Recipe: Steamed fish can be weeknight meal

Following up on his James Beard Award-winning cookbook “Milk Street: Tuesday Nights” in 2018, Christopher Kimball’s latest book is “Milk Street: The New Rules,” which challenges us to rethink the way we cook.

Kimball is a co-founder of America’s Test Kitchen and in 2016 created the Boston-based Milk Street, which includes a TV show, cooking school and magazine. In the cookbook, he offers 75 new rules that he says will simplify time in the kitchen while improving results.

The rule for this steamed fish recipe is “Cook Gentle, Season Strong,” Kimball writes. “A gentle, even heat is best for keeping the delicate flesh of fish tender. Steaming is ideal because the heat surrounds the fish, cooking it from all sides without movement.”

Because lean white fish is mild in flavor, this recipe seasons the fillets boldly with garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and Sriracha. “For a little spice, drizzle the plated fish fillets with chili oil before sprinkling with the scallions. Or sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.”

STEAMED FISH WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

From “Milk Street: The New Rules” by Christopher Kimball (Little, Brown and Co., New York, 2019, $35)

• Four 6-ounce skinless cod or halibut fillets (substitute snapper, tilapia or sea bass), about 1-inch thick
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• >> Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 8 medium cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together sauce ingredients. Add fillets and turn to coat, gently rubbing in sauce. Add mushrooms and toss until evenly coated. Marinate at room temperature about 10 minutes.

Place a steamer basket in a large Dutch oven. Add enough water to fill the bottom of the pot without touching the basket. Remove basket. Cover pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high.

Meanwhile, mist steamer basket with cooking oil spray. Arrange fish in an even layer in the basket and top fillets with mushrooms, evenly arranging them (reserve sauce). Return basket to the pot, cover and steam over medium until fish flakes easily, 8 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and water.

When fish is done, use a thin metal spatula to transfer fillets and mushrooms to a platter. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with reserved sauce on side. Serves 4.

Nutritional information unavailable.