Broiled Rockfish with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

I discovered rockfish at a restaurant here in Richmond. Rockfish are more commonly known as striped bass and are found along the Atlantic coast. It happens to be the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, New York, and New Hampshire. (Virginia's is the Brook Trout- never heard of it.) Since we're in such proximity to their habitat, fresh rockfish is found on a lot of local menus. And I quite like it. It's a white fish that's slightly meaty, but still flakey.

This recipe would also be excellent with tilapia, mahi, or flounder (another white, mild, flakey fish I recently discovered- a new favorite!). Lets be honest this Thai Coconut-Curry sauce would taste good on just about anything. For the fish-fearing, even chicken would be a hit. The sauce takes all of five minutes to prepare and the fish cooks almost as fast. Serve it over a bed of brown rice with a squirt of lime.

INGREDIENTS
4 (6-oz.) rockfish, tilapia, mahi, or flounder fillets
dark sesame oil
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

brown basmati rice, cooked for serving
lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.

2. Heat a drizzle of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin and cook 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and coconut milk, bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt.

3. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each fillet with a little sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler for about 7 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork (cooking times will vary depending on the size and type of fish used). Serve on a bed of rice with sauce and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)