Oven-Roasted Miso-Marinated Black Cod with Asian Sprout Salad

Read, Russell, Hearon, Jackson,

Black Cat - San Francisco

Miso has a flavor that is hard to pinpoint. The Japanese call it umami, and consider it the fifth taste (after sweet, sour, salty, and bitter). Whether it’s the umami that makes this dish so good, or just the Black Cat trio’s touch with Asian flavors, we were won over by the combination of the delicate fish and vibrant sprouts. Both misos can be purchased in health-food stores or Asian markets, and they will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

Fish:
  • 2 tablespoons red miso
  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • 1 cup rice wine (Shoa Xing)
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  • 4 6-ounce fillets black cod (a.k.a. sablefish)
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
Vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup sweet black Chinese vinegar
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup peanut oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
Salad:
  • 1/4 cup mizuna greens
  • 1/4 cup daikon or radish sprouts
  • 1/4 cup soybean sprouts
  • 1/4 cup pea leaves
  • 3 scallions, julienned
  • 1/4 cup daikon, julienned
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Thinly sliced lemon

Method

For the fish, combine all of the ingredients except the fillets and the peanut oil in a small bowl and whisk together. Place the fish in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 48 hours, before cooking.

To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk together all the ingredients. Set aside at room temperature. Combine all the ingredients for the salad and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, preheat the broiler. Use the peanut oil to coat the surface of a nonstick, broiler-proof pan. Carefully remove the fish from the marinade, trying to keep as much marinade on it as possible, and place in the oiled pan. Set the fish under the broiler and cook for 6 to 10 minutes, just until the fish is cooked through and has taken on a nice caramelized coating. Remove the greens from the refrigerator and toss with a couple of tablespoons of the dressing. (You will have more than you can use, but you can save the remainder refrigerated in a jar for another salad.) Divide the salad among four serving plates and place the fish on top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and lemon slices.

https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/oven-roasted-miso-marinated-black-cod-with-asian-sprout-salad