Black cod: My new favourite way to get in my Omega 3’s.  It is a mild tasting white fish, with the perfect texture; firm, moist and flaky. Also, you can’t deny, its darn gorgeous!

That lovely caramelized top is achieved with a mixture of white miso paste, brown sugar, sesame oil and Mirin; a combination that adds richness and umami (aka – intensely pleasurable flavour) to this dish. It’s quick to prepare,absolutely foolproof and a sure crowd pleaser!

Make this at your next dinner party and I guarantee that at least one person will say “You know, I’m not really crazy about fish but this is amazing!” or something to that effect. In any case, this is sure to be a favourite in your recipe arsenal. 

Notes:

You can find white Miso and toasted sesame seeds at any health food grocery store such as Tao or at your local Asian grocery store.

Black cod has one of the highest levels of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which contributes to it’s silky and rich texture.

The safe internal temperature for fish is between 145 and 150. A food thermometer removes any guesswork. It’ll not only prevent undercooking your food but it’ll help prevent overcooking it as well, which can be just as bad.

Miso Glazed Black Cod

Ingredients

6 (6-ounce) black cod fillets, or regular cod fillets
1/3 cup low-sodium blond or white miso
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions, for garnish, optional

Directions

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine miso, brown sugar, sesame oil and mirin and stir well until brown sugar is fully dissolved.

Brush about 1-2 tablespoons miso glaze on each fish fillet. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

Place an oven rack on the upper third level of your oven.

Preheat on Broil setting (high).

Place fish under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, or until top is slightly charred and glaze has caramelized. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t char completely.

Lower oven to 375 degrees F and remove fish from oven and dab on a little more glaze.

Return to oven and cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 and flakes apart easily with a fork.

I recommend garnishing with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Enjoy!