Saturday 7 February 2015

Miso Cod

The whole family loves cod and miso. 

This time, I bought a few fillets of Sablefish, also known as Black Cod from The Alaska Guys.  This whitefish is wild caught from Alaska and an excellent source of heart-healthy Omega 3's.  Apart from the Black Cod, I bought some salmon as well and let me tell you, they are not the kind you get from supermarkets.  For someone who does not eat cooked salmon, I finally found myself loving those wild caught salmon but I will leave that to another day, another post.

I thought to myself, "what better way to cook the black cod than the popular Japanese dish, Black Cod with Miso served round the world."

If I were to order a cod fillet in a Japanese restaurant, the price is usually at least S$20.

I thought to myself, "might as well pay that amount for a bigger slice of the fish for the whole family to enjoy."

I usually buy miso from Isetan Scotts supermarket during their Japanese fair whereby I can choose which combination of miso I would like.   With the white miso, the sweet miso, in my freezer, I ventured into cooking this piece of buttery white flesh fish.

The fish was marinated a couple of days but the wait was worth it.  What's even better was, it was cooked on a weekday night, within my 45-minute cooking time-frame.  :)


My portion - served with cold soba.  I need prettier dishware. :)


Miso Cod Recipe
Adapted from Just One Cookbook

Ingredients:
   2 black cold (Gindara) fillets (I used Sablefish)
   2 tsp. salt
   2 Tbsp. sake
   Chives for garnish (optional)

Miso Marinade
   3 Tbsp. saikyo miso (or white miso)
   1½ Tbsp. mirin (I used 2 Tbsp)
   1½ Tbsp. sake

Instructions:
1. Sprinkle salt over the fillets and set aside for 30 minutes.  This will help get rid of the fishy smell and remove excess moisture from the fish.

2. Wet a paper towel with sake and gently pat the fillets dry.  Do not wash the fish.


3. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

4. Put half of mixture on the bottom of an air-tight container (with lid).  Place the fillets in the container and slather the fillets with remaining mixture.  Cover the lid and keep in the fridge to marinate for 2-3 days (at least overnight; traditionally, a week!)

5. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Remove the marinade off the fillets completely with your fingers. Do not leave excess miso on the fish otherwise it'll burn easily. Place the fish skin side up on baking pan lined with parchment paper.



6. Bake the fish until the edges are browned and the flesh is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Do not flip the fish while baking.