First night

Delicious monkfish with broccolini

I call this delicious because steamed doesn't sound delicious - but it is!  The many advantages of steaming fish include not smelling up the kitchen.  You don't need oil or butter.  It's fast and it's foolproof. 

Ingredients can be flexible - I used basil, ginger, peppers, sour plums and sundried tomato tapenade

Monkfish, also known as the Poor Man's Lobster, is a nice neutral fish that can take on different flavors.  You could also use telapia or even salmon - just ask the fish monger to remove the skin.  

First, line your casserole dish with basil

When you steam fish, it's important to build a little nest or cacoon.  Last night I used basil.  Ideally, you could wrap the fish in a banana leaf - but I didn't have the time or ambition to go to Chinatown so I settled on basil.  If you like cilantro you could mix that with the basil - it's too strong a flavor to use by itself. 

I rounded out the dish with garlic, sour plums, red and yellow peppers and the sundried tomato tapenade

Create the cacoon by adding more basil - and I threw in some parsley - on top

Add teryaki sauce and cover with sliced tomatoes

There are two levels to my steamer - I cooked the broccolini on the lower level while the fish cooked on the top level

Here's the finished product (after I've helped myself).  It's really moist and flavorful.

Dinner in under 10 minutes

Favorite Fish with Asian Plum Sauce

I call this "Favorite Fish" because you can use whichever fish you like best for this recipe -  today we're using monkfish - but Salmon or Sea Bass work just as nicely.

Ingredients per person

1/2 pound of monkfish
8 - 9 sprigs of Basil

2 - 3 Garlic cloves
3 - 4 Pickled Plums (optional)

1/2 Red Pepper

1/2 Yellow Pepper

1 section of Fresh Ginger

1/8 cup Teryaki Sauce
1 tbspn sundried tomato tapenade
1 lemon
1 medium sized tomato
4 - 5 sprigs parsley

Side dish

4 sprigs of Broccolini

Preparation

Using a steamer with two levels for cooking, place the Broccolini in the lower level - cover and steam for 3 - 4 minutes before placing the monkfish on the upper level.

Line an oven safe Pyrex dish with the Basil and Garlic cloves

Place the monkfish on the Basil and Garlic

Cover with 3 - 4 Pickled Plums

Add the Teryaki Sauce

Add the lemon - cut in half - squeeze the juice on the monkfish first.

Cut the Red and Yellow Peppers into matchstick sized pieces (I bought pre-chopped)

Finely dice the Fresh Ginger

Place dish on the upper level of the Steamer
Smear the peppers, ginger and garlic on the fish filet
Cover with basil and parsley
Cover with sliced tomato

Cover and Steam for 5 minutes - when using Salmon steam for a few extra minutes - be sure the Salmon is pink and flakey, then you'll know it's done