Steamed Halibut Flashed with Thai Bird-Kaffir Lime Oil Turmeric Fried Rice and Long Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups water
• 4 (6-ounce) thick fillets of halibut, square shaped
• Red leaf or banana leaf for steaming
• 4 each scallions, 1/16-inch ribbons
• 1/2 cup peanut oil (Lion and Globe or an artisan roasted peanut oil)
• 6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, 1/16-inch ribbons
• 3 Thai bird chiles, 1/16-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon ginger, 1/16-inch ribbons
• 1 tablespoon garlic, 1/16-inch slices
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Set up a steamer that can hold the 4 fillets. Mix lime juice, salt, sugar and water. Add the fish and brine for 20 minutes. Add the fillets to the steamer (should be lined with red leaf or banana leaf), top with the scallions and steam for 8 to10 minutes until cooked though. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, heat the peanut oil very hot until almost smoking. Mix the kaffir, chile, ginger, garlic and salt and pepper. First plate the halibut and right before serving, add the mix to the hot oil, mix and immediately flash the halibut. Serve.

TUMERIC FRIED RICE:

• Canola oil to cook
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4 chopped scallions, 1/8-inch slice
• 4 cups cooked, day old jasmin rice (add 1 teaspoon of tumeric to raw rice to cook in the flavor and color)
• 2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Salt to taste

It is recommended to use day old rice so that the drier rice can soak up the flavors. In a wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and quickly soft scramble the eggs. Remove the eggs. In the same wok, coat with oil and stir-fry garlic and ginger. Add scallions and rice and heat thoroughly. Add soy sauce, white pepper and scrambled eggs. Check for seasoning.

LONG BEAN SALAD:

• 4 cups chinese long beans, cut into 2 inch pieces (can substitute blanched haricots verts)
• 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Blanch the long beans in a 350 degree fryer for only 1 minute until wrinkled. Mix in a bowl the sambal, fish sauce and lime juice. Add the hot long beans. Check for seasoning and adjust. Let sit at room temperature.

PLATING Using a 2 1/2-inch O-ring or cut out tuna fish can, fill the bottom half with the fried rice. Top with the long beans and press down firmly. Top with the halibut and flash with the oil.

Wine Suggestion: Franck & Jean Francois Bailly Sancerre, 1997