Pan-Seared Black Cod in...Pan-Seared Black Cod in Lemongrass-Infused Coconut Dashi

A masterclass in balance: buttery pan-seared black cod nestled in a fragrant, silky lemongrass-coconut dashi, finished with a vibrant herb-infused chili oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the aromatic dashi, combine water and kombu in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat (do not boil). Add the chopped lemongrass, sliced ginger, and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to extract the aromatics, then strain the broth discard the solids.

2. 02

   Return the strained broth to low heat. Whisk in the coconut milk, white miso paste, and mirin until completely smooth. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

3. 03

   For the herb oil, blanch the scallion greens and cilantro in boiling water for 10 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Squeeze out all excess moisture. Blend the blanched greens, Thai chili, and 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil on high speed until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter to yield a brilliant green oil.

4. 04

   Heat 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the halved baby bok choy cut-side down until beautifully charred, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

5. 05

   Pat the black cod skin completely dry and season with sea salt. In the same skillet, add a touch more oil if needed and place the cod skin-side down. Press gently with a spatula for 30 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook until the skin is golden and ultra-crispy, about 4 minutes. Flip the fish, pour the sake into the pan, immediately cover with a lid, and let steam for 2 minutes until cooked through.

6. 06

   To assemble, ladle the warm coconut-miso dashi into the center of two shallow bowls. Place two halves of charred bok choy in the center, and gently rest the pan-seared black cod on top, skin-side up. Dot the dashi broth with droplets of the vibrant green herb oil and serve immediately.