Enroute to home following a family visit in Philly, Fran and I made our usual stop for a slice of pizza at this pizzeria in Fort Lee , NJ. As it’s Fran’s favorite pizza, and just about lunchtime, it was a logical respite along the route. And I’m a sucker for good pizza! (which, thank goodness, we have plenty of in this area of CT)
There was an added bonus to our lunch break this time, which I’m sure will continue to be a little adjunct to an already nice repast. On the way back to the car, we passed an interesting market which seemed to have a nice hubbub about it. I have always enjoyed seeking out food markets in different places I’ve been – a bona fide foodie I am, for sure!
The market was called H Mart, in the Linwood Plaza, Fort Lee, NJ. It’s a Korean-American Asian supermarket chain, which was immediately apparent when we walked through the entrance door. There were periodicals lining the the shelving in a language I recognized but couldn’t begin to interpret. The clientele was largely Asian, as well.
We took a little time to meander up and down the aisles. It was crowded and noisy, but for us, it was pure delight! The produce was so fresh looking; there was quite a wide variety of Asian greens and other specialty items. The prices were very fair – I picked up several bunches of scallions, on sale at 5 for $1.00. There were sampling tables all around – kimchee, potstickers, and much more. Yum!
The biggest thrill for us, though, was the meat and fish counters. I picked up a package of meaty short ribs for the freezer. And, chilean sea bass steaks were $9.99 a pound, and as fresh as any I’ve ever seen. We quickly ordered two larger sized steaks, and went on our merry way – delighted with our new find!
I’ve never prepared chilean sea bass before but it’s one of our favorite fish dinners to order when we go out. I got on the web and checked out my cookbooks, and concocted the following (composite of several) recipe to prepare … and now to share!
BARBECUED CHILEAN SEA BASS with ORANGE
1-1/2 lbs. chilean sea bass steak, bones removed, cut into serving pieces
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 T. tomato paste
2 T vegetable oil
2 T. honey
2 T. vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes
Rinse the fish pieces with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Set the fish in a baking dish. Stir together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl till well combined, then pour over the fish. Turn the fish pieces till evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 – 3 hours.
Preheat the grill or broiler. (I used the grill pan on my rangetop.) Grill or broil the fish till browned on one side (about 5 minutes); brush with marinade, then turn and cook the other side till the fish is no longer opaque in the center, about 5 minutes longer.
The fish was delicious! It had a slightly caramelized exterior and was tender and sweet, not at all “fishy”. To complete the meal, I made brown rice and sauteed spinach with garlic and scallions. I’m my own worst critic, but even to me, my first attempt at preparing chilean sea bass was a success!
Do give it a try, and definitely check out the HMart if you get the chance….
