Chinese Style Halibut Collar Stir Fry
This recipe is for the chicken wing bone gnawers. The lobster leg suckers, the whole fish eaters, the shrimp head suckers, the crab crackers, the cartilage chewers. This is a recipe for those who go picking for bone marrow… this is for intrepid eaters!
This recipe uses a Chinese technique – frying, then stir frying – to cook halibut collars in a fun new way.
To eat them, you pick up individual chunks and pick, pry, suck, and nibble all of the fish off of the cartilage and bones. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who love playing with their food, this is the recipe for you!
Halibut collars work great like this, but the recipe could also be made with any sizeable fish collar, like salmon, tuna, or grouper.
- Prep Time45 min
- Cook Time15 min
- Total Time1 hr
- Yield4 servings with rice
Ingredients
For the Fish
- 1.5lbs (700g) halibut collars
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) Shaoxing wine (or cooking sherry)
- 1 pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose or rice flour
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (10g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) water
For the Stir Fry
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoon (5ml) shaoxing wine or cooking sherry
Preparation
Cut the halibut collards into 1″x1″ (2cmx2cm) chunks with a heavy knife. Cut right through the cartilage.
Toss the chunks in a bowl with the soy sauce, shaoxing wine, and a pinch of salt.
Let marinate for 20-30 minutes on the counter, giving the bowl a stir every 10 minutes or so.
Prep the rest of your ingredients while the fish is marinating.
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Heat an inch (2cm) of oil in a skillet to 365°F (185°C).
Dump the flour into a bowl. Toss the halibut pieces in the flour one at a time until they’re completely coated and add them to the hot oil. You’ll likely want to fry them in 2 or 3 batches.
Fry the chunks until they’re golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Set on paper towels to drain.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons (30ml) of oil.
Heat the oil over high heat in the skillet or in a wok.
Add the peppers, onions, ginger, and garlic, and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the fish and 1 teaspoon (5ml) of the shaoxing wine and fry for another 30 seconds or so.
Add the sauce and lower the heat to medium.
Cook until the sauce has thickened and is coating and clinging to the fish.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.
Diners pick up pieces of collar with their fingers or chop sticks the nibble, suck, and pluck the fish out of the bones and cartilage, then discard the bones. Enjoy!
