Gindara Saikyō-yaki (Miso-Marinated Black Cod)
sweet white miso-marinated black cod, broiled
Ingredients
- 600 g Black Cod (Sablefish)
- 150 g White Miso
- 75 g White Sugar
- 55 g Sake
- 55 g Mirin
Method
- Den miso: Bring the sake and mirin to a boil in a small saucepan and let them bubble about 20 seconds to cook off the raw alcohol. Drop the heat to low, whisk in the miso until smooth, then the sugar, and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the paste is glossy, ~15 min. Don't let it catch on the bottom. Cool to room temperature before it touches the fish.
- Marinate: Pat the fillets very dry, coat them all over in the den miso, and refrigerate 2–3 days. Two days is enough; three is better. This is a cure as much as a marinade, so don't cut it short.
- Broil: Wipe the fillets almost clean, leaving only a thin film of miso, or it will burn before the fish cooks. Broil skin-side down about 15 cm from the element until the surface caramelizes in dark patches, ~4–5 min, then move to a 400°F / 200°C oven for 5–8 min, until it flakes at the thickest point. The sugar goes from caramelized to burnt quickly, so pull it while the patches are dark but not black.
Notes
Most of the marinade is wiped off before broiling, so the sugar and sodium figures here run high against what you actually eat. The den miso keeps for weeks and can be reused for a second batch.