Tag: ponzu

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.

Black Cod Ponzu Yuzu

UPDATE: A more recent version of this dish (November 2021) can be found on Taste With The Eyes here.

Fresh Black Cod, also known as Sablefish, from the waters off the coast of Vancouver, BC. Black Cod flesh has large velvety flakes with a sweet, rich flavour due to its high Omega 3 oil content.

I pan sear the Cod in half olive oil/half butter with a hearty splash of Ponzu Shoyu Yuzu over medium high heat. This ponzu contains soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar and yuzu juice. While cooking, the sugars in the ponzu caramelize to make a delicious crust.
Yuzu is a citrus fruit originating in Eastern Asia with tart flavors reminiscent of grapefruit and mandarin orange. Serve the fish over Ponzu Yuzu. Tempura vegetables and shrimp, with steamed rice on the side, make a great accompaniment.

You may recall some photos of my favorite Hispanic market, El Supermercado? Another of my favorite neighborhood markets is the Mitsuwa Marketplace. This huge store provides vast selection of Japanese groceries and products. Inside the shopping center, there are more than 20 specialty shops and a fabulous Restaurant Row offering authentic selections.

Excellent fish…

and produce
and desserts.

I’m addicted to the dinnerware…

all of it!

The best place in the Food Court for Ramen is Santouka.

Many…

…Beautiful Displays

A Wide Selection of Sake and Beverages

Great Bakery and more…
Mitsuwa Marketplaces are only located in Southern California, Chicagoland, and New Jersey. But the good news is that their products are available online too.

We are so fortunate to have such a variety of fabulous ethnic markets so close to home.