Jonathan Wu's Steamed Fish

Ingredients

• 1 Market Fish (Porgy, Black Bass), 4 lbs, scaled and gutted
• 1/4 t kosher salt
• 1” Ginger, peeled, minced
• 3 Garlic cloves, peeled, minced
• 2 Scallion whites, minced
• 2T Shiro (white) Soy Sauce
• 2T Sake
• 2T EVO
• 2T veg stock
• 1T Douchi
• 2 Tangerines
• 1 Fennel, sliced ¼” thick, green fronds reserved
• 6 star anise
• 2 cups veg stock
• Chili Oil
• 2 scallion greens, sliced

Instructions

1. 1
   Prepare Fish: Butterfly fish from belly side. Remove the spine. Remove the ribs. Pull pin bones.
2. 2
   Prepare Fennel: Slice into discs. Braise in vegetable stock with star anise, until completely tender.
3. 3
   Prepare Tangerine Peel: Wash tangerine. Microplane. Blanch in light simple syrup (2T sugar : 4 T water) Dehydrate.
4. 4
   Place the fish on its side and open the belly-flap. Season the cavity with kosher salt. Sprinkle the flesh evenly with minced ginger, garlic, and scallion. Do the same with black beans. Stuff with 4-5 slices of braised fennel. Squirt the sake, veg stock, and EVO inside the cavity as well.
5. 5
   Place on a lightly EVO-oiled piece of parchment and steam for 10-12 minutes. Check the done-ness by opening the belly flap with a spatula – if the flesh way inside, by the spine is white, the fish is fully cooked.
6. 6
   Garnish with chili oil, sliced scallion green, fennel frond, and dried tangerine peel. Serve with steamed rice.