Chermoula-Roasted Black Cod with Tahina Cabbage and Pomegranate-Date Hokkaido Squash

Chermoula

A thick herb paste clings to the fish while olive oil protects the herbs during roasting. Lemon and warm spices balance black cod's richness.

Ingredients

• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Pulse the herbs, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, spices, and salt in a food processor until finely chopped, scraping down the bowl as needed.
2. Add the olive oil and pulse into a thick, spreadable paste with a little texture rather than a completely smooth puree.
3. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt. Set aside 2 tablespoons in a clean bowl for serving; use the remainder to coat the fish.

Notes

• Make up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate airtight. Bring the reserved serving portion toward room temperature before plating.

Chermoula-Roasted Black Cod

Black cod's abundant natural fat keeps it succulent under a substantial herb coating. A short roast sets the chermoula without drying out the fish.

Ingredients

• 4 portions black cod (sablefish), 6 ounces each, pin bones removed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• prepared chermoula, excluding the reserved serving portion

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt.
2. Lightly oil a parchment-lined baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Arrange the fish skin-side down, leaving space between portions.
3. Spread the chermoula generously over the tops and sides of the fish. Let stand for 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
4. Roast for 12–18 minutes, depending on thickness, until the flesh separates into moist flakes and the thickest part reaches 145°F. Begin checking thin portions at 10 minutes.
5. Rest for 2–3 minutes and lift carefully with a wide spatula; black cod is delicate once cooked.

Notes

• Do not broil aggressively: the herb coating can scorch before the center of a thick portion cooks.

Caramelized Cabbage

High heat browns the cut faces while the connected core holds each wedge together. A little water midway through cooking softens the interior without sacrificing the dark edges.

Ingredients

• 1 small head green cabbage, about 2 pounds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley, optional garnish
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free za'atar, optional garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim damaged outer leaves from the cabbage and cut it into 8 wedges, keeping a small piece of core attached to each.
2. Coat the wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper, working some oil between the outer leaves. Arrange on a metal baking sheet with a cut face down.
3. Roast undisturbed for 20–25 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned.
4. Turn onto the other cut face, carefully add the water to the pan, and roast for another 15–20 minutes, until a knife passes easily through the thickest part and the outer leaves have crisp, dark edges.
5. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Spoon the lemon-garlic tahina generously over the cabbage just before serving, then add parsley and za'atar if using.

Notes

• Leave space between the wedges so they brown rather than steam. If the edges darken before the core is tender, cover loosely with foil for the final few minutes.

Lemon-Garlic Tahina

Lemon cuts the sesame richness, and cold water turns tahini into a pale, flowing sauce that coats the cabbage's folds.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 5–7 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. The mixture will initially become stiff.
2. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until pale, smooth, and thickly pourable.
3. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add another splash of water if it has thickened.

Notes

• The sauce should flow off a spoon in a broad ribbon, not sit in a stiff mound.

Roasted Hokkaido Squash with Pomegranate and Date Syrup

Roasting concentrates the squash's chestnut-like sweetness and leaves the edible skin intact. Tart pomegranate molasses keeps the date syrup from making the finish overly sweet.

Ingredients

• 1 medium Hokkaido squash, about 2 pounds, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened pomegranate molasses made from reduced pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon date syrup
• 1/4 cup walnuts, optional garnish
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, optional garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the squash, remove the seeds, and cut into 8 substantial wedges, leaving the skin on.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange with a cut face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, turn, and continue for 10–20 minutes, until the flesh is fully tender and the cut faces are browned.
4. If using walnuts, toast them on a small tray for 5–7 minutes during roasting, checking frequently, then cool and roughly chop.
5. Stir together the pomegranate molasses and date syrup. Drizzle sparingly over the hot squash after roasting and finish with walnuts and black sesame if using.

Notes

• Keep the syrup off the squash during roasting so it does not burn. If the drizzle is too thick, loosen it with a few drops of warm water.
• Hokkaido skin is edible; roast until both the skin and flesh yield easily to a knife.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The vegetables take the longest and tolerate a brief hold. Sauces are made while they roast, leaving the delicate fish until the end.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Cut and season the squash and cabbage.
2. 0:15 — Put the cabbage and squash in the oven on separate trays. Make the chermoula and tahina while they roast.
3. 0:35 — Turn the vegetables, add the cabbage's water, and rotate the trays between racks if browning unevenly. Toast the walnuts if using.
4. 0:45 — Prepare and coat the fish. Check the vegetables and remove each tray when tender and browned; tent loosely to keep warm.
5. 0:50 — Roast the fish on the middle rack once a vegetable tray comes out. Keep the squash and cabbage warm, returning them to the oven briefly if needed.
6. 1:05 — Check the fish for doneness. Loosen the tahina, dress the squash, and plate while the fish rests.

Notes

• Allow roughly 65–75 minutes total. If using one oven rack, roast the vegetables first and hold warm while the fish cooks.

Plating

Keeping the three elements distinct preserves the herb crust, browned cabbage edges, and contrasting sauces.

Instructions

1. Set a chermoula-coated fish portion on one side of each warm plate, keeping the herb-covered surface facing up.
2. Arrange two cabbage wedges beside it and spoon tahina generously over the cabbage, leaving some browned edges visible. Add the optional parsley and za'atar.
3. Place two squash wedges in the remaining space. Finish with the pomegranate-date drizzle and optional walnuts and black sesame.
4. Add a small spoonful of reserved clean chermoula beside the fish, avoiding the tahina so the sauces remain distinct.

Leftover Path

Separate storage keeps the sauces fresh and lets the vegetables reheat without overcooking the fish.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate airtight containers. Use cooked fish within 2 days and vegetables and tahina within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat cabbage and squash at 375°F for 10–15 minutes, adding tahina and syrup only after heating.
3. Warm fish gently in a covered dish at 275°F with a teaspoon of water until heated through to 165°F, or serve it cold, flaked over the leftover vegetables.
4. Thin chilled tahina with a little water and lemon juice. Use remaining chermoula within 3 days, provided it never contacted raw fish.