# Miso-Marinated Black Cod with Nasu Dengaku and Sautéed Hakurei Turnips > Buttery black cod gets a gentle miso cure and a golden finish, alongside silky eggplant with a darker, caramelized dengaku glaze. Browned Hakurei turnips and their peppery greens keep the plate fresh, with sesame, scallion, and a little rice vinegar balancing the richness. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/miso-marinated-black-cod-with-nasu-no-dengaku-miso-glazed-eggplant-and-sauteed-h - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-07-16 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Miso-Marinated Black Cod with Nasu Dengaku and Sautéed Hakurei Turnips](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F3d7577934ea0baad.jpg) ## Miso-Marinated Black Cod A refrigerated miso marinade seasons the rich fish throughout. Wiping away excess paste allows gentle browning without a thick, scorched coating. ### Ingredients - 4 pieces skin-on black cod (sablefish), 5–6 ounces each, pin bones removed - 1/3 cup gluten-free white miso - 3 tablespoons sake - 1 1/2 tablespoons honey - 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar - 1 teaspoon avocado oil, for the baking surface ### Instructions 1. Warm the sake and honey in a small saucepan until the honey dissolves. Remove from the heat, whisk in the miso and vinegar, and cool completely. 2. Pat the fish dry. Coat with the cooled marinade in a nonreactive container, cover, and refrigerate at 40°F or below for 12–24 hours. 3. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it. Wipe most of the marinade off the fish without rinsing, then arrange skin-side down. 4. Roast for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. If the surface needs more color, broil about 6 inches from the element for 1–2 minutes, watching constantly. 5. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer; cook to 145°F. The flesh should separate into moist flakes. Discard the used marinade. ### Notes - If using already miso-marinated fish, omit the homemade marinade and follow the supplier's storage guidance; wipe off excess paste before cooking. - Do not add salt before cooking; the miso supplies it. ## Dengaku Miso Glaze Brief cooking thickens the glaze so it stays on the eggplant. Honey promotes caramelization, while vinegar keeps the sweet miso finish from becoming heavy. ### Ingredients - 3 tablespoons gluten-free white miso - 1 tablespoon honey - 2 tablespoons sake - 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed - 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar ### Instructions 1. Whisk the miso, honey, sake, and water in a small saucepan until smooth. 2. Cook over low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Avoid a hard boil or scorching. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Keep separate from the raw-fish marinade. ### Notes - The glaze should spread easily but not run off the eggplant. Loosen with water a teaspoon at a time if needed. ## Japanese Miso-Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Dengaku) Roasting softens the flesh before the glaze goes on. A short broil then gives the miso its dark, savory-sweet edges without leaving the eggplant undercooked. ### Ingredients - 4 medium Japanese eggplants, about 1 1/4 pounds total - 2 tablespoons avocado oil - 1 batch Dengaku Miso Glaze - 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal - 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim the eggplants and halve lengthwise. Lightly score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin. 2. Brush the cut surfaces with avocado oil. Arrange cut-side down on a lightly oiled metal baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, until browned underneath and completely tender when pierced. 3. Turn cut-side up and spread a thin, even layer of dengaku glaze over the flesh. 4. Switch to the broiler and broil about 6 inches from the element for 2–4 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and develops dark brown patches. Watch closely. 5. Finish with scallions and sesame seeds. ### Notes - For unusually thick eggplants, allow a few extra minutes of roasting; the flesh should collapse easily under a spoon before glazing. ## Sautéed Hakurei Turnips with Turnip Greens Browning the roots first develops sweetness, while adding stems and leaves later preserves their texture. A restrained vinegar finish balances both miso dishes. ### Ingredients - 2 bunches Hakurei turnips with fresh greens, about 1 pound of roots - 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil - 2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed - 1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari - 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, white or mixed black and white - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Separate the roots, stems, and leaves. Scrub the roots and cut into halves or wedges about 1/2 inch thick at their widest point; do not peel. Wash the greens thoroughly, chop the stems into 1-inch lengths, and roughly chop the leaves. 2. Heat avocado oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turnip wedges in one layer with a small pinch of salt. Cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, then turn and brown another side for 2–3 minutes. 3. Add the chopped stems and water. Cover for 2–3 minutes, until the roots are just tender but still offer a little resistance. 4. Uncover, add the leaves, and toss for 2–3 minutes until wilted and still green. Let excess water evaporate. 5. Add the tamari and toss briefly. Remove from the heat and finish with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Taste before adding more salt. ### Notes - Use a large skillet or brown the roots in batches so they sear rather than steam. - If the greens are especially abundant, add them in two batches as the first handfuls wilt. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The fish marinates ahead, and the vegetables share the fish's oven temperature. Keeping the broiler finishes separate gives better control over two easily scorched miso coatings. ### Instructions 1. 12–24 hours ahead: prepare and cool the fish marinade, coat the fish, and refrigerate. 2. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the eggplants and put them in to roast. 3. 0:05 — Make the dengaku glaze. Wash and cut the turnips and greens; slice the scallions. 4. 0:15 — Wipe the fish and place it on its own prepared baking sheet. Roast alongside the eggplant. 5. 0:20 — Start sautéing the turnips. Check the eggplant for complete tenderness and the fish for doneness. 6. 0:25–0:35 — Remove the fish when cooked, giving it a brief broil first if needed. Glaze and broil the eggplant separately. Finish the turnip greens during these final minutes. 7. 0:35–0:45 — Garnish and serve immediately; actual timing depends on fish thickness and eggplant size. ## Plating Distinct groups preserve the contrast between delicate fish, sticky glazed eggplant, and juicy greens. ### Instructions 1. Arrange two eggplant halves along one side of each warmed plate, glazed surfaces facing up. 2. Mound the turnip wedges and greens beside the eggplant, keeping any excess skillet liquid off the plate. 3. Set a black cod portion in the remaining space, golden side up. Keep the scallion and sesame garnish concentrated on the vegetables. ## Leftover Path Separate storage prevents the eggplant glaze from soaking into the greens and allows the delicate fish to be reheated gently. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the fish and vegetables in separate shallow, covered containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use the fish within 2 days and the vegetables within 3 days. 2. Reheat fish covered in a 275°F oven with a teaspoon of water until it reaches 165°F; avoid broiling again. 3. Warm eggplant in a 350°F oven and reheat turnips and greens in a covered skillet with a splash of water until hot throughout. 4. For a different meal, flake the cod over freshly steamed white rice with the warmed vegetables, fresh scallion, and a small splash of rice vinegar. --- 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.