Baked Ginger Salt Sea Bass

A gorgeous way to prepare and serve fish for special occasions and Christmas mealtimes. As seen on the Hallmark channel.

Baked Ginger Salt Sea Bass for Christmas

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

SAUCE

  • 5 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons mirin
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 (1.5 inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
  • 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
  • ½ teaspoons grated or minced garlic
  • large pinch of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), or a few slices of fresh red chilies, if you like

FISH

  • 1 large whole seabass, cleaned an gutted (3lbs about)
  • 5 thick slices of ginger, cut on an angle
  • 5 large cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 3 cups coarse salt
  • 1 egg white

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the fish well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the thick slices of ginger and garlic. Rub the outside of the entire fish with vegetable oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the salt and egg white. Add a dash of water until the mixture becomes pasty like sand and sticks together.
  3. On a baking sheet, spread out a layer of salt approximately the size of the fish about a quarter of an inch thick. Place the fish on top, and scoop the rest of the salt over and around the fish. Make a ¼ inch thick “shell” around the fish, creating a tight seal, leaving the tail and the head exposed.
  4. Place in oven and bake for about 30 – 40 mins, and let rest for 10 mins. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, should read about 145 degrees F.
  5. Meanwhile, make the soy ginger sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, sesame seeds, garlic and chili flakes. Set aside.
  6. When the fish is done. Crack open the crust, and remove the fish, and serve immediately with soy ginger sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

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And the food? Chef’s kiss. The afternoon tea and scones alone are worth the ticket.

Did you know that polo is one of the oldest team sports in the world — first played in Persia over 2,500 years ago as military training for the king’s elite cavalry? Thousands of warriors, one ball. Somehow it evolved into this gorgeous, sun-drenched afternoon with scones. I’d say that’s progress. 🐴

Thank you to the wonderful @polointhepark team for having me — see you on the lawn again next year! 

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageToday we’re making bulgogi, the K-BBQ dish that started so many people’s love affair with Korean food. And honestly? Once you make it at home, you’ll never look back. 
Quick fun fact: bulgogi literally translates to “fire meat” — bul (fire) + gogi (meat). Its roots trace all the way back to dish called “maekjeok”, seasoned beef skewers grilled over open flames during the Goguryeo era, more than 2,000 years ago. So when you’re cooking this, you’re cooking history. No wonder it’s such a beloved gateway into Korean cuisine.
Here’s how to make it:
Start with thinly sliced Korean-style bulgogi beef — you can grab it pre-sliced at any Korean grocery store (this is the move, trust me).
For the marinade, throw garlic, ginger, Asian pear, soy sauce, anchovy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, soju, sugar, and a crack of black pepper into a food processor and blitz until silky smooth. The pear is the secret weapon — it tenderizes the meat AND adds a gorgeous natural sweetness. ✨
Pour the marinade into a zip-top bag with the beef, give it a good massage, and let those flavors really sink in.
Heat your griddle or pan until SCREAMING hot, then sear the bulgogi until edges are charred. That caramelization = flavor.
I love serving this the proper, authentic way — with ssam (lettuce wraps), a scoop of warm rice, a smear of ssamjang, loaded with bulgogi, and then topped with pickled radish. Wrap it all up, pop the whole thing in your mouth in one bite (yes, the whole thing!), and thank me later. 

Find this recipe and more in my latest book, K-Quick!
Tag a friend you’d share a bulgogi wrap with! 
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Ingredients:  Thank you @koreafoodsuk
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