Fall

Roasted Black Cod in Ginger Cilantro Broth

December 16, 2015
4.7
6 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

This recipe utilizes two of my all-time favorite ingredients: black cod and cilantro stems. Black cod is supple, fatty, and utterly delicious. It is commonly eaten broiled with miso, but this recipe takes a more subtle approach by marinating the fish in a simple mixture of lime, soy, and olive oil. The cilantro stems, a notoriously under appreciated ingredient, are sliced thinly and used to flavor the broth. Although the sliced stems are cooked in this recipe, they are equally tasty when used raw as a garnish.

Please note that this dish can also make an excellent hors d'oeuvre. Serve single bites of roasted black cod in porcelain soup spoons, with a little broth. Do not include the baby bok choy if serving as an hors d'oeuvre. —Josh Cohen

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon white miso
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • Juice of 1 1/2 limes, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • salt
  • 2 pounds black cod, skin removed and cut into 3 inch rectangular pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 2 teaspoons mirin
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced ribbons of baby bok choy
Directions
  1. Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems, and save them both seperately. Store the leaves in the refrigerator for later use. Slice the stems as if they were chives, by lining them up in a long bundle and slicing across them. As Chef David Kinch once said, “It will be impossible for you to slice them too thinly.” Stop when you have 3 tablespoons of thinly sliced cilantro stems. Set the sliced stems aside.
  2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the miso to 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock. Whisk the miso until it is fully incorporated into the stock. Whisk in the rest of the stock and set aside.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, add the juice of 1 lime, the soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a small pinch of salt. Whisk to combine. Add the black cod to the mixing bowl and gently toss with the marinade. Set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan. Add the cilantro stems, along with the minced garlic and ginger. Adjust the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables begin to sizzle and soften, stirring regularly. Add the stock and the Sriracha, and stir to incorporate the Sriracha into the stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
  5. When the stock has simmered for 30 minutes, turn the heat down as low as it will go. Remove the black cod from the marinade and place the fish on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly season the fish with salt. Cook the fish in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is barely cooked through. You can see if it's ready by flaking it: If the fish does not flake easily, continue to cook it. If it flakes and the center of the flesh is fully cooked, immediately remove it from the oven.
  6. Add the juice of half a lime to the stock, along with the mirin and the fish sauce. Add the ribbons of baby bok choy. Gently stir. Taste the broth, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Roughly chop two handfuls of the reserved cilantro leaves and set aside. To serve, ladle the broth into bowls. Top each bowl with a few pieces of black cod. Gently flake the black cod with your hands as you add it to the bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

4 Reviews

Jaxmccaff January 19, 2022
This was very good. I added some sautéed shitakke mushrooms to the bottom of the bowl before adding the broth and I couldn't find black cod so I used sea bass which worked very well. I will make this again!
KyleinOregon March 3, 2021
OMG, this is fantastic! I can't believe there are only 2 reviews! I definitely plan to make it again. The flavor is delicious and I love the idea of chopping the cilantro stems. I never thought to do that!
Karen S. January 11, 2020
I made this for dinner tonight and it was great. Very easy to make and lots of flavor. Definitely will make this again.
juleeclip October 30, 2016
Can't believe this recipe has no comments yet. This is so easy and wonderful. The broth is packed with flavor and feels very nourishing. I had a lot of broth leftover after dinner and used it to baste roasted chicken thighs and onions the next night, which was also awesome.