Sturgeon Szechuan

Last year I went on a trip to the West Coast and ate sturgeon for the first time. It is incredible! I ate at a restaurant called The Ark on Long Beach peninsula several times, and this was the sturgeon I enjoyed there. This dish is fantastic, and really easy to make. If you don't have sturgeon, I think any firm fleshed white fish would work.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  sesame oil
• 4  tablespoons  clarified butter
•  flour (for dusting)
• 4 (6 ounce)  white  sturgeon fillets (skin off)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  minced ginger
• 1  pinch red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 1⁄3 cup sake or 1⁄3 cup dry sherry
• 3⁄4 cup  teriyaki sauce (see below)
•  chopped peanuts

• Teriyaki Sauce

• 4  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 2  teaspoons  minced ginger
• 1  cup soy sauce
• 2⁄3 cup sake or 2⁄3 cup dry sherry
• 2  lemons, juice of
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 2 -3  tablespoons honey

Directions

1. Heat the sesame oil and the butter until hot.
2. Dust the fillets with flour.
3. Pan fry until light brown on both sides.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
5. Cook until the garlic just starts to brown.
6. Squeeze the lemon juice over the sturgeon and de-glaze the pan with the sake.
7. Add the teriyaki sauce and reduce until caramelized.
8. (If the sauce appears to break as it reduces, add a tablespoonful of sake or sherry).
9. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
10. Teriyaki Sauce: Mix all ingredients together; will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month; before using, stir up from the bottom.