Whole steamed snapper, delicately scented with ginger and spring onion, and finished with a sizzle of Olivetta Chilli Flavoured extra virgin olive oil and fragrant Szechuan peppercorns.
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 whole Snapper (800g to 1kg), gutted and cleaned
60ml rice wine vinegar
Salt
4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
4 spring onions, julienned (whites and greens kept separate)
100ml soy sauce
50ml water
5ml sugar
Salt and white pepper
150ml Olivetta Chilli extra virgin olive oil
10ml Szechuan peppercorns
10ml dried chilli pieces
Directions:
Prepare the spring onion garnish by placing the julienned spring onion green tops in a small bowl of ice water and letting them curl for 15 minutes. Drain well before serving.
Make 2 to 3 shallow slashes on both sides of the snapper. Brush the skin with rice wine vinegar and season lightly with salt. Stuff the cavity with half the ginger and the white parts of the spring onions. Steam the fish in a bamboo steamer set over a wok of simmering water for 10–15 minutes, or until the flesh flakes easily and is just cooked.
While the fish steams, combine the soy sauce, water, sugar, salt and white pepper in a small saucepan. Warm gently until the sugar dissolves, do not boil.
Prepare the Szechuan Chilli oil in a separate small pot by gently heating the Olivetta Chilli extra virgin olive oil with the Szechuan peppercorns and dried chilli pieces. Warm until aromatic and sizzling, but not smoking.
To serve, transfer the cooked fish to a deep serving platter. Pour the warmed soy sauce mixture over the top and scatter with the remaining ginger and the curled spring onion greens. At the table, carefully drizzle the hot Szechuan chilli oil over the fish. It should sizzle on contact. Watch for splatter!
