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Close up photo of miso butter cod in cast iron skillet

Miso Butter Cod (an elevated weeknight dinner)

If I could eat one dish for the rest of my life, this MISO BUTTER COD would be at the top of my list! It's my little twist on the Nobu version, and, dare I say, it's just as good....and might be even better!
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Dinner
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 8 ounce skinless center-cut (thick) fillets of cod if you can't find cod, sea bass is a great substitute
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sake

Spicy Miso Garlic Butter

  • 2 ounces butter, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons white miso
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced chives
  • 2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • generous pinch of cayenne pepper
  • extra freshly chopped chives and/or chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

Make the Spicy Miso-Garlic Butter

  • In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together. I like to use a fork to mash everything and incorporate it all together.
  • Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the broiler. If your broiler has settings, set it to low. My oven doesn't have settings, so I put the rack closer to the bottom, because my broiler runs REALLY hot.
  • Season fish generously, on both sides, with salt and pepper.
  • In a cast iron skillet, or oven proof skillet, combine the miso butter, brown sugar, sake and 1/2 tablespoon of water. Cook over medium heat, until all the ingredients are incorporated.
  • Gently place the fish in the skillet and cook until the bottom 1/2 inch of the fish is opaque, about 3-4 minutes. Spoon some of the sauce over the fish as it cooks, coating each fillet with the miso butter.
  • Place skillet under the broiler and broil until the tops of the fillets are caramelized. They might start to char slightly which is even better, because this adds extra flavor. This whole process should take about 3-7 minutes,depending on the heat of your broiler. If the fish starts getting charred too quickly, turn the broiler to a lower setting, or move the rack to a lower position in your oven.
  • Remove pan from oven, using a spatula, and gently remove each fillet and place on a large platter or individual plates. Spoon the sauce over the fillets and garnish with fresh chives and/or parsley.
  • Serve with rice (white, sticky, basmati and jasmine are all great options!)

Notes

Swaps, Subs, and Variations

​If you can't find some of the ingredients, or want to switch things up, here are some tasty ways you can do it:
Cod: I highly recommend using black cod or Icelandic cod if you can find them.  Both of these will give you incredibly buttery, flaky fish.  But if you don't have access to cod, halibut, sea bass, or mahi mahi will work well. 
White miso: For a deeper, richer umami flavor, red miso would work really well.  Red miso is saltier, though, so I'd recommend not adding any salt to the recipe.  Wait until right before serving, and then taste the sauce to see if it needs an additional pinch of salt. 
Sake: I've made this recipe with both sake and dry white wine, and it works really well with both.  The flavor profile is slightly different at the end, but, honestly, you won't even notice. Dry sherry is also a good substitute. 
Vegetables: I usually make snap peas with these, but any quick cooking vegetable would work.  Bok choy, asparagus, and mushrooms would all be delicious.  I'd recommend adding the vegetables to the skillet first, stirring them into the miso butter, and letting them cook for about 5-8 minutes before adding the cod.  If the cod finishes cooking before the vegetables do, remove it gently with a fish spatula and set it aside. When the vegetables are done cooking, add the cod back to the pan, and lower the heat to reheat the cod for a couple of minutes. 
Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the top of each cod fillet, and your family will swear they're at a fancy restaurant!
 

Troubleshooting and Extra Tips and Storage/Tips for Leftovers (put in recipe card)

​If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.  When it comes to fish, I only keep leftovers until the next day.  This recipe doesn't freeze well, so skip the freezer.