Miso and sake sablefish with sautéed baby bok choy

This popular dish may look complicated to make, but it's actually pretty easy, as long as you have the right ingredients. Gusto TV's new cookbook, One World Kitchen: The cookbook, has a recipe that you'll want to use all the time. 

The marinade gives the fish a great colour, in addition to flavour. 

Tip:

  • This dish needs at least an overnight marinade.
  • Hajikami is preserved ginger shoot, where half the long stalks are dyed a fuchsia pink; use chives instead if you can’t find it.

Sablefish

1/2 cup sake
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup white miso paste
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 fillets sablefish, 1/2 pound each, skin on and scaled
1 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
4 hajikami, finely chopped, to serve

Place the sake, mirin, miso, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking to combine. Bring to a full simmer, then cook for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Place the sablefish in a nonreactive container, and cover with the marinade. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight and up to 2 days.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the fish from marinade, just shaking off the excess.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, and allow it to heat. Cook the fish flesh side down for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it becomes dark golden caramel colour. Using a metal fish spatula or flipper, turn over the fish, and slightly crisp the skin. Transfer the fish to the parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

1 lb baby bok choy, bottoms removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 lemon, juiced

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and cook the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds or until fragrant but not browning. Add the bok choy, and stir-fry for 1 minute or just until heated through but still crispy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and drizzle with the lemon juice. Remove the pan from heat.

To serve: Top the fish with the hajikami (or chives), and serve with the hot bok choy.

Yield:
4 servings