Friday Feature: Miso-Glazed Cod That Practically Cooks Itself 🐟

You know those restaurant-quality meals that taste like a dream but require approximately one lifetime and three sous-chefs to pull off?

Yeah, this isn’t one of those.

This is miso-glazed black cod—also known as the dish that:

• Impresses your guests
• Fills your home with a glorious, toasty aroma
• And only takes about 5 minutes of actual work

Let’s dive in.

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 Why Cod? (Besides “because it’s delicious”)

We’re using black cod, also called sablefish—not to be confused with your average flaky white cod.

Black cod is:

• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids (great for your heart and brain)
• Incredibly hard to overcook (seriously, it forgives everything)
• Perfect for broiling—it becomes buttery and tender, almost like the lobster of the fish world

You’ll be feeding yourself and whispering “I’m a genius” between bites.

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 Health Bonus: What Cod Does for You

• Omega-3s reduce inflammation, boost mood, and support cognitive health
• Lean protein helps maintain muscle mass and keeps blood sugar stable
• It’s gentle on digestion and ideal for brain and heart health, especially when paired with a low-glycemic grain like wild rice or brown rice

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 Let’s Cook: Miso-Glazed Cod

Serves: 4 minutes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Effort level: So low, it’s basically self-care

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 Ingredients

• 4 black cod fillets (thawed, skin-on if available)
• 2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake (or dry white wine)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil (like avocado or grapeseed)

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 Directions

Step 1: Make the marinade

In a small bowl, whisk together miso, mirin, sake, soy sauce, sugar, and oil.

Rub the mixture all over the cod fillets and place them in a sealable container or zip-top bag.

Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days in the fridge—longer = deeper flavor).

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Step 2: Broil it

Preheat your oven broiler (or toaster oven broiler) to high.

Line a tray with foil. Place the fillets skin-side down.

Broil for about 10 minutes, until the top is deeply caramelized and a thin skewer slides in without resistance.

If some parts start to get too dark, gently cover with foil.

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Step 3: Pin bone removal (a breeze!)

After broiling, use tweezers to remove any pin bones. Black cod’s structure makes this easy—they come right out.

No surgical skills required.

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 Serve With…

• Steamed wild rice or brown rice
• Sautéed spinach or bok choy
• A cup of miso soup or cucumber salad on the side

Optional Hopium Touch: Sip green tea while plating. Pretend you’re running a quiet, Michelin-starred kitchen.

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 Why This Recipe Is a Friday Hero

• It’s rich but balanced
• Fast but luxurious
• Healthy without preaching about it

Perfect for dinner guests, quiet nights in, or when you just need to feed yourself something really good without making a mess of your kitchen (or your mood).

Enjoy your Friday Feature, and if anyone asks for the recipe?

Tell them it took you hours and you don’t give away secrets.

— Chef Honeybell & Kumar Da, from the Hopium Health test kitchen