Alaska Sablefish, Two Ways

Alaska Sablefish

Alaska Sablefish, Two Ways

Crispy-Skin Sablefish, Spicy Garlic Mayonnaise
Sautéed Kale with Yukon Gold Potatoes

Alaska Sablefish with Miso

Broiled Miso Sablefish over Lemon Ponzu Olive Oil
Grated Daikon, Lemon, Chives

This glorious sablefish was caught by Alaskan Fishing Vessel F/V Alitak. A simple preparation with a minimum of ingredients lets the silky-rich texture and buttery flavor shine through.

Found only in the Northern Pacific Ocean, Sablefish aka Black Cod is relatively abundant and harvested with methods that cause little damage to habitat and other marine life. For both taste and sustainability, sablefish can’t be beat!

Pan-seared to achieve a crispy skin, or broiled to achieve a caramelized crust – each of these sablefish preparations are equally stellar.

Alaska Sablefish Recipes

Glacier Bay, Alaska
Glacier Bay, Alaska

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Alaskan Halibut, Japanese Flavors

Alaskan Halibut, Japanese Flavors

Panko Crusted Halibut over Baby Bok Choy in a Miso Broth
Togarashi and Mitsuba Garnish

Summer is the time to enjoy fresh halibut from Alaska. This pristine lean fish with mild, sweet white flesh, large flakes and a firm but tender texture naturally pairs well with Japanese ingredients; miso, tamari, mirin, and toasted sesame. Harmoniously balanced, this dish is a stellar warm weather meal.

Mitsuba, a Japanese herb with a fresh, wild, sweet flavor adds the herbaceous notes. Taberu Togarashi Furikake can be found in Japanese markets. A tasty mixture of black sesame, red pepper, salt, white sesame, dried bonito, kelp, powdered plum, powdered red perilla – it enlivens the whole dish. Serve with fluffy white rice on the side if desired.

Alaskan Halibut, Japanese Flavors Recipe

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white asparagus wrapped in japanese eggplant

white asparagus, japanese eggplant

white asparagus wrapped in japanese eggplant
with a chiffonade of shiso
served over mizuna
spicy lemon miso dressing
blistered shishito peppers and grape tomatoes

white asparagus

Natasha, the 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks! host the 5 Star Makeover Cooking Group, a fabulous monthly event for “sharing ideas and creating gourmet makeovers of selected classic dishes or flavor combinations.”

The 5 Star Makeover theme for April is a special seasonal ingredient, White Asparagus.

“For a brief two weeks at the end of April, the prized white asparagus is in season. In Germany, this mini-season is celebrated with a mania not to be missed, and every restaurant in on the tradition offers a special menu, called a Spargel Karte. These menus include anywhere from three to thirteen courses, all featuring the tender, sweet, white asparagus. Typical classic dishes include a white asparagus with Hollandaise sauce or a white asparagus soup. We invite you to think outside the box to create a unique gourmet dish featuring white asparagus.”

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FROZEN Halibut? You bet.

Panko Crusted Wild Alaskan Halibut Steak (Previously Frozen)
Shiso Red Jalapeño Ponzu Sauce
Baby Bok Choy/ Sweet Savory Red Miso Broth

how to ROCK the halibut in your freezer
ROCK: (urban dictionary) to use. to make do with. usually to great effect. 

Frozen fish has a new fan, me! We live in Southern California, we can walk to the docks where fresh fish arrives by the hour. Our local markets have fish that is flown in daily. Why in the world would I buy frozen fish? I don’t. I haven’t. Until now. The Alaska Fish Taco Recipe Contest inspired me to create a fish taco recipe using halibut & king crab. The problem: no fresh halibut available. The solution: wild Alaskan halibut steaks – wild, pure, all natural, and FROZEN.

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Black Cod with Miso, Black Radish & Ponzu

Black Cod with Miso
Over Black Radish and Ponzu
Radish Sprout Garnish

Fresh Black Cod, also known as Sablefish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Population levels are moderate and no overfishing is occurring. The life-span of a Sablefish is estimated to be longer than 90 years! More information on habitat and sustainability can be found at FishWatch U.S. Seafood Facts here.

Nobu-style Saikyo Miso
  • 3/4 c. saké
  • 3/4 c. mirin
  • 2 c. white miso paste
  • 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1. Bring the saké and the mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.
2. Turn the heat down to low and add the miso paste, mixing with a wooden spoon. When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon to ensure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn. Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Miso recipe from Nobu: The Cookbook by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. This recipes yields 3 cups. Since we did not use it all for the cod, we tried it the following night with fresh salmon and it was equally impressive.
Rinse the cod, pat dry with paper towels, then coat with the miso mixture. Nobu recommends marinating for 2 to 3 days. Since I only had an hour, that is how long it steeped. And it was still fabulous! Broil the cod under high heat until it browns, then bake at 350° for about 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Black Radish

Black radish is at its peak in winter. Peel completely and slice into very thin rounds.

It has a lovely interior pattern. The crunchy somewhat pungent radish and slightly salty and citrusy ponzu are a great complement to the caramelized luxurious cod.
Nobu serves his Black Cod with Miso with a simple garnish of a few more drops of miso and a stalk of hajikami (pickled ginger stick).

We served the Black Cod with Miso over sliced black radish and ponzu sauce. Radish sprouts make a lively garnish.
If you are a fan of all types of fish, you will love Nobu: The Cookbook.