Miso Cod ‘Nobu’ Recipe

It’s difficult to present a miso cod recipe and not salute the great Nobu Matsuhisa, the Japanese chef who made this dish popular in America and who created the Nobu restaurant line. You can also use other fish that are rich, oily and flaky, such as Chilean sea bass. This dish is consistently delicious and so simple; it’s almost idiotproof! Merci, Nobu-san!

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

Wasabi-lime dressing

• 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons ginger oil*
• 5 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

*Ginger oil

Makes 2 cups

• ½ pound fresh ginger, peeled and minced 
• 1 cup canola oil

Cod

• ½ cup Japanese sake
• ½ cup mirin
• 1 cup white miso paste
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 skin-on black cod fillets
• (7 ounces each)
• Canola oil or cooking spray for the pan

 

Directions

Special equipment: Metal skewer

For the ginger oil: Put the ginger in a blender and blend in the oil at high speed. Remove the oil to a clean container and seal tightly. Let stand at room temperature for at least two hours, or refrigerate overnight, before using. The ginger oil will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

For the wasabi-lime dressing: In a blender, combine the wasabi, lime juice and lemon juice and process. With the machine running, slowly emulsify in the ginger oil and then the canola oil. Add sugar and season with sea salt and white pepper to taste. Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

For the cod: In a medium saucepan, combine the sake and mirin and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly, then add the miso and sugar a little at a time, stirring to fully incorporate them into a smooth paste. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Pour the marinade into the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold all of the fillets of fish. Place the cod in the miso and stir to completely cover. Cover and refrigerate for two to three days.

When ready to cook, preheat the broiler to low (400°F).

Remove the cod from the miso and scrape off any excess marinade. Lightly oil a sheet pan with a little bit of canola oil or cooking spray. Arrange the fish on the sheet pan.

Put the sheet pan in the oven 4 to 6 inches from the heat source and broil the marinated cod until evenly browned and a metal skewer inserted into the thickest part of the fish for 5 seconds feels warm when touched to your wrist, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the cod to warm plates and serve immediately alongside the wasabi-lime dressing.