Black Cod Broiled with Miso

Black cod with miso is one of the most delicious Japanese seafood dishes invented and it’s typically eaten on special occasions. Miso –the intensely salty paste made from fermented soybeans – along with mirin and sugar creates great depths of flavor with just three ingredients. Black cod is a tender, fatty fish and it’s delicate texture contrasts beautifully with the slightly charred miso crust. This is also a very easy dish to prepare, requiring few ingredients and only 20 minutes of cook time. It pairs brilliantly with pickled cucumbers and white rice. Black cod is very high in omega-3 fatty acids that are considered protective for the heart and brain. They are also anti-inflammatory. The American Heart Association recommends eating seafood at least twice a week. This recipe is very high in sugar and salt! If you are diabetic or have hypertension, it might not be the best option for you or you might consider cutting the sugar in half and diluting the miso with water.

Makes: 4 servings
Time to cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

· ½ cup sugar

· 1 cup miso, preferably dark

· ½ cup mirin, sake or white wine

· 1½ to 2 pounds black cod fillets (skin may be on or off)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat broiler; set rack 3 to 4 inches from heat source. Combine first three ingredients in a small saucepan and, over low heat, bring almost to a boil, stirring occasionally just until blended; mixture will be fairly thin. Turn off heat.

2. Put fillets in an ovenproof baking dish or skillet, preferably nonstick, and spoon half the sauce on top. Broil until sauce bubbles and begins to brown, then spoon remaining amount over fish. Continue to broil, adjusting heat or rack position if sauce or fish is browning too quickly, until fish is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving
420 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugar; 44 grams protein; 2673 milligrams sodium

Recipe by Mark Bittman, NY Times Cooking

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