Dining and Cooking
Chefs’ Collections

Fish with Shiitakes

This dish is the kind that, with a little experience, many good cooks could assemble from scratch, without consulting a recipe. The aromatic triumvirate of garlic, ginger and scallions is matched with soy sauce, rice vinegar and fish sauce. Shiitake mushrooms give substance and flavor, cornstarch thickens and sesame oil adds a whiff of toasty richness.

Though I spooned the sauce over simply poached fish, it would work just as well with grilled, pan-seared or broiled fish, or on stir-fried strips of chicken breast, slivers of pork or beef, shrimp or scallops. Steamed rice could help sop up the sauce, but I served boiled fingerling potatoes.

Potatoes with Asian food? Don’t scoff. Chinese restaurants here do not serve them, but potatoes are a major crop in China, where they are eaten with gusto, especially in the center and north. Besides, potatoes are certainly favored in the countries that produce the best pilsners, the beverage to drink while eating this.

Ingredients

  • 2cups chicken stock
  • 1 ⅓pounds sea bass or gray sole fillets
  • 2tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 1tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½cup chopped scallions
  • 7ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 1tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1teaspoon Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 1tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • Nutritional Information
      • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

        307 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 620 milligrams sodium

    Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

4 servings

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 175 degrees. Place chicken stock in a wok or skillet, and bring to a simmer. Cut fish into pieces about 3 inches square, place in stock, and simmer until just cooked, about 5 minutes. Use spatula to transfer to heatproof platter, cover loosely with foil, and place in oven. Drain and strain stock, and reserve. Wipe out pan.
  2. Heat peanut oil in pan. Add garlic, ginger and scallions. Sauté briefly, and add mushrooms. Sauté until wilted. Add soy sauce, vinegar and fish sauce. Cook 30 seconds, then add reserved stock. Bring to a simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, and add, stirring. Simmer until sauce has thickened. Add sesame oil.
  3. Transfer fish to serving dish, spoon mushroom sauce over, scatter with cilantro, and serve.

40 minutes

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