Steaming

Cooking seafood in the gentle moist heat of steam is a wonderful thing. It retains the fresh, sweet flavour of the sea and doesn’t dry the fish out as easily as cooking over high heat does. Steaming relies on the natural flavour of the fish, so fresh is paramount. But don’t think of the steamer as a place where you just put the fish and let the steam do its work. You can add lots of different flavours to the steaming water, or steam in a broth, or lay herbs and lemon slices under the fish or shellfish to help flavour it and keep it extra moist. It is also quite a good idea to steam large pieces of fish with the lid half or completely off, as this lowers the temperature and slows the rate of cooking to accommodate the larger size. There are some nice stainless steel steamers on the market, but I have always been fond of the bamboo ones you can buy in Chinatown. They are cheap and look good and you can bring them straight to the table if you like. Just make sure you have a saucepan the right size for the steamer, particularly if cooking with gas: if the steamer extends over the side of the pan it can catch fire. Always make sure you have enough water in the saucepan, as there is nothing worse than the pan boiling dry and the fish getting a smoky taste. If I had a dollar for every time that had happened in the old days at Rockpool I’d probably be retired by now. One very important point – don’t forget that water is a good conductor. If you put your arm into an oven at 200°C (400°F) or above, you don’t burn yourself immediately, as air is a bad conductor. However, if you lift the lid on a steamer and the steam goes up your arm you will get a nasty burn, even though the steam is only 100°C (212°F). That is what I mean by steam being a good conductor. So, take care and always allow the steam to dissipate into the air before you stick your nose in.