Chinese cuisine

Advanced

Stuffed Fish Fillet Roll-Ups

The fine texture that is created by the meticulous preparation of the fish gives a delicacy that will be very pleasing to the tastebuds. With the aromatics of green onions, ginger, and garlic and a flambe of the culinary classic Shaoxing wine brings a wonderful gastronomic bistro-style dish to your table.

Chef John Zhang

RATING LIKE RELAXGROW SAVE PRINT

5 stars rating if you like it!

Done

Recipe

PRE TIME: 2 hr 40 min

COOKING TIME: 10 min

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr 50 min

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

ㅤ Eastern Star Grouper Roll
2 whole Eastern star grouper（3lb）
1/2 tsp. Ground salt
2 oz. Ham, cut into 3In X0.25in
2 oz. Celery, cut into 3In X0.25in
1 pack Enokitake, cut into 3In.
1 Qt Cooking oil (For fry)
ㅤ ㅤCook The Eastern Star Grouper Roll
3 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 large Ginger, sliced
2 stalks Green onions cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces.
1 tsp. Shaoxing wine
1/2 cup Chicken broth
1/8 tsp. Ground salt
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1/8 tsp. White pepper
2 tbsp. Cornstarch slurry (1 to 2 ratio of cornstarch to water)
1/2 tsp. Chef Made Assorted Aroma Oilsee 'Chef John's Signature Oils' Video

Directions:

Step 1

First, remove the scales and all of the entrails. rinse with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2

Remove the head, then cut the fish open and remove the backbone. Slice the rib bones away to make two fillets.

Step 3

Using the heel of a cleaver to gently scrape the meat off the skin. Don't press too hard, otherwise, the skin may break easily. Set the meat aside.

Step 4

Place the meat on a cutting board, hold the cleaver horizontally, using the tip of the cleaver. Spread the meat into several thin sheets.

Step 5

Remove the small bones and white tendons. Be patient during this step. Do not rush it. (When removing fish tendons, spread the meat as flat as possible, otherwise, it will be hard to pick out the small bones and tendons.)

Step 6

Scrape the meat off the white tendons again. We want to keep as much meat as possible.

Step 7

Put all the meat in a mixing bowl, and add a pinch of salt. Use your hand to squeeze and mix until you form a meatball. (When slapping the meat, you must add salt and slap forcefully. Otherwise, the fish meat will be hard to become firm and elastic.)

Step 8

Put the meatball on the cutting board, slap, and knead it until smooth and firm. Put it in the refrigerator for one hour, The meat paste should be firmer and elastic at this point.

Step 9

Place the chilled meatball on a cutting board. Cut a small piece and using the tip of the cleaver spread the small piece of meat into a paper-thin sheet. Scrape the paper-thin meat sheet off the cutting board from end to end continually by using the blade of the cleaver. A piece of fish fillet will form on the cleaver so that there is a wrinkle-like wave pattern on top of the fillet.

Step 10

Repeat the process. Since the contact area between the blade and cutting board is so small, the wrinkle pattern on the fillet looks like the paper used to print books in ancient times so they were called "Fish Books".

Step 11

Then put shredded ham, celery, and Enokitake on top of the fillet against the wrinkle line. Wrap from one end to make a roll. Make sure the vegetables are exposed on both ends, looking like a pan holder in the olden days. (The fish meatball must rest in the refrigerator for an hour. The fish fillet for wrapping vegetables must have the winkle like pattern. Otherwise, it will not be as pretty.)

Step 12

In a cooking pan, add enough oil, bring to 210°F/100°C, quickly deep fry the rolls for 20-30 seconds, remove from oil and drain.

Step 13

Quickly put the garlic slices through the oil to enrich the garlic flavor.

Step 14

In a cooking pan over medium heat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil, ginger slices, and green onion. Stir fry until fragrant then add Shaoxing cooking wine, chicken broth, salt, ground white pepper, garlic slices, rolls, sugar, and slurry.

Step 15

Gently push to mix well and drizzle sesame oil on top.

Step 16

Enjoy!

Final Notes

Choose high-quality fish, such as grouper, east star grouper. The best one is rice fish but the rice-fish can be really hard to find. The cooking time must be short and quick. Otherwise, the fish will taste dry.