# Black Cod with Sephardic Rhubarb Sauce and Fried Gluten-Free Matzo Balls > Buttery black cod sits in a tangy rhubarb-and-tomato sauce, with softened onion and warm spices rounding out the spring fruit’s sharpness. Sliced matzo balls fry up golden and crisp, ready to drag through the sauce while their centers stay tender. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/black-cod-with-sephardic-rhubarb-sauce-and-fried-gf-matzo-balls - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-04-20 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Black Cod with Sephardic Rhubarb Sauce and Fried Gluten-Free Matzo Balls](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F37b5e293bb19de09.jpg) ## Gently Roasted Black Cod Gentle heat keeps rich black cod moist and preserves the pale, delicate surface. Cooking it separately lets the sauce retain its bright acidity without overwhelming the fish. ### Ingredients - 4 portions black cod (sablefish), 5–6 ounces each, pin bones removed - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 275°F. Pat the fish dry and season with salt. 2. Brush a snug baking dish with some of the olive oil. Arrange the fish skin-side down, if skin-on, and brush the tops with the remaining oil. 3. Roast for 20–30 minutes, checking early for thinner portions. The flesh should turn opaque and separate into moist flakes under gentle pressure; cook to 145°F at the thickest point. 4. Lift the portions carefully with a fish spatula. If desired, leave the softened skin behind in the baking dish. ### Notes - Black cod is sablefish, not ordinary cod; its high fat content is central to the contrast with the tart sauce. ## Sephardic-Style Rhubarb Sauce Rhubarb supplies a savory sourness that cuts through the fish’s richness. Onion, tomato, and a small amount of honey soften its edges without turning the sauce into a compote. ### Ingredients - 12 ounces rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; leaves discarded - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes with their juices - 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika - 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric - 3/4 cup water, plus more as needed - 2 teaspoons honey, plus more to taste - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the measured salt; cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until soft but not deeply browned. 2. Add the garlic, paprika, and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, water, remaining salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8 minutes. 3. Add the rhubarb and honey. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb collapses into soft pieces and strands. 4. Adjust with water to make a loose, spoonable sauce that spreads across a shallow bowl. Taste and add a little more honey only if the acidity is harsh; the finished sauce should remain distinctly tart. 5. Keep warm over very low heat until serving. ### Notes - Rhubarb varies greatly in acidity. Adjust sweetness at the end rather than trying to make the sauce sweet. - Do not blend: the softened onion and rhubarb give the sauce its texture. ## Fried Gluten-Free Matzo Balls Poaching hydrates the matzo meal and sets the egg-bound centers. Chilling makes the balls easy to slice, exposing broad surfaces that become crisp in hot ghee. ### Ingredients - 1 cup plain certified gluten-free matzo meal, preferably potato-based and suitable for matzo balls - 3 large eggs - 3 tablespoons olive oil - 3 tablespoons water, plus more if needed - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water and finishing - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 6 tablespoons ghee, plus more as needed for shallow-frying ### Instructions 1. Whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. Stir in the gluten-free matzo meal until evenly moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2. Check the mixture: it should hold a soft ball with wet hands. If crumbly, mix in water 1 teaspoon at a time and let stand for 5 minutes. If too loose to shape, add a little more matzo meal and rest again. 3. Bring a wide pot of generously salted water to a gentle simmer. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 10–12 small balls without packing tightly. 4. Lower the balls into the water, cover, and maintain a gentle simmer for 25–30 minutes, or according to the matzo meal package. Cut one open to check that its center is hydrated and set, with no dry or pasty core. 5. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well. Arrange on a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, until firm and surface-dry. 6. Cut the chilled balls into halves or 3/4-inch-thick slices. Blot the cut surfaces dry. 7. Heat the ghee in a broad skillet over medium heat to form a shallow layer. Fry the pieces in batches for 3–4 minutes per cut side, until deeply golden and crisp, adjusting the heat if they brown too quickly. 8. Drain briefly on paper towels or a rack and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately. ### Notes - Gluten-free matzo products vary substantially. If the package provides a matzo-ball formula, use its egg, liquid, and resting proportions, then follow the poaching, chilling, slicing, and frying method here. - Use plain matzo meal rather than a seasoned soup mix. For Passover observance, check the certification of all packaged ingredients. - The balls can be poached and refrigerated a day ahead; slice and fry just before dinner. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The matzo balls require the longest lead time, but their chilling period leaves room to prepare the sauce. Roasting the fish while frying the matzo balls brings both to the table hot. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Mix the matzo-ball dough and refrigerate. Slice the onion, garlic, and rhubarb. 2. 0:30 — Shape and poach the matzo balls. Start the rhubarb sauce in a separate saucepan. 3. 1:00 — Drain and chill the matzo balls. Finish the sauce and hold it warm. 4. 1:10 — Heat the oven to 275°F and prepare the fish. 5. 1:20 — Put the fish in the oven. Slice the chilled matzo balls and heat the ghee. 6. 1:25 — Fry the matzo-ball pieces in batches. Keep finished pieces on a rack, uncovered, while checking the fish for doneness. 7. 1:45 — Adjust the sauce consistency, plate the fish, and serve with the freshly fried matzo balls. ### Notes - For a shorter dinner service, make the sauce and poach the matzo balls the day before. ## Plating A broad pool of sauce surrounds the pale fish, while keeping the fried matzo balls separate preserves their crust. ### Instructions 1. Spoon the warm rhubarb sauce into four warmed shallow bowls, spreading it into a generous pool. 2. Set a portion of black cod in the center of each bowl, leaving its pale top exposed. 3. Serve the fried matzo-ball pieces on a separate warm platter, or place a few at the dry edge of each bowl just before eating. ## Leftover Path Separate storage prevents the fried pieces from absorbing sauce and allows the delicate fish to be reheated gently. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the fish, sauce, and matzo balls in separate covered containers within 2 hours. Use within 3 days. 2. Reheat the sauce in a small saucepan with a splash of water. Add the fish, cover, and warm gently without boiling until it reaches 165°F. 3. Re-crisp the matzo-ball pieces on a rack in a 400°F oven for 8–12 minutes, until hot through and crisp at the edges. 4. Alternatively, flake the leftover fish into the warm sauce and serve with the re-crisped matzo pieces alongside. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.