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Black Cod Deserves Your Culinary Attention By Seared Lightly Scientists call it Sablefish, Canadians call it Butterfish, Alaskans and seafood purveyors call it Black Cod…but by any moniker, this denizen of the deep deserves the title of Gourmet Delicacy, with unique texture and flavor. Velvety, rich, delicate…these terms describe a fish native to the North Pacific that should earn your attention and has hit a new level of availability. What is marketed as Black Cod is not a cod, but belongs to the family
Anoplopomatidae and lives in very deep, cold water as far down as
2,500-3,000 feet deep. This environment produces high oil content
in the flesh that can only be rivaled by some wild Chinook Salmon and the
Chilean Sea Bass that frequent Antarctic depths. The Japanese (and
who knows and appreciates seafood better?) prize Black Cod highly, to the
extent that they are subsidizing an aquaculture project near Kona, Hawaii
that began this past February. The “Big Isle Butterfish Farm” is
pumping 40 degree water from thousands of feet below the surface to provide
the temperature and purity to please Black Cod
Alaska is currently the commercial leader in Black Cod fishing, though the catch is also landed in Washington and Oregon. The harvest is achieved by long lining baited pots left attached to a buoy for later pickup. The Northwest fishery is year ‘round, but winter’s rough seas can inhibit the catch volume, particularly in Alaskan waters. Salmon and Bottom Fish catch limits are pressuring Oregon and Washington salmon boat owners to convert to long lining for Black Cod. Restaurants lead the way We discovered the culinary possibilities of Black Cod while dining at Seattle’s Ray’s Boathouse restaurant. They share their signature recipe, as follows. Kasu paste is created by the residue in fermenting Sake’ and is readily available at Asian markets. This preparation takes time, but is well worth the effort. Ray’s Kasu Black Cod 2 2 ½ lb. Black Cod fillets, skin on, bones removed, cut
into 4 pieces
Place Black Cod fillets skin side down in shallow dish. Sprinkle generous layer of Salt over fish, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate 24 hrs. Rinse salt from fish, pat dry and return to dish. Stir together Kasu paste and sugar in a small bowl ‘til smooth. Slowly stir in the water and pour the mixture over the fish, cover and refrigerate for another 24 hours. Heat your grilling surface (note: this dish really radiates flavor benefits if you grill over charcoal), remove fish from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Grill fillets until nicely browned (no more than 5 min. per side). Plate and serve with fresh ginger slices as garnish. Smoked Black Cod, because of the high oil content of the flesh, is to die for. Readily available at Seattle seafood markets, it only reaches Oregon
by ordering from the internet (search Icicle or Port Chatham sites or www.alaskaseafood.org
directory of suppliers). If you have an outdoor smoking oven, soak fresh
Black Cod fillets for 4 hours in a brine
Black Cod fillets can also be poached, but the aforementioned approaches are recommended for maximum enjoyment. If you are into Sushi, very thinly slice a fresh Black Cod fillet as a key ingredient.with rice and pickled ginger. © 2003 Oregon Magazine |
