INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced cabbage
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole snapper or branzino, gutted and scaled
1 lemon
4 to 5 bunches fresh Thai basil
4 to 5 bunches fresh cilantro
Extra-virgin olive oil
The Orange Bang Vinaigrette (below)
Magic Sauce (below)
MAGIC SAUCE:
1 cup gochugaru
1⁄2 cup gochujang
1⁄2 cup chopped yellow onion
1⁄2 cup beef broth or water
6 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1 1⁄2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 1⁄2 tbsp soy sauce
THE ORANGE BANG VINAIGRETTE:
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1⁄2 cup orange juice
1⁄2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1⁄2 tbsp yellow miso paste
1 1⁄2 tbsp sugar
2 1⁄2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 1⁄2 tsp chili oil
Juice of 1⁄2 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat a grill to medium-high. As the grill preheats, in a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, lettuce, and onion. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss. Taste, adjust the seasoning, then set the slaw aside (don't dress it just yet). With gentle, caring hands, pat the fish completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. With a sharp knife held at a 45-degree angle, slash the fish a few times across the body. This will help you evenly season the fish, and it will help the fish cook evenly, too. Season the fish very generously and evenly with salt and pepper, starting with the inside cavity, then moving to the outside. Be sure you get some seasoning into the slashes, too. Halve the lemon and slice one half into thin slices. Shingle however many slices as will fit in a single layer inside the fish, then stuff 2 or 3 bunches each of Thai basil and cilantro right on top of the lemon slices. Generously oil the grill grates. When the oil begins to smoke, brush or spray oil on one side of the fish and place it, oiled-side down, onto the grill. It will start to smoke and crackle right away. Grill until nice grill marks appear, 6 to 8 minutes. Oil or spray the top of the fish and flip it as cleanly as you can (two spatulas, or a spatula and a spoon will help). Cook this other side, reducing the heat a touch or moving the fish to a cooler spot on the grill if you hear the fish crackling a little bit too much, until that side is crispy and the fish is cooked through, 4 to 6 more minutes. Take all the herbs you have left and place them on a serving platter. Make them look comfortable and soft. Place the remaining lemon slices all over, cutting a few more slices from the other half of the lemon if you'd like. When the fish is done, flip it over onto a plate. Slide the fish right onto the bed of herbs. Take the slaw you set aside earlier and toss it with a few spoonfuls of the The Orange Bang Vinaigrette. Taste and add more dressing if you think it needs it. Give it one final toss. Bring the slaw, the Magic Sauce, and the fish all out to the table and dig in.
MAGIC SAUCE:
In a blender, combine the gochugaru, gochujang, 1⁄2 cup water, onion, beef broth, fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce. Puree until smooth, then it's ready to use. Keep it in an airtight jar or container and refrigerate; it will keep for at least a month.
THE ORANGE BANG VINAIGRETTE:
In a blender, combine the garlic, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, miso, sugar, ginger, chili oil, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend for about 10 seconds, then, while blending, drizzle in the vegetable oil. Dress your salad, or pour it into a jar or other container with a lid and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
