The miso-glazed sablefish at the Penn Quarter wine bar Proof is so popular that chef Haidar Karoum actually worries about selling too much of it: “It’s like, ‘Enough already! Order something else.’ ”
Nonetheless, the self-proclaimed fish fanatic says sablefish is one of his favorites. His miso-glazed recipe is a take on the classic Japanese preparation of miso with black cod. The miso is sweet and earthy, the sablefish is buttery. Karoum, who uses sustainable wild Alaskan sablefish from wholesale distributor Prime Seafood, says the freshness and quality of the fish is the secret to the dish’s success. “It doesn’t matter what you’re glazing it with,” he says. “The fish is the most important thing.”
Miso-Glazed Wild Alaskan Sablefish with Buckwheat Noodles and Mustard Greens
Serves 4
1½ pounds sablefish filets
Salt and white pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons canola oil
6 tablespoons miso glaze (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 ounces soba noodles, cooked
3 cups mustard greens
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons sake
Season the sablefish filets with salt and white pepper. Heat a medium-size sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the sablefish filets and cook for 1 minute per side. Transfer to a sheet pan and brush each filet with 2 tablespoons of miso glaze. Place inches below a medium-high broiler and cook until golden.
In a large pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add the soba noodles and mustard greens and toss for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and sake and stir to combine. Divide the soba noodles among 4 plates and top with the glazed sablefish.
Miso Glaze
Makes 1 cup
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons mustard
1 ounce honey
2 ounces red miso (aka miso)—Karoum likes South River Miso Company
2 ounces white miso (shiro miso)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 ounce plum wine
¾ cup canola oil
Combine all ingredients except for the canola oil in a blender and blend at medium speed. Slowly add the canola oil to the mixture and mix on high for 1 minute until the glaze is fully emulsified.
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Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
