Pan-Seared Wild Black Cod...Pan-Seared Wild Black Cod with Yuzu-Ginger Dashi

A delicate, umami-rich masterpiece featuring pan-seared black cod bathed in a fragrant, citrus-infused dashi broth, paired with crisp charred baby bok choy and sea greens.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Pat the black cod fillets completely dry with a paper towel. Season the skin side lightly with sea salt and allow them to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, combine the water, kombu, and dried shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Just as the water begins to bubble, remove and discard the kombu to prevent any bitter flavors.

3. 03

   Add the sliced ginger to the broth and continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Stir in the tamari and yuzu juice. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

4. 04

   Heat the avocado oil in a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the cod fillets skin-side down, pressing gently with a fish spatula for 30 seconds to ensure even contact and a crisp crust. Sear for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.

5. 05

   Carefully flip the cod and sear the flesh side for 1-2 minutes, just until the fish is barely translucent in the center. Transfer to a warm plate and let rest skin-side up.

6. 06

   In the same skillet, place the halved baby bok choy cut-side down. Char for 2 minutes until lightly caramelized but still crisp. Toss in the sea asparagus for the last 30 seconds of cooking, just to warm through.

7. 07

   To assemble, ladle the warm yuzu-ginger dashi into two shallow, wide bowls. Arrange the charred bok choy and sea asparagus beautifully in the center. Gently place a cod fillet on top of the greens, skin-side up. Garnish with shaved radish and microgreens, and serve immediately.