Snakehead Shiso Wraps

If there is one activity that defines our summers, it’s snakehead fishing. A close second to that would be gardening. We spend the majority of our free time during the hottest part of the year cruising around the shallows and grass beds of tidal creeks looking for snakeheads, but when we’re not fishing, we’re fussing with our garden. 

Rachel has helmed our garden from the start, and we’ve gone from a few containers scattered around the back yard to converting the majority of our yard into dedicated beds. What Rachel decides to plant each season changes, but we have always grown shiso. 

Shiso, also known as perilla and sesame leaf, belongs to the mint family, and is native to China and India. We started growing it solely because we like to have it with our pho but since then, it has become a staple in our garden beds. It’s an attractive plant, with a neat-but-lush appearance and vibrant green, toothed leaves that have a pleasing rounded shape and intricate veining. The flavor is fresh and green, with a subtle herbal flavor that is somewhere between mint & basil. The leaves have a little more structure to them then most herbs, which make them perfect for using as wraps. The shiso always peaks during our hottest months of the year, which makes it the perfect addition to all kinds of mid-summer fare, snakehead included.

This recipe is simple: cook the fish and wrap in shiso leaves. We add a little bit of cucumber-onion salad to give it some crunch and a touch of acidity. You can cook the snakehead however you want, though we recommend grilling or pan roasting to give it some extra texture and char.

These wraps are great finger food, perfect for summer cookouts or a dinner on the patio overlooking the garden.

Snakehead Shiso Wraps Recipe

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

1 snakehead fillet, approximately 8 ounces

12-24 large shiso leaves

Onion-cucumber salad

Sesame oil

Onion-Cucumber Salad:

½ red onion, sliced thin

½ cucumber, seeded, sliced thin

2 tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and pepper flakes. Stir to dissolve. Combine with cucumber and onion, mix to evenly coat.

Method

Preheat oven to 375F. Season the fillet with salt and pepper. On the stovetop, preheat a lightly oiled heavy bottomed pan to medium high heat. Cook the fillet for two minutes, until golden brown, and then flip it and cook for another minute. Move the pan to the oven to finish- about another 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. 

Remove fish from the oven and cut into ½ inch by 2-3” pieces.

Place a piece of cooked snakehead on one end of shiso leaf, then top with a small amount of onion-cucumber salad. 

Fold the outside edge inwards, then fold bottom edge upwards. Continue to roll from the side.

Serve with sesame oil with fresh cracked black pepper.