Miso Black Cod

I go to Nobu in Malibu every year for my birthday and it’s always an incredible experience. They recently moved locations and now sit on a gorgeous beach front property that will make you feel like a celebrity (the fact that I see someone famous every single time I go also adds to that feeling), but the real star is their food. I have a few favorite dishes and like to try out their daily specials, but their miso black cod is always a must-have. I recently found the recipe online and was shocked but how simple it was to make. Usually I don’t marinade fish for a long time, but here the cod bathes in  the miso sauce for a few days which yields a super buttery, melt-in-your mouth dish. And the sauce? It looks and tastes like caramel and I’m pretty sure it would be good on just about anything.

Miso Black Cod:

• In a small saucepan, bring 6 tbsp. sake and 6 tbsp. mirin to a boil.
• Quickly whisk in 1 c. white miso paste* and then 1/2 c. sugar until just dissolved.
• Turn off heat and let cool completely to room temperature.
• Pour a little of the sauce into a small bowl and keep covered in the fridge, then pour the rest of the marinade into a resealable bag.
• Add in four 5-6 oz. boneless black cod fillets** and keep the bag in the fridge, turning occasionally, for two-three days.***
• Remove the fish from the bag of marinade and use your fingers to gently scrape off most of the miso.
• Place fish in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and place under a hot broiler for 5-8 minutes, or until the top of the fish is dark and it's just cooked through.
• Divide fish onto plates and serve with some of the reserved miso marinade.

Serves four

*All of these ingredients are available in the Asian section at most grocery stores.

**Sometimes called sablefish. I found it extremely difficult to remove the bones from this fish, so I waited until after it was cooked and they were super easy to pick out before serving.

***I found that three days was the most optimal.