Dish of Steamed Sablefish as Served
(click to enlarge)

Steamed Sablefish / Black Cod


China

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
2 main
**
50 min
Short
Sablefish has a unique texture and light flavor, which this recipe exploits. This fish is prepared in northern China, Korea, and as "Black Cod" in fancy restaurants over here.

1
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2
1
1
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12
2
1/4
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in
t
t
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T
c
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Sablefish (1)
-- Marinade
Ginger
Soy Sauce
Sugar (2)
---------------
Scallions
Oil (4)
Rice Wine (5)
-- Serve with
Jasmine rice

Prep   -   (30 min - 20 min work + 25 min clean and fillet Sablefish)
  1. Cut skinless SABLEFISH fillets into the size you'd like. Four pieces is probably good.
  2. Peel and grate GINGER fine. Place it in a cloth and wring it out, keeping the juice and discarding the solids.
  3. Mix together Ginger Juice, Soy Sauce, and Sugar. Mix with Sablefish to coat and marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, or 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning now and then.
  4. Cut SCALLIONS, green part only, diagonally into 1-1/2 inch lengths. Keep the white part for other recipes.
Run   -   (20 minutes)
  1. Make your Steamed Jasmine Rice and keep warm.
  2. Drain Sablefish and place on a dish, 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep and large enough so the pieces don't touch. Arrange Scallions around the fish.
  3. Set the dish in the steamer (See Steamer) and Photo. Make sure the dish is as level as possible. Place Cool Water in the steamer and bring it to a boil uncovered over high heat. Once it boils, cover it. The fish should be ready in about 4 minutes.
  4. In a small sauce pan, heat Oil, then ladle in Rice Wine. Let sizzle for just a few seconds and take off heat.
  5. Arrange Rice on a plate. Top with Fish and Scallions, then spoon Rice Wine Sauce over the fish and serve immediately.
NOTES:
  1. Sablefish:

      Commonly sold as "Black Cod". This weight is for skinless fillets. If you start with a whole fish you'll need one about 2-1/2 pounds to get a pound of fillet. For details see our Sablefish page.
  2. Sugar

      The sugar is necessary to counter a bitterness from the ginger juice.
  3. Steamer:

      A wok with a low steamer grid and a high domed cover is perfect for this, see Photo.
  4. Oil:

      Pure Olive oil (not Virgin) works fine.
  5. Rice Wine:   Use a good drinkable Rice Wine, not that horrid "cooking wine". If you don't have it, use a dry Sherry. Sake is made of rice but not considered a good substitute, it's beer, not wine. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch
cmf_sablefsh1 100515
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