# Crab-Butter-Basted Rockfish with Honeynut Miso Squash and Maple-Miso Brussels Sprouts > Sweet crab butter coats tender rockfish, with roasted butternut squash and honeynut miso alongside. Deeply browned Brussels sprouts get a thin maple-miso glaze—salty, sweet, and sharp enough to balance the butter and squash. A quiet winter dinner with plenty of contrast. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/crab-butter-basted-rockfish-with-miso-butternut-honeynut-mash-and-maple-miso-bru - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-02-11 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Crab-Butter-Basted Rockfish with Honeynut Miso Squash and Maple-Miso Brussels Sprouts](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F053fe4f07b608eac.jpg) ## Pan-Seared Rockfish A dry surface and a short sear give delicate rockfish a golden exterior. Adding the crab butter over low heat protects both the butter and the crab's sweetness. ### Ingredients - 4 portions rockfish fillet, about 6 ounces each, pin bones removed - 1 tablespoon ghee - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 batch Crab Butter, prepared separately ### Instructions 1. Pat the fish thoroughly dry. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking, using less salt if the crab butter is already assertively seasoned. 2. Heat the ghee in a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the fish presentation-side down and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden and releasing easily. Work in batches if necessary. 3. Turn the fish carefully and reduce the heat to low. Add the prepared crab butter around the fillets. Tilt the pan and spoon the butter over the fish for 2–4 minutes, keeping it gently foaming rather than sizzling hard. 4. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer; cook to 145°F. The flesh should be opaque and separate into moist flakes. Transfer immediately to warm plates and spoon the crab and butter over the top. ### Notes - Thin tail portions cook faster than thick center cuts; remove each piece as it reaches temperature. - If the butter starts browning rapidly, take the pan off the heat briefly and add a teaspoon of water. ## Crab Butter A modest amount of crab carries its sweet shellfish flavor through the butter without turning the fish into a heavily topped dish. Lemon keeps the finish bright. ### Ingredients - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened - 3 ounces cooked Dungeness crab meat, picked carefully for shell and lightly shredded - 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Mash the softened butter with the lemon zest and juice. Fold in the crab, breaking up large pieces so the mixture can be spooned over the fish. 2. Taste and add salt only as needed. Keep cool until ready to use. 3. Add to the rockfish skillet after turning the fish and lowering the heat. Warm gently while basting; avoid frying the crab until dry. ### Notes - Use freshly cooked or refrigerated pasteurized crab meat, well drained. Refrigerate the mixture if making more than 30 minutes ahead. ## Roasted Butternut Squash Mash with Honeynut Squash Miso Roasting concentrates the squash and prevents a watery mash. Honeynut squash miso adds savory depth while leaving the squash's sweetness at the center. ### Ingredients - 1 medium butternut squash, about 2 1/2 pounds - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free honeynut squash miso, preferably Shared Cultures - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste - 1–3 tablespoons hot water, only as needed - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut surfaces with olive oil and place cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. 2. Roast for 40–50 minutes, until the thickest part yields easily to a knife and the cut surfaces are caramelized. 3. Scoop the flesh into a saucepan. Mash with the butter until thick and mostly smooth, retaining a little texture. 4. Let the mash stop bubbling before stirring in the honeynut squash miso and lemon juice. Taste before adding salt. 5. Adjust with hot water a tablespoon at a time only if needed; the mash should hold a soft mound. Keep warm over very low heat without boiling. ### Notes - Miso salinity varies considerably. Start with 1 tablespoon if yours is especially salty, then build to taste. ## Maple-Miso Glazed Brussels Sprouts Roasting the sprouts before glazing develops deeply browned edges without burning the maple syrup or miso. Rice vinegar balances the sweet, savory coating. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved; very large sprouts quartered - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free mild white miso - 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup - 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar - 1 tablespoon water - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. At 425°F, place a sturdy rimmed sheet pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Dry the trimmed sprouts well and toss with the olive oil and a small pinch of salt. 2. Carefully spread the sprouts on the hot pan, cut-side down, leaving space between them. Roast for 18–23 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and the centers are just tender. 3. Whisk together the miso, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and water until smooth. 4. Toss the hot sprouts with the glaze and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes, just until glossy and lightly caramelized. Watch closely so the glaze does not burn. 5. Taste and adjust with a few drops of rice vinegar or a little salt as needed. ### Notes - If the pan is crowded, use two pans; trapped steam will soften the sprouts instead of browning them. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The squash can wait warmly, while the sprouts and fish are best finished just before serving. One oven temperature handles both vegetables. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F, prepare the squash, and put it in to roast. 2. 0:10 — Trim the sprouts, mix their glaze, and prepare the crab butter. Refrigerate the crab butter while the vegetables cook. 3. 0:25 — Preheat the sprouts' sheet pan, then add the sprouts to the oven on a separate rack. Rotate the pans if browning is uneven. 4. 0:45 — Check the squash and scoop and mash it when tender. Season with butter, miso, and lemon; hold warm. 5. 0:48 — Glaze the nearly tender sprouts and return them briefly to the oven. Pat dry and season the fish. 6. 0:50 — Sear and butter-baste the rockfish. Let the finished sprouts stand uncovered rather than covering them and trapping steam. 7. 1:00 — Plate the warm squash, sprouts, and freshly cooked fish; spoon over the crab butter and serve. ### Notes - Allow an extra 10–15 minutes for a particularly large squash or thick fish portions. ## Plating Separate portions preserve the crisp sprouts and keep the crab butter focused on the fish. ### Instructions 1. Spoon a generous mound of squash onto each warm plate and sweep the top lightly with the back of the spoon. 2. Set the rockfish beside the squash, browned side up. Spoon the warm crab butter over the fish. 3. Arrange the Brussels sprouts in a separate cluster with some browned cut sides facing upward. Serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Storing the components separately allows gentler reheating for the fish and higher heat for the sprouts. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the fish and crab butter, squash, and sprouts in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Eat the fish and crab within 2 days and the vegetables within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat the squash in a small saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring until hot. 3. Reheat the sprouts at 375°F for 8–12 minutes, checking early because the glaze can scorch. 4. Warm the fish and crab butter in a covered baking dish at 275°F with a teaspoon or two of water until the center reaches 165°F. Stop heating promptly to limit drying. 5. Alternatively, flake the chilled fish and crab over a lemon-dressed salad, keeping the squash and sprouts as separate sides. --- 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.