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4. Transfer the steaks to two serving plates with a spatula. Let stand for 3 minutes at room temperature. To serve, drizzle the prepared sauce over each steak.

Spicing It Up

You can add any number of spices to the sesame seed mixture before coating the fish, including any one of the following:

1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut, ground to a powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

STEAMED WHOLE SNAPPER WITH PIMIENTO SAUCE makes 1 whole steamed fish, or 2 servings

To make this impressive entrée, you steam the whole fish on a bed of parsley set on a dinner plate or small platter. A fish steamer will make it in a snap, but a small roasting pan with a tight-fitting lid will do just as well. So that the plate doesn’t rest in the water, set it up on four “columns” made from thick potato slices, which you will discard when done. When buying a whole snapper, look for clear, bright eyes, the true measure of a fish’s freshness. The sauce, by the way, is good on its own, as a dip for bread and celery, or as a light glaze for barbecued chicken.

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

One 6-ounce jar pimientos, drained

1 small garlic clove, cut in half

4 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons rice vinegar (see page 12)

¾ teaspoon salt

2 dashes Tabasco sauce, or totaste

1 ½ to 2 pounds whole snapper, cleaned and gutted

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 large scallions, cut in half

1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley

1 medium baking potato

1. Toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small, dry skillet set over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. They should be quite fragrant—a paler brown color will indicate a lighter taste; deeper brown, a nuttier flavor. Set aside.

2. Place the pimientos, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, the rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the Tabasco sauce in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, in a mini food processor, or in a large blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set aside.

3. Rinse the fish with cold water, then pat it dry with paper towels. Score the skin twice on each side with a sharp knife, just deep enough to cut through the skin but not so deep as to cut through the flesh to the bones. Rub the fish on both sides with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Stuff the belly with the scallions.

4. Place an inch of water in a roasting pan or fish steamer with a tight-fitting lid. (You can also use aluminum foil as a cover.) Set the pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, place the parsley on a dinner plate or an oval platter that fits in the steamer or roasting pan; nestle the fish on top of the parsley. A piece of the tail and some of the head may hang off the sides of the plate.

5. Cut the ends off the potato, then cut it into four equal pieces, like stout columns. These four pieces will become the base for the plate holding the fish in the steamer or roasting pan. Place these potato sections in the simmering water, then set the plate with the fish on top of them. Cover the pan and steam for 15 minutes, or just until the flesh flakes when gently pulled with a fork.

6. Transfer the fish and parsley from the steaming plate to a clean serving platter using two large spatulas. Pour the pimiento-sesame sauce around the fish, then sprinkle the entire platter with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

SMOKED TROUT CREAM CHEESE FRITTATA WITH DILL SAUCE makes 2 servings

Here’s a quick meal for two—whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Unlike an omelet, a frittata doesn’t require any fancy flipping; instead, the skillet is covered and the egg mixture is allowed to cook on the stovetop. Look for firm smoked trout fillets that are light beige, not browned, a result of overheating during smoking.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1