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Nobu-Style Sablefish Rice Bowl

with Quick Pickles

  • Rice bowl / Grain bowl
  • Sablefish (black cod)
  • Japanese
  • Active Time:40 min
  • Total Time:12 hr 40 min
  • Servings:2
  • Difficulty:Intermediate
Photo by Alexis deBoschnek

This sablefish is inspired by Nobu’s famous recipe which combines sake, mirin, white miso, and sugar for an incredibly flavorful fish. Marinating for 12 hours or overnight is recommended, but the marinade packs enough of a punch that if you only have an hour before dinner, your fish will still turn out delicious.

Ingredients

Sablefish and Marinade

Cucumber Salad

  • 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 2 medium garlic cloves, grated

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

  • 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced on the bias

Directions

Prepare the Marinade

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sake, mirin, miso paste, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and whisk until dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels, transfer to a baking dish, and pour the cooled marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Make the Cucumber Salad

In a medium bowl, add the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the cucumbers and scallions and stir until coated with the dressing.

Cook the Fish

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Remove the fish from the marinade and scrape off any excess. In a medium, oven-proof nonstick skillet over high heat, heat the grapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the fish, skin-side up, and cook for 2 minutes, without moving it, until deeply browned. Carefully flip the fish over and continue cooking until browned, about 2 minutes.

Carefully transfer the fish to the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through and easily flakes, about 10 minutes, depending on thickness.

Finish and Serve

Divide steamed rice between two bowls. Top with sablefish and cucumber salad.

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