Episode 189: Fanny's Menu

Oysters with Ponzu and Home Pickled Ginger

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the pickled ginger:

1/4 cup/60 ml rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons/25 g sugar
2 teaspoons/7 g salt
6 ounces/170 g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced paper-thin on a Japanese mandoline

For the oysters:

Crushed ice
24 freshly shucked oysters
1/2 cup/115 ml ponzu sauce
24 fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Method:

To make the pickled ginger:

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Place the ginger in a bowl.

Pour the boiling vinegar mixture over the ginger. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until the mixture is room temperature, about 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is cold, about 1 hour.

To serve the oysters:

Cover a serving platter with the crushed ice.  Arrange the shucked oysters on top of the crushed ice. Place a small piece of pickled ginger over each oyster.

Spoon 1 teaspoon/5 ml of ponzu sauce over each oyster. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pickled ginger for another use.

Steamed Whole Tilapia with Ginger and Shallots

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Two 1 2/3-pound/750-g whole tilapia fish, scaled, cleaned and gutted
1/3 cup/25 g julienned, peeled fresh ginger
14 ounces/400 g Chinese long beans
1/4 cup/60 ml dry sherry
1 teaspoon/4 g granulated sugar
1/3 cup/70 ml tamari
1/2 teaspoon/3 ml toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup/30 g julienned shallots (preferably green shallots)
1/4 cup/60 ml peanut oil
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
Small pinch of freshly ground white pepper

Method:

Place the fish on a chopping board. With a sharp knife, cut three diagonal slits into the side of each fish, then cut three diagonal slits in the opposite direction to make a diamond pattern. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.

Place one fish in each of two baskets of a large bamboo steamer. If necessary, trim the tails of the fish so that the fish fit in the baskets. Gently rub half of the ginger over the fish and into the slits.

Place the beans in the steamer baskets alongside the fish, wrapping the beans to surround the fish. Bring 2 inches/5 cm of water to a boil in a large wok over a medium-to-high heat.

Place one steamer basket in the wok over the boiling water. Pour 2 tablespoons/30 ml of sherry over the fish. Stack the second basket atop the first basket, and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons/30 ml of sherry over the fish.

Cover the steamer baskets with the lid and steam the fish for about 12 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. You can tell that the fish is cooked when the meat is white through to the bone, which will be exposed by the cuts. If fish is still translucent, replace the lid firmly and steam for another minute or so.

Remove the steamer baskets from the wok. Transfer the beans to the chopping board and slice diagonally into 2-inch/5-cm pieces, then sprinkle them around a serving platter. Using a metal spatula, carefully transfer the fish to the platter.

Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the fish. Combine the tamari and sesame oil in a small bowl, then drizzle it over the fish. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining ginger and half of the shallots.

In a small saucepan, heat the peanut oil over high heat until it begins to smoke, about 3 minutes. Slowly and carefully drizzle the hot oil over the fish. Garnish with remaining shallots, the cilantro and pepper, and serve immediately.

Korean Pears Steamed with Jasmine and Honey

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 cup/70 g Chinese jujube (dried Chinese red dates)
1/4 cup/85 ml plus 2 tablespoons/40 ml honey
1 teabag of jasmine tea
4 small or 2 large Korean (Asian) pears, cut into 1/2-inch-/1.3-cm-thick wedges, and cored

Method:

Place 4 cups/1 liter of water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over high heat. Place the dates in a large bowl. Carefully pour the simmering water over the dates.

Allow the dates to soak for 30 minutes or until they soften. Drain the soaking liquid. Remove any stones or pits from the dates and slice the dates into rounds.

Combine the dates and 1/4 cup/85 ml of the honey in a small saucepan and stir to coat. Set aside while you prepare the pears. Place 2 cups/½ liter of water in a wok. Add the teabag and bring to a boil over moderate to high heat.

Arrange the pear wedges over a bamboo steamer basket and place the basket in the wok over the boiling jasmine water. Drizzle 1 tablespoon/20 ml of honey over the pear wedges. Cover with the steamer lid and steam the pears for about 12 minutes or until they are crisp-tender.

While the pears cook, place the date mixture over moderate heat and stir for 5 minutes or until the mixture is warm and the honey coats the dates. Remove the steamer basket from the wok.

Arrange the pear wedges decoratively over 4 serving plates, dividing equally. Spoon the date mixture atop the pear wedges. Drizzle the pears with the remaining 1 tablespoon/20 ml of honey and serve immediately.