Broccoli steaks with crispy sea bass, five-spice potatoes and peanut and chilli sauce

Name: Broccoli steaks with crispy sea bass, five-spice potatoes and peanut and chilli sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 1 broccoli head; 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes (no need to peel); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp chinese five-spice powder, plus a sprinkle; 2 sea bass fillets; 1 spring onion, finely sliced; 1 tsp sesame seeds; For the sauce; 1 tbsp crispy chilli oil; 2 tbsp chinkiang black vinegar (see Know-how); 1 tbsp deep roasted peanut butter, smooth or crunchy; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; ½ tbsp caster sugar

7 Reviews

Portion size: Serves 2
Prep time 15 min. Cook time 25 min
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Pollyanna Coupland

Food producer, delicious.

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You’ve probably heard of a cauliflower steak, but have you tried a broccoli steak? This dish combines hot, sweet and sour flavours in a Chinese-inspired sauce and is served with crisp-skinned sea bass.

Take this dish to the next level by making your own crispy chilli oil.

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Ingredients

1 broccoli head
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes (no need to peel)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chinese five-spice powder, plus a sprinkle
2 sea bass fillets
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 tsp sesame seeds

For the sauce

1 tbsp crispy chilli oil
2 tbsp chinkiang black vinegar (see Know-how)
1 tbsp deep roasted peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tbsp caster sugar

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Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180ºC fan/gas 6. Cut 2 x 3cm thick steaks from the centre of the broccoli, then score a crosshatch pattern in the cut sides of the stalk. Heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil in a frying pan, then fry the broccoli steaks for 2 minutes on each side until evenly browned. Transfer to an oven tray. Toss the potato cubes with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and the 1 tsp five-spice powder, = then add to the tray. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes (see Air Fry).
After 25 minutes of cooking time, mix the sauce ingredients with the remaining 2 tbsp sesame oil in a small pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is intermingled and the sugar has dissolved.
Wipe out the broccoli frying pan and set it over a high heat with the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Season the sea bass with salt and pepper, then put the fillets in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until you have nice golden crispy skin and the top flesh is becoming opaque – around 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Flip over and turn off the heat, leaving the fish to finish cooking in the residual heat.
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Spoon some sauce into the centre of each plate, then top with the broccoli steaks and sea bass, skin-side up. Add the crispy potatoes or serve on the side. Sprinkle with the spring onion and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

726kcals Calories
41g (6g saturated) Fat
33g Protein
50g (11g sugars) Carbs
11g Fibre
2.1g Salt

Quick wins & tips

Slow-roasting broccoli brings out a gorgeous umami flavour. The stalks turn tender while the florets have a pleasing crunch – it’s broccoli like you’ve never known. And you’ll certainly be trying it again.

You only need the large centre slices of the broccoli (about half a head). Save the trimmings for another side dish or soup.

The five-spice potatoes would crisp up well in an air fryer – cook for 10 minutes at 200ºC, stirring halfway through.

Cook smarter

Chinkiang black vinegar is an aged vinegar made with fermented rice from Zhenjiang in Eastern China. It has complex sweet, smoky and malty notes. Buy it in Asian grocers or online, or use malt vinegar or sherry vinegar instead.

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Reviews

LynnReeve

14th Mar 2025 a 7:41 am

A lovely meal that’s so simple to make, the flavours were so good and the whole dish was well balanced. We’ll definitely have this again, but I’ll add more broccoli steaks next time, delicious!

Phoebe Stone

14th Mar 2025 a 11:02 am

Thanks for your feedback, we’re glad to hear the flavours in this recipe were a winner and that it was easy too.

Matilda Moore

11th Mar 2025 a 9:50 pm

This is a quick and easy midweek meal which kicks a real flavour punch. All the different elements of the dish work so well together, balancing the dish perfectly and the broccoli steaks were a revelation. We will be having this again very soon.

Phoebe Stone

12th Mar 2025 a 1:19 pm

We’re so delighted you enjoyed this recipe – it really does offer something different, but without being complicated! Glad to hear you’ll be making it again soon. Thanks for your feedback.