Miso Sea Bass (or Other Types of Fish)
A deliciously easy Miso Sea Bass recipe inspired by Nobu, with a sweet and savory flavor, that is on the table in under 15 minutes (excluding marinating. I also show you what to do if you don't have time to marinate the fish.) The typical version uses Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Toothfish) but the sauce works with other types of fish so I'm using Barramundi Sea Bass instead to be more sustainable. (Alternatively, Black Cod or Alaskan Sablefish is a good substitute.)
2 Servings
| Nutrition (1 serv.) | Amount | Nutrition (1 serv.) | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 110 kcal | Sugar | 9 g |
| Carbs | 20 g | Cholesterol | 1 mg |
| Protein | 4 g | Sodium | 1680 mg |
| Fat | 2 g | Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 9 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1680 mg | ||
| Fiber | 1 g |
Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 15 min
Ingredients
2 Fish fillets My top choice is Black Cod, followed by Pacific Halibut, Salmon or Asian Barramundi.
3 Tablespoons Miso Paste Best is white miso, but awase miso and red miso can do too.
¼ Cup Mirin If you're out of mirin, you can use sake instead (so you would add a total of 5 Tablespoons of sake to the marinade.) If so, please add 1-2 Tablespoons of white sugar too.
1 Tablespoon Sake
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce Optional. This is not part of the classic Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass recipe but I add 1 Tablespoon when I feel like more umami flavor.
Green onions and lightly toasted sesame seeds. Optional garnish. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice also complements the sweet salty flavors very well.
Instructions
Marinating
Clean the fish fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Make sure the skin is as dry as possible if you want it crisp.
Add the miso, sake and mirin to a non-reactive or glass container with a tightly closed lid. Mix till all the miso has been dissolved in to the liquid.
Place the piece of fish down in the marinade, flesh down, skin up. Try not to let the marinade touch the skin or it'll be wet and won't crisp up.
Allow to marinate for 1-3 nights (ensuring the fish does not expire in the meantime!) If you only marinate it for 2 hours, the flavor won't permeate the fish. (See Tip 2 below for how to get more flavor if so.)
Cooking
Before cooking, remove from the marinade and wipe off any sauce on the skin (it will burn.) It's OK to have some marinade on the flesh, but not too much.
Allow the fish to come to room temperature (10-20 minutes) before cooking. Place fish skin facing up on parchment paper or aluminium foil (recommended if broiling.) Cooking time will differ depending on fish used.
For Chilean Sea Bass/ Black CodBroiling: preheat the broiler to medium (500ºF/260ºC) and broil the fish on the medium rack for 7-10 minutes till the skin is golden brown. (Exact time depends on how thick the fish is.)Baking: Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven at 425F/218C/ 198C fan till the skin is blistered and fish is cooked.Bake for 15 minutes at 350F/180/160C then briefly broil to sear the top (or till the internal temperature is 55C/135F.)
For BarramundiBake for 15 minutes at 350F/180/160C then briefly broil to sear the top (or till the internal temperature is 55C/135F.)Note: Cooking time will change if you use different fish.