Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 30-60 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
4 salmon steaks, each weighing about 175 g
2.5 cm fresh green ginger, chopped
6 black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons each vegetable oil, soy sauce and dry sherry

Method
Place the salmon steaks in a circle in a deep microwave-safe dish, with the thin ends pointing inwards. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the ginger, peppercorns and garlic to a rough paste. Transfer the paste to a larger bowl, then mix in the oil, soy sauce and sherry. Pour the sauce over the fish, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 30 minutes but no more than an hour, turning the fish over once. Fold back an edge of the plastic wrap so steam can escape then cook on High for 5-7 minutes, turning the steaks over once. Leave to stand for 2 minutes before serving.

It is possible to make a light batter with egg whites rather than whole eggs or egg yolks, but the batter still needs to be deep-fried to be crisp. In the recipe below, breadcrumbs replace the batter and the fish steaks are baked, making them a healthy alternative to fried fish. The crust is crispier if the breaded fish is left to chill, uncovered, for up to 4 hours before cooking.

Oven-Fried Fish Steaks Recipe

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons plain flour
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
90 g (1.5 cups) fine breadcrumbs
1 large egg white
4 thick white fish fillets or steaks, each weighing 175-250 g, skinned
2 tablespoons peanut oil
To serve: lemon wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celcius and put a baking tray in it to warm. Mix the flour with the cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the herbs into the breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg white lightly with a fork until just frothy. Make sure the fish is dry. Coat it in the flour mixture first, then dip it into the egg white and finally the herb-flavored breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan until it is very hot but not smoking. Add the coated fish steaks and fry them over a moderate heat for about a minute each side. Transfer the fish steaks to the hot baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60-70 minutes

Ingredients
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges
2 red peppers, deseed and cut into wedges
4 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, quartered
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lightly crushed fennel or coriander seeds
Salt and black pepper
2 kg whole fish, trimmed, scaled and cleaned
200 ml dry white wine
4 tablespoons Pernod, optional

Method
Preheat the oven to 230 degress Celcius. Put all the vegetables in a large baking dish. Mix in the oil and crushed seeds and season to taste. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables over a few times. Score the fish in two or three places on each side with a sharp knife, and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the vegetables, pour over the wine and Pernod, if using, and cover tightly with foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 190 degrees Celcius and bake for 30-40 minutes until the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Rouille is a rust-colored sauce made with cayenne pepper, garlic and breadcrumbs blended with olive oil and fish stock. Spoon it into the soup to thicken it or spread it on toast and serve separately.

To make your own rouille, sweat one or two crushed garlic cloves in a little olive oil, then add about 1/3 cup of crumbled white bread and 100 ml of the fish soup and reduce it all to a thick smooth pulp. Using a balloon whisk, beat in 100 ml of olive oil a little at a time, and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.