Sablefish in Ginger Miso Broth

A warm broth with rich flavours is the perfect treat for a crisp fall day. Make it your own by adding different vegetables and noodles to the broth.

Ingredients:

1 bunch cilantro
1 Tablespoon miso (we use whatever style we have in the fridge)
4 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, fish - use whatever you want)
3 Tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 lbs sablefish (skin removed cut into 2 inch square pieces - ish)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 tsp Sriracha (or to taste - with the kids we add none until after it’s in our bowls)
2 teaspoons mirin
1 tsp fish sauce
2 cups thinly sliced baby bok choy (or other green vegetable)
we’ve also been known to add rice noodles, carrots, snap peas and other vegetables to the broth

Instructions:

In a medium-sized bowl, add the juice of 1 lime, the soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a small pinch of salt. Whisk to combine. Add the black cod to the mixing bowl and gently toss with the marinade. Set aside in the refrigerator. The longer you can let the fish marinate the more delicious (we think). Usually we’ll try to marinate overnight.

Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems, and save them both seperately. Line up the stems in a long bundle and slice as thinly as possible - you want about 3 Tablespoons of thinly sliced stems. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the miso to 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock. Whisk the miso until it is fully incorporated into the stock. Whisk in the rest of the stock and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan. Add the cilantro stems, along with the minced garlic and ginger. Adjust the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables begin to sizzle and soften, stirring regularly. Add the stock and the Sriracha, and stir to incorporate the Sriracha into the stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

When the stock has simmered for 30 minutes, turn the heat down as low as it will go. Remove the black cod from the marinade and place the fish on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook the fish in the oven for about 5 minutes, until it is barely cooked through. You can see if it's ready by flaking it: If the fish does not flake easily, continue to cook it. If it flakes and the center of the flesh is fully cooked, immediately remove it from the oven.

Add 1 1/2 Tablespoons of lime juice to the stock, along with the mirin and the fish sauce. Add the ribbons of baby bok choy. Gently stir. Roughly chop two handfuls of the reserved cilantro leaves and set aside. To serve, ladle the broth into bowls. Top each bowl with a few pieces of black cod. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy.

You can usually find mirin and fish sauce in the international aisle of most grocery stores. Miso is often found in the produce area where you would find tofu or tempeh. We live in Nanaimo so head down to Man Lee for all these delicious ingredients (and some fun asian snacks).