Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow glass or ceramic dish for marinating
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your fish

   Start at the fish counter. Black cod, also called sablefish, should smell of nothing but the ocean. The flesh should be pearly white, glistening, and firm to the touch. Ask where it was caught. Alaska and the Pacific Northwest yield the finest specimens, and sustainable fishing practices matter here. If your fishmonger does not know the source, find another fishmonger.

   True black cod has an almost impossibly silky texture when cooked. Do not substitute Chilean sea bass, though some recipes suggest it. They are different fish entirely.
2. 2

   Make the miso marinade

   Whisk the white miso, mirin, sake, and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. The marinade should have the consistency of thick honey. Taste it. You want sweetness balanced by the salty depth of the miso, with the sake adding a gentle warmth underneath.

3. 3

   Coat the fish

   Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Lay them in a single layer in a shallow dish. Spoon the marinade generously over each fillet, turning to coat all sides. The fish should be completely blanketed. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to three days.

   Patience transforms this dish. Two hours will give you something good. Forty-eight to seventy-two hours will give you something transcendent. The miso penetrates the flesh slowly, building layers of umami that a quick marinade cannot achieve.
4. 4

   Prepare for broiling

   Remove the fish from the refrigerator thirty minutes before cooking. Position an oven rack about six inches from the broiler element and preheat your broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with oil. Gently scrape most of the marinade from the fish, leaving just a thin coating. Too much marinade will burn before the fish cooks through.

5. 5

   Broil until caramelized

   Place the fillets skin-side down on the prepared pan. Broil for eight to twelve minutes, depending on thickness, without flipping. Watch carefully after the six-minute mark. The sugars in the miso will caramelize and spot with dark patches. This is what you want. The top should be deeply burnished, almost lacquered, with the flesh just beginning to flake when you press the thickest part.

   Every broiler runs differently. Stay close and trust your eyes. The transformation from pale to golden to perfectly caramelized happens quickly.
6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let the fish rest for two minutes on the pan. This allows the flesh to relax and the juices to redistribute. Transfer each fillet to a warm plate. Scatter the scallions over the top and finish with a pinch of sesame seeds. The fish needs nothing else. Serve immediately with steamed rice to catch the sweet, salty juices.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out a fishmonger who can tell you when the fish was caught and where. Black cod from Alaska is typically the most sustainable choice, harvested using longline methods that minimize bycatch.
• •White miso, sometimes labeled shiro miso, is essential here. It is sweeter and milder than red or mixed miso. The gentleness allows the fish to remain the star.
• •Save the scraped-off marinade. It keeps refrigerated for weeks and works beautifully on chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, or firm tofu.
• •If you cannot find black cod, Arctic char or wild salmon will take the marinade well, though the texture will be different. Reduce marinating time to overnight for these leaner fish.
• •Serve with pickled ginger and a simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar. The brightness cuts through the richness.

Advance Preparation

• •The fish improves dramatically with longer marinating. For best results, begin the marinade two to three days before you plan to serve.
• •The miso marinade can be made up to two weeks ahead and stored refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before coating the fish.
• •This dish does not hold well after cooking. Plan to serve immediately from the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)