Crisp-Skinned Black Cod with Tomato, Olive and Caper Sauce, Balsamic Zucchini and Two Ways with Potatoes

Crisp-Skinned Black Cod

Most of the cooking happens on the skin side, rendering the fatty skin while protecting the delicate flesh. Keeping the sauce underneath preserves the crisp surface.

Ingredients

• 4 portions skin-on black cod (sablefish), 6 oz each, pin bones removed
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the fish very dry, especially the skin. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then place the fish skin-side down, leaving space between portions. Press gently with a fish spatula for the first 20–30 seconds to keep the skin flat.
3. Reduce to medium and cook skin-side down for 7–10 minutes, until the skin is crisp, releases readily and the flesh is opaque most of the way up the sides. Lower the heat if the skin darkens too quickly.
4. Turn carefully and cook another 1–3 minutes, depending on thickness. For fully cooked fish, the center should reach 145°F and separate into moist flakes. Transfer skin-side up to a warm plate and serve promptly.

Notes

• Use two skillets or cook in batches rather than crowding the fish. Do not cover cooked portions, which would soften the skin.

Tomato, Olive and Caper Sauce with Pine Nuts

Briefly cooked tomatoes make a juicy rather than heavy sauce. Olives and capers season the rich fish, while toasted pine nuts add texture.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 lb ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped, juices reserved
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry saucepan over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the olive oil and shallot to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes until softened without browning. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Simmer uncovered for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but still chunky.
4. Stir in the olives and capers and simmer for 2 minutes. The sauce should be spoonable with a little loose tomato juice; add a splash of water if it becomes thick.
5. Fold in the lemon juice, parsley and two-thirds of the pine nuts. Taste before adding salt, then season with pepper. Reserve the remaining pine nuts for plating.

Notes

• Early-season tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity. Add lemon gradually; reduce watery tomatoes a little longer rather than thickening the sauce.

Balsamic Zucchini and Spring Onions

Browning zucchini in uncrowded batches keeps it from steaming. Spring onions soften separately, and balsamic added at the end brings acidity without scorching.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3 spring onions, bulbs thinly sliced and tender greens cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp ghee, divided
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the zucchini dry. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon ghee.
2. Cook the zucchini in two batches in a single layer, adding another 1/2 tablespoon ghee for the second batch. Leave undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned and just tender. Season lightly and transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon ghee and the sliced spring onion bulbs. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened, then add the greens and cook for 1 minute.
4. Return the zucchini to the skillet. Add the balsamic and toss gently for 30–60 seconds, just until glossy. Season with the remaining salt as needed and the pepper, then remove from the heat.

Notes

• Use regular balsamic vinegar rather than a sweetened glaze. If the pan is very dry when adding it, include 1 tablespoon water to distribute it evenly.

Roasted Red New Potatoes

Small skin-on potatoes roast into creamy centers with wrinkled, browned exteriors, providing contrast to the boiled potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb small red new potatoes, about 1–1 1/2 inches across
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes; halve any substantially larger than the others.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread out in a single layer.
3. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until browned and wrinkled outside and easily pierced through the center.
4. Toss with parsley just before serving.

Boiled Yellow New Potatoes with Herbs

Starting the potatoes in cold water cooks them evenly. Dressing them while warm lets the olive oil, lemon and herbs cling to their skins.

Ingredients

• 1 lb small yellow new potatoes
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the cooking water
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for finishing

Instructions

1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a gentle boil.
2. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 12–18 minutes after reaching a boil, until a thin knife slides easily into the center without the potatoes falling apart.
3. Drain and let steam dry for 2 minutes. Gently toss while warm with olive oil, parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The potatoes and sauce tolerate a short hold, leaving the fish until last so its skin stays crisp.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the red potatoes and put them in to roast.
2. 0:10 — Start the yellow potatoes in cold salted water. Chop the sauce ingredients, zucchini and spring onions.
3. 0:20 — Make the tomato sauce. Drain and dress the boiled potatoes when tender; keep warm.
4. 0:30 — Brown the zucchini in batches, soften the spring onions and finish with balsamic. Keep warm without tightly covering.
5. 0:40 — Check the roasted potatoes. Keep the sauce over very low heat and warm the serving plates.
6. 0:45 — Sear the fish. While it cooks, finish the potatoes with herbs and check all components for seasoning.
7. 0:55–1:00 — Plate the sauce, fish and sides, and serve immediately.

Notes

• Allow about 1 hour total with overlapping preparation. Have the sauce and vegetables ready before starting the fish.

Plating

Sauce beneath the fish seasons each bite without wetting the skin. Keeping the vegetables and potatoes alongside preserves their different textures.

Instructions

1. Spoon the warm tomato, olive and caper sauce across the center of four warm plates.
2. Set a portion of black cod on each pool of sauce, skin-side up. Scatter the reserved pine nuts around, not over, the skin.
3. Arrange the zucchini and spring onions to one side and a mixture of roasted and boiled potatoes to the other. Keep the skin uncovered by sauce and serve at once.

Leftover Path

Gentle reheating protects the fish from drying out, while the potatoes can be given fresh texture separately.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate airtight containers. Eat the fish within 2 days and the vegetables, sauce and potatoes within 3–4 days.
2. Warm the sauce in a covered skillet with a splash of water. Add the fish flesh-side down, cover and heat gently until it reaches 165°F; the skin will soften.
3. Reheat zucchini briefly in a skillet. Halve the potatoes and roast at 425°F until hot and browned, or slice and pan-fry in a little ghee.
4. Alternatively, flake the chilled fish into a potato-and-zucchini salad and dress with a little tomato sauce and fresh lemon.