Steaming is a great method of cooking bream – it only takes a few minutes, and the gentle cooking process allows the beautiful delicate flavours of the fish to really shine. It’s also one of the healthiest methods of cooking as it requires no cooking fat such as oil or butter. Similar sized fish such as bass or smaller flat fish such as plaice or sole will also work with the timings shown in the method below.

Bream is a wonderfully versatile fish and pairs beautifully with a variety of different cuisines. The pure, fresh flavour derived from steaming lends it nicely to delicate broths, as shown in Robert Thompson’s recipe where he serves steamed bream with an aromatic oyster and tomato nage. Shaun Hill steams bass (which can be interchangeable with bream here) and serves with a simple, Chinese inspired broth in his sea bass with Chinese spice recipe.

Martin Wishart also pairs with Asian flavours in his steamed sea bream with spiced coconut sauce and jasmine rice recipe.