This is my Dad's recipe, though he typically does it with sea bass.
There are a lot of reasons to like skate. Its elegant shape. Its easy-to-avoid bones. Its reasonable price -- $6/lb rather than $20/lb for Chilean sea bass.
But you can do this with any firm white fish. The sauce is more nuanced than the preparation would suggest. The best kind!
RECIPE: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, simmer a 3 tablespoons soy sauce, two thumbs' worth of sliced ginger, 10 star anises, and 1 tablespoon of water for 20 minutes, until very fragrant. Lay out skate on a rimmed baking sheet and pour sauce on top. Roast for 7-10 minutes. Serve with cilantro and a whipping of hot sesame oil.
