Crispy-Skin Local Sustainable Black Cod
Ginger Braised Baby Bok Choy
Garlic Chive Blossom Garnish
This simple preparation of Black Cod is a welcome respite between all the rich lavish holiday foods. Wild-caught locally, off the coast of Santa Barbara, this species is relatively abundant and harvested with methods that cause little damage to habitat and other marine life. The cod needs only to be seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked over high heat with olive oil to let the fabulous textures of crisp skin and silky flesh with a buttery flavor shine through.
The bok choy cooking method is equally straightforward. Flavored with ginger, soy, sesame, and a bit of brown sugar – the braising liquid infuses the vegetable with umami flavors, a hint of sweetness and a note of ginger spiciness. This cod & bok choy make a delightful pair, especially when one is in the mood for a clean and uncomplicated yet satisfying meal.
Crispy-Skin Black Cod Recipe
Rinse two 6 oz. pieces of fresh black cod then dry well with paper towels. Rub with olive oil and season with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat a non-stick, oven-proof pan over high heat. Add olive oil, then sprinkle a bit of coarse salt over the oil. When the oil is hot, add the fillets, skin-side down. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn over the fish and finish cooking in a 425° oven for about 4 minutes. Serve immediately, skin-side up.
Ginger Braised Baby Bok Choy Recipe
Slice 3 baby bok choy in half lengthwise, rinse very well. In a pan large enough to hold the bok choy flat, bring 1/2 c. water to a boil along with 2 t. olive oil, 1 t. toasted sesame oil, 1 T. soy sauce, 2 t. brown sugar, and several strips of fresh ginger. Place the bok choy in the liquid, cut side down. Cover, lower the heat, and cook until the bok choy is tender, about 5 minutes.
Serve the bok choy on a platter with the cut-side up. Ladle braising liquid over the top.
Time the vegetable so the fish can be served immediately, retaining its hot crackling skin. Serve with a bowl of simple steamed rice on the side.
A handful of diminutive garlic chive blossoms brings the dish to life, embellishing the basic preparation with a kiss of beauty and joy.
Extending my Best Wishes to You
For a Beautiful and Joyful 2012!
15 comments • Filed in: Heart Healthy
tasteblog
This is one heck of a beautiful dish! Wonderful presentation – as always =)
Wow! This is by far the best looking dish I have seen in a while! I would love to try this recipe with one of our locally caught fish here in Hawaii! I enjoy your blog! Happy New Year!
Well done, Lori. Happy New Year to you and your assistants. Hope to see you in person sometime during 2012.
Very nice combination. I like bok choy, but don’t usually prepare it: something to change in the new year. And the fish looks beautiful. Happy New Year, dear Lori Lynn!
That looks so perfect. The blackened skin, the tender flesh….I bet it was SO delicious.
Happy New Year.
The skin looks so perfectly crispy, and I love the chive blossom garnish, awesome! Happy new year!!!
This will be on my menu next weekend. I am always enchanted by baby bok choy (why do I love dimunitive vegetables… it’s like they are the dollhouses of the plant world) and Asian flavors haven’t been around a lot in December. The garlic chives need to wait until spring – but I don’t think anybody here will mind. Happy 2012 – may it bring you many joys.
You really got a great crisp and I love the little flowers.
Thanks for continuing to create such inspirational and beautiful posts.
All the best to you in 2012!
Absolutely beautiful and delicious. The garlic chive blossoms are a lovely, whimsical touch. Wishing you and yours a happy New Year… filled, indeed, with beauty and joy.
THIS is what I need to eat as the new year starts – simple, yet so delicious and healthy too. Wish I could find those chive blossoms but I will have to make do without them.
This is stunning! Recipes, photos, presentation…all of it! Happy New Year!
You know, I love black cod but don’t have it often… it is wickedly pricey, isn’t it? Your gorgeous dish reminds me it’s time to find some… it is so perfect with that crust and I love the brothy bok choy combo. Hope you have a happy and delicious new year!!
Oh my, that black crispy skin makes me swoon, especially in combination with the very tender baby bok choy!
This is stunning! Such a beautiful dish. I just adore the little blossoms
It sounds delicious too!
Buzzed
I am absolutely in love with the presentation and flavors in this dish. The crispy skin, ugh! Makes me so happy.