Who hasn't drooled over the black cod at Nobu? It is actually a really easy recipe, and if you prepare it in advance, it just needs a half hour or so in the oven. Easy!


(Adapted from Nobu: The Cookbook - click here to buy)

Ingredients:
2-3 black cod fillets (about 400g each/0.8lbs each)
For the marinade:
3/4 cup sake (alcoholic)
3/4 cup mirin (alcoholic, sweet)
2 x cup white miso paste (white miso gives the mildest taste)
250g sugar (tip: if you use fruit sugar, you can use less, as it is sweeter - try using 200g fruit sugar)

Method:
1. Heat the sake and mirin in a pan and boil for a minute to evaporate most of the alcohol.
2. Add the miso paste and stir to dissolve.
3. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
4. Cool the marinade; use some for the fish, and keep some aside for plating at the end.
5. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen towels to soak up any moisture. Put them in a dish with the marinade. Cover and leave to steep in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.
(Steps 1-5 can be done in advance)

6. Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F and preheat the grill at the same time.
7. Lightly wipe off any excess miso marinate clinging to the fish fillets but don’t rinse it off (I find using a piece of clingfilm/plastic wrap works well to do this).
8. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown.
9. Transfer the fish fillets to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
10. Add a few extra drops of the marinate to the plate and serve hot.

This is perfect for a dinner party - everyone loves it and most of the work can be done in advance. I usually make a big vat of the miso marinade and freeze the extra for next time. To defrost, just place it in a bag in a cup of boiling water.