Pan-seared miso black cod with fresh fennel, broad beans, and seafood broth

Pan-seared miso black cod with fresh fennel, broad beans, and seafood broth

One of the reasons I absolutely love this dish, apart from its sheer, subtle deliciousness, is its versatility and the fact that most of the ingredients are usually treated as kitchen waste and tossed in the bin. In our Culinary Medicine approach, we strive for zero kitchen waste. Utilizing as much of an ingredient as possible not only shows respect for each component in the dish but just makes good economic sense. This is especially true when we consider that one-third to one-half of all food purchased at supermarkets in the United States winds up in landfills.

Michael S. Fenster, MD

This dish also offers versatility in service. It is a wonderfully light and elegant starter, but with an extra piece or two of fish and a few extra pieces of veg, it can be a tremendously satisfying fish course or summer main. In making a large batch of shellfish stock, you place in your freezer a ready reserve of sumptuous simplicity to elevate a variety of other dishes, such as a seafood risotto. Additionally, if you use leftover bits of vegetable trimming like the tops and bottoms of carrots and onions and the celery leaves and stems (which can be stored in a container in the refrigerator or, better yet, dehydrated in a low-temperature oven), you can further reduce waste whilst increasing economic return and flavor.

Ingredients

For the black cod:

• 60 grams fish trimmings, preferably black cod, also known as sablefish or butterfish
• 75 grams sweet white miso paste (also known as saikyo miso)
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger

For the seafood broth:

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 15 grams (approximately 1 tablespoon) of butter
• 1kilogram (approximately 2 pounds) of shrimp or other crustacean shells broken into pieces
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small leek, finely sliced
• ½ small fennel bulb, finely sliced
• 1 celery stick, finely sliced
• 1 small carrot, finely sliced
• 1 garlic bulb, cut at the bottom to expose the cloves
• 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
• 200 milliliters of white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 4 sprigs of assorted fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, tarragon, or chervil

For the beans:

• 50 grams thinly shaved fennel
• 3 broad beans or other seasonal equivalent, lightly steamed and seasoned
• Dill and herbs, for garnish

Directions

For the black cod:

1. Prepare the fish trimmings by adjusting the thickness of the pieces so that they are as uniform as possible. Place the fish skin side down on a baking sheet lined with absorbent paper towels, lightly season with kosher sea salt, cover with absorbent paper towels, and refrigerate for four hours.
2. Combine the miso, sake, mirin, and ginger in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Remove the fish, wipe dry, and thoroughly coat in the miso mixture.
4. Refrigerate the fish for 48 to 72 hours in a vacuum-sealed bag, sealed container, or zip-lock storage bag.
5. Prior to cooking, remove the fish and allow it to come up to room temperature; remove any excess miso paste, and allow the skin to dry completely.
6. Lightly coat a medium nonstick sauté pan with a neutral oil and bring to temperature over medium heat.
7. Place the fish skin side down and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes; the exact amount of time will depend upon the thickness of the fish.
8. Carefully turn the fish over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Carefully remove any visible bones prior to serving.

For the seafood broth:

1. In a large stock pot, heat half the oil in the butter until the butter turns a light brown and exudes a nutty aroma. Add the shells and cook over medium heat until they darken and caramelize, approximately 10 to15 minutes. Remove the shells and place them in a bowl.
2. Deglaze the pan with one-half of the white wine, making sure to scrape up and loosen any of the tasty bits stuck on the bottom. To collect up all the delicious bits stuck to the bottom. Cook until almost all the wine is evaporated and add the fond to the caramelized shells.
3. Add the remaining oil and the vegetables. Once again, cook until the vegetables caramelize and darken, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the tomato puree and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
5. Add the remaining white wine and continue to cook until it is almost completely evaporated.
6. Add the shells back into the stockpot.
7. Fill the pot with water about 1 inch (approximately 3 centimeters) above the shells.
8. Add the coriander seed, bay leaf, and herbs, and bring the liquid to a simmer.
9. Allow the liquid to simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, reducing by approximately one-third. As the liquid reduces, remove any scum which rises to the top.
10. Once the stock has reduced, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or muslin into a large bowl.
11. At this point, the stock can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for 2 to 3 months.
12. To finish the dish, simmer 2 cups of the stock to reduce it by half to concentrate the flavor.

To plate:

1. Arrange a small amount of the thinly shaved fennel in the bottom of the bowl.
2. Arrange the fish on top of the fennel.
3. Place the broad beans amongst the fish.
4. Garnish with herbs.
5. Pour over the seafood broth at service.

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