooked, drain well, slice in half and return to the pan with a knob of butter.
• Arrange the new potatoes and sea bass on the plate, still in the parcel, if you like, and sprinkled with the coriander leaves.

SEA BASS IN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down, in 1 layer in center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet. Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute. Stir in capers.
• Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.
• Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from oven and carefully lifting up a corner of top sheet of foil, pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from running out. If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.
• Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

WHOLE BAKED THAI SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180°C / conventional 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.
• Wash the sea bass inside and out, and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Score across the fish and through the skin 4-5 times on each side, then lay the fish on a large piece of oiled foil, big enough to wrap it up loosely. Do this for all four of them.
• Place the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chillies, coriander stems, lime juice, honey, fish sauce and oil in a blender and give it a quick whizz until the mixture is roughly chopped.
• Season the fish inside and out.
• Use half of the mixture over the fish, making sure you push some into the cuts.
• Use the remainder of the mixture to fill the cavities of the fish.
• Pull the sides of the foil up to create a loose parcel. Crimp the edges to seal, making sure there is some space around the fish.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakes easily.
• Let it rest for about 5 minutes before opening the parcel. Serve immediately.
• Before eating, be sure to drain the juices in a bowl to serve with the fish. Remove the mixture because it's not edible because the woodiness of the lemongrass.