Red Snapper Seared in Sesame Oil With Cilantro

Last month, my Apricot and Pistachio cake was voted as the top entry in the monthly Royal Foodie Joust, hosted by Jenn the Leftover Queen.

Each month, the victor chooses the three ingredients that must be included in the dish and then anyone who belongs to the forum may then vote for their favourite dish.

As the victor in last month's competition, I was awarded with (other than bragging rights) the coveted "Apron".

As part of my coaxing of votes, I promised (threatened) to wear nothing but the apron, should I win the Joust. I said it - I did it!

The three ingredients I've chosen for this month's Joust are seafood, cilantro (coriander) and sesame.

I found a very interesting recipe in a book called The Food of Korea and this red snapper dish jumped right out at me.

It's very simple...red snapper (or other white-fleshed fish) fillet, toasted sesame oil, salt and cilantro.

As a side, I braised some lentils with a bay, parsley and fresh oregano and and finished it with a French Rouille (more on that another day).

The original recipe called for the fish to be grilled but any hope of using my BBQ went out the window, what with over 30mm of rain yesterday.

I sauteed the fish in a non-stick pan over high heat and I must say...the result was an aromatic fish that was seasoning perfectly, succulent and flaky at the same time.

For those not keen on cilantro, parsley would work just fine here.

Red Snapper Seared in Sesame Oil With Cilantro

1-2 red snapper fillets per person
fine sea salt
toasted sesame oil
chopped fresh cilantro
sesame seeds for garnish
lemon slices for garnish

1. Ask your fish monger to scale and fillet the red snapper. Wash and pat dry your fillets and with your fingers, gently rub the meat of the fish to see if any pin needles need to still be removed. Use needle-nose pliers or tweezers to remove them.
2. A half hour before serving dinner, sprinkle some sea salt on the skin and flesh side of the fish and place back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the fillets from the fish and rinse and pat dry (do not re-season, the salt penetrated the fish).
4. Brush a some toasted sesame oil on both sides of the fish and pre-heat your non-stick fry pan.
5. Over medium-high heat, saute your fillets skin-side down first for approx. 3 minutes and then for another 1 1/2 minute on the flesh side. If sauteing in batches, keep the fillets warm in a pre-heated oven.
6. Serve on a bed of braised lentils with a garnish of sesame seeds, lemon and chopped fresh cilantro.

Korean BBQ (Kalbi)

This past week I was downtown and between meetings and I was left with a few free hours in between.

After scouring Yonge Street for a dinner, I finally settled on having some Korean BBQ. What you have here is beef short ribs that are marinated over night and then quickly grilled over high heat to give you a slightly smoky, sweet and spicy serving of beef that's best eaten with chopsticks or your hands.

I remember reading Ruth's post on Korean BBQ and I knew it was time to try my hand at this fantastic beef dish.

Drawing from deep into the bookmarked abyss of recipes, I tried out the marinade as provided by Jen Lee, as shown on Bobby Flay's Boy Meets Grill.

Now allow me to go on a brief tangent on trying out a recipe from a foreign cuisine. If you're going to test/try a recipe...may I suggest going to the source or a trusted person in that cuisine?

If I'm looking for THE Italian recipe...I seek a recipe from an Italian. Same goes for Greek food. Does some bloke who's spent six weeks in Greece and has been brought up eating watercress sandwiches really have a perspective on Greek food?

In the case of Korean BBQ, even a Top Chef like Bobby Flay stepped aside and allowed Jen Lee (Korean gal) to show him the basics of Korean food and some great "mothership" recipes.

I've done the same here.

Korean BBQ's best know dish is Kalbi (pronounced Galbi) and it uses the cut known as beef short ribs.

The easiest route to finding this cut to visit your local Asian market. They aren't that expensive and one should find them for, at the most $2/lb. When buying these short ribs, look for a lean cut of beef and buy about 8-10 lbs. if serving a family or as part of a party. There's some bones in there and although they look like alot, you'll be surprised at how quickly they are eaten!

When I ate the Kalbi at the Korean restaurant...I had a food epiphany and I knew at that moment that I was, er HAD to try and emulate them at home.

This recipe is bang on and although I won't go through the trouble of making all the accompanying Korean sides...Kalbi will surely make future appearances at summer grill.

A few notes about the recipe: marinate overnight to get the full effect of the flavours and give the meat sufficient time to marinate. As for the pear, you're using the Asian pear here, looks like a light-brown skinned apple but tastes like a mild pear. Finally, these beef short ribs come thin sliced and have been marinated so, 2-3 minutes per side over a highly heated grill works best.

How do I describe the flavour of these short ribs? How about tender, succulent, sweet, savory from the Soy, spicy from the black and red pepper (paprika). If you like a little more heat, squeeze some Sriracha Sauce into the marinade and always....taste & adjust your marinade before adding the meat into the mix but do include the 7-UP...it's a must.

Korean BBQ, I love you!