As a gourmet fish, black cod, or known as sablefish, is sustainably fished in the North Pacific, mainly around San Francisco to southeastern Japan, and predominantly in Alaska. No relation to cod or other fish sold everywhere.
In comparison with Atlantic cod, black cod has a much high oil content. As opposed to most fish like the Chilean sea bass and other cod, the black cod regulates its depth by secreting oil from its muscles. An expensive restaurant would charge £50 a serving for a dish that is rich and velvety in mouthfeel.
Miso, onion, and citrus are great partners for black cod’s velvety texture and taste. The classic Japanese recipe, the Miso-marinated black cod dish, is bursting with Japanese flavours, while the Baked black cod recipe is enhanced by the bold flavours of elderflower and verjuice. Among the best seafood pasta recipes is the Macadamia-crusted black cod, where a juicy cod fillet is accompanied by the fresh green sauce and orzo pasta.
History of Black Cod
The situation has not always been this way. During the early 1900s, a Seattle fishmonger lamented the cheap prices of black cod. This might have been due to the name. Around a century ago, black cod was named by the earliest English speakers in America. The black cod was recognized as having characteristics similar to the cod familiar to all Europeans but black. Henceforth, it was known as that.
There was some dissatisfaction with it by this time. Many consumers want a cod but are disappointed when they purchase one, while those who desire a fish that is rich in flavour, like the black cod, are reluctant to consume it due to its distinctive name. Eventually, the US Bureau of Fisheries stepped in. They named the black cod fish sablefish. A silky fish’s texture probably evoked an image of a sable’s silky fur.
Nevertheless, they were never quite able to succeed. Sablefish is usually the name choice of North American nations, but Mr Matsuhisa never got the message. As soon as he went up to the plate for black cod, victory was assured.
Japan’s Insatiable Craving
Approximately half of Alaska’s and Canada’s black cod goes overseas, and Japan often takes the bulk of it. Globally, things are improving. It was thanks to Noboyuki Matsuhisa, a renowned Japanese chef opening an establishment outside of his native country almost 35 years ago that the recipe became public. It was known for its black cod dish.
There is still nothing more iconic than black cod. It took the whole world a while to realize what Japan knew for ages – this is an extremely delicious fish.
Black Cod Recipe
Black Cod with Miso
Chefs across the globe have cloned Nobu’s deliciously savoury miso black cod recipe, their famous signature dish. It is traditional to marinate black cod with sake-miso marinade for a few days, however, it tastes great with just a bit of sake-miso marinated overnight.
- Cooking time: 30 mins
- Marinate: 8 hrs
- Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of mirin
- 3 tablespoons of sake
- 1/2 cup of white miso paste
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 6-7 oz of skinless black cod fillets, about 1.5 inches in thickness
- For grilling, use vegetable oil
- Serving pickled ginger
Method
- Put the mirin and sake in a pot and bring to a boil. Miso should be whisked into the mixture until it dissolves.
- Stir in the sugar slowly, just until it dissolves.
- Cool the marinade before transferring it to a large baking fish tray. Toss the fish in the coating and turn it to coat it evenly.
- Make sure the dish is covered and refrigerated overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a grill pan by heating it and oiling it.
- Take the fish out of the marinade and scrape it off. Cook the fish at high heat for two minutes until browned.
- Transfer the fish to a large baking sheet for roasting for ten minutes, or until the fish is flaky. With pickled ginger, arrange on plates and serve.
