Miso Black Cod

I make this dish often and it's become a definite favorite in our household.  You'll love how simple this recipe is! It makes a great weeknight meal served with steamed rice, sauteed mushrooms (oysters and shitakes), and pan-roasted sesame vegetables.  

The only thing to consider before you start is the fact that the cod needs to sit in the miso marinade for at least 24 hours before you cook it, so make sure to prep it the day before you plan to serve it. 

Miso Black Cod

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup sake

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup white miso (shiro miso)

2 whole sides of black cod or four 6-7oz filets

Method

1. Heat mirin and sake in saucepan until boiling, let reduce for 3-4 minutes. 

2. Add sugar and miso to saucepan and whisk until smooth. Reduce for 5 minutes.

3. Cool completely. Once cool, slide cod into marinade and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

Note: When entertaining, I like to leave the cod sides whole for presentation but you can always pre-portion individual filets too, whichever you prefer. 

4. Turn your broiler on and then move your oven rack all the way down to the very bottom of the oven. 

5. Cover a sheet tray with aluminum foil (not parchment - it will catch on fire - trust me on this one) and place the marinated cod on the tray. Don't wipe cod completely of marinade, leave a thin glaze of the miso on the fish. 

6. Place tray on bottom rack of oven and let the broiler work it's magic for 10 minutes or so. It will start to caramelize - just keep checking it - and pull the fish when it is golden brown on top. It's important to have the fish as far away as possible from the broiler heat or it will cook too quickly and burn.

 7. Once the fish is done, the bones will poke out in plain view and can be easily removed with kitchen pliers before you serve the cod. 

8. Enjoy