XO SAUCE BAKED SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

Sustainable seafood week is from the 8th March – 16th March and to celebrate, educate and inspire I’ve put together this video and recipe. XO sauce butter baked seafood. This recipe is a one tray/bag full of flavor and is super quick and simple to make. 

Start by making XO butter by mixing XO sauce, soft butter, lime rind, ginger, garlic, and shallots together in a bowl until combined, chill until needed. 

Then on a large piece of parchment paper 30cm square add 1 cup of cooked rice, layer the oyster mushrooms on top of the rice then stack your clean prawns. Top your prawns with one tablespoon of your XO butter and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Fold up the sides of your parchment paper and tie together using baker’s twine to make a parcel and Bake. 

Make these bags ahead of time then simply place them in the oven when your guests arrive and in 15 minutes you’ll have a world-class sustainable seafood feast. 

Three ways to ensure your seafood is sustainable 

1. look for the MSC and ASC green and a blue tick 
2. Start a conversation and build a relationship with your fishmonger and supermarket. Ask the question, what sustainable seafood do you have at the moment and where does it come from?
3. Jump on the internet and do a little research on what species are sustainable and are not being overfished. 
4. Catch it yourself :) 
5. Research sustainable seafood using this sustainable seafood guide

What is the MSC certification? 

The MSC says its label guarantees that the wild seafood was caught using methods that do not deplete the natural supply. It also guarantees that fishing companies do not cause serious harm to other life in the sea, from coral to dolphins

MSC certification is a way of showing that a fishery meets international best practices for sustainable fishing. Fish and seafood from certified fisheries can carry the blue MSC label, assuring customers that what they’re buying is sustainable

Learn more here

What is the ASC Certification?

ASC stands for Aquaculture Stewardship Council and is a non-for-profit company. ASC works with scientists, conservation groups, NGOs, aquaculture producers, seafood processors, retail and foodservice companies and consumers to recognize and reward responsible aquaculture. They job is to ensure fish farming is done in an environmentally friendly way and that every year they getting cleaner and better. 

Learn more here

What is XO Sauce?

XO sauce is made from roughly-chopped dried seafood such as dried scallops, fish, cured ham, and shrimp, which are cooked with chili peppers, onions, and garlic into a thick and flavorsome sauce.

The name XO sauce comes from fine and expensive XO cognac. The term XO is often used in Hong Kong to denote high quality, prestige and luxury. Indeed, XO sauce has been marketed in the same manner as French liquor, using packaging of similar color schemes. 

to make XO sauce at home you’ll need to 

Cooking process

1. Fry the shallots and garlic, then add the chilis
2. Cook until the ingredients turn pale golden (It’s important to stop cooking before they turn golden brown, otherwise the aromatics will turn bitter)
3. Drain the aromatics and set them aside
4. Cook the dried scallops until they just start to brown
5. Add the dried shrimp and cook for 5 mins
6. Add the dried ham
7. Cook until everything turns dark brown
8. Add the cooked aromatics back in. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and add the chili powder
9. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Massive thanks to Tassal Seafood & Raptis Seafood for the gorgeous sustainable produce and for always keeping our fisheries and environment in mind