Miso Cod (Black Cod with Miso) 銀だらの西京焼き

Ingredients

• 4 fillets sablefish (gindara) (you can also use salmon, sea bass, etc.)
• 2 tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt)
• 2 Tbsp sake (For cleaning and removing unwanted odor of the fish.)
• Miso Marinade:
• 6 Tbsp miso Traditionally we use saikyo miso (西京味噌); however, if you can’t find it, you can use white miso (白味噌) instead.
• 3 Tbsp mirin (if you use white miso, use 4 Tbsp mirin or use 3 Tbsp mirin + 1/2 Tbsp sugar)
• 3 Tbsp sake (Sometimes we can replace sake with water; however, this recipe requires longer marination and water is not a suitable sub.)

Directions

1. Gather all the ingredients. As you will be marinating this fish for a few days, select the freshest fish possible.
2. Sprinkle salt over the fish and set aside for 30 minutes. Salt will draw excess moisture and any fishy smell from the fish.
3. Put 6 Tbsp miso, 3 Tbsp mirin, and 3 Tbsp sake for the Miso Marinade in a bowl.
4. Mix all together and pour the marinade into a flat bottom airtight container.
5. Pour 2 Tbsp sake over the fish to rinse off the salt. Gently pat dry with paper towel to remove the moisture. Do not wash the fish under water.
6. Place the fish in the container and coat both sides with the marinade.
7. Slather the fillets with the marinade. Cover the lid and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can freeze up to 2-3 weeks.
8. With your fingers, remove the marinade off the fish completely. Do not leave excess miso on the fish; otherwise, the fish will burn easily.
9. Place the fish skin side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper/silicone mat (for baking) or foil (for broiling).
10. Preheat the broiler* with a rack placed about 6” (15 cm) away from the top heating element (in the middle) for 3 minutes. Broil medium/high for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the surface is blistered and brown a bit. You do not need to flip it. *Typical broiler setting: Low/450ºF/232ºC, Medium/500ºF/260ºC, and High/550ºF/288ºC. I use medium or high.
11. Preheat the oven to 425°F/218ºC with a rack placed in the middle and bake the fish on parchment paper until the surface is blistered and brown a bit, about 15-20 minutes. You do not need to flip.

To Serve

1. Carefully remove the fish with a spatula, and remove any burnt miso around the fish. Serve immediately. I serve the fish with thinly sliced red radish and a small green leaf from my backyard for additional color.

Notes

Sake: Sake is used to clean and remove the unwanted odor of the fish. You can’t replace with water even though sometimes water is used as replacement in some recipes. We will marinate the fish for a longer time, and water can go bad and ruin the marinade and fish.

Mirin: Typically mirin can be replaced with water and sugar, but for this recipe, please do not use water. Use sugar only. For 1 Tbsp mirin, use 1 tsp sugar.