Asian Seafood with Lentils, Cabbage and Creamy Wasabi Sauce Recipe

"This is basically an 'all in one' dish. The lentils are served over the cabbage, topped with the fish and a cream sauce. Sounds like a lot of work doesn't it ... but it isn't. Even the sauce and the lentils can be made ahead. It actually takes about 30-40 minutes to put it all together. And, it is healthy and affordable; just watch for the sales on your favorite fish. Tilapia is very inexpensive year round, and works very well. But any of your favorite white fish will work - Cod, halibut, snapper, grouper, etc. Also, if you prefer scallops, they are also delicious in this dish."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Wasabi Sauce ... Add the wasabi and water to a small cup or bowl and mix well. Then, add the sour cream and chives and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2

Seafood and Marinade ... For this recipe, you can use 4 fish fillets; or, you can use ocean scallops. For fish fillets I marinate the fish for 20-30 minutes; but, for the scallops, I only marinate 10-15 minutes. And, if you purchase the scallops frozen - make sure to remove from the bag and set in a colander or strainer on top of a bowl so they can drain, and don't sit in water as they thaw. Then, add all the ingredients for the marinade (white wine, soy sauce, lemon, and ginger) to a ziploc bag or a non-reactive bowl (glass) and mix. Add the seafood and marinade in the refrigerator.

Step 3

Lentils ... As the seafood marinates, prepare the lentils. Add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil, add the lentils, onion, and garlic and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil; then, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook approximately 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. These can easily be made ahead and simply reheated in the microwave.

Step 4

Seafood ... Remove the seafood from the refrigerator to take the chill off. Pat the seafood dry and season with pepper - no salt, as the soy is salty. Obviously, cooking times will vary depending on the type of fish or scallops you use. But, you want to cook the seafood in a hot saute pan. I prefer a heavy cast iron pan if you have it. Cod or grouper can take 5-10 minutes per side, where tilapia and snapper, etc, only take 3-5 minutes per side. And then scallops ... just a couple of minutes. The idea is a hot pan, and a good sear, and not too much butter - just enough to lightly prepare your pan.

Step 5

Plate and Serve ... As the fish cooks, prepare your plates. Add the cabbage to a small bowl, and lightly dress with a drizzle of olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add a cup of the cabbage to each plate, top with lentils, and then your seafood. Finish with the chilled wasabi sauce and ENJOY!