If you haven’t discovered the Korean pantry staple, gochujang, it’s time to go shopping. Gochujang is a fermented chili paste that tastes a bit like sriracha and Japanese miso paste, mixed together. It’s a unique flavor that is finding its way into many fusion sauces and marinades.
Like many of you, we eat a lot of steelhead in our family, and finding interesting flavors to pair with this mild fish adds excitement to our dinner table. Gochujang can be found in any specialty grocery store and in the Asian section of many larger food chains. In some stores, there are several brands to choose from so you may want to try a few of them as they vary in flavor. To make this recipe without gochujang, simply mix equal parts chili sauce, brown sugar and miso paste.
Gochujang Steelhead
- 1 pound steelhead fillet
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
Remove skin from fish and cut into serving sizes. Place in an oven-proof dish or double layer of foil with sides folded in. In a small bowl, mix gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, sesame oil and garlic until thoroughly combined. Pour sauce mixture over fish, making sure fish is coated on all sides. Let sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes. Roast in a 325º oven or grill 12-15 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 135º. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped fresh basil. Serve over steamed or vegetable fried rice.
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