Sous Vide Rockfish with Crab-Stock Tomato Sauce, Sweet Potato Fries, Brussels Chips and Yuzu-Corn Cabbage

Sous Vide Rockfish

Gentle water-bath cooking keeps lean rockfish moist and delicate. Leaving it unseared lets the tomato sauce supply the dish's deeper, roasted flavors.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb skinless, boneless rockfish fillets, divided into 4 portions about ¾–1 inch thick
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Heat a sous vide bath to 55°C / 131°F. Check the fish carefully for pin bones and season with salt.
2. Arrange the portions in a single layer in one or two food-safe sous vide bags with the olive oil. Seal gently without compressing the flesh.
3. Submerge and cook refrigerated fillets for 35–45 minutes, using the longer time for portions close to 1 inch thick. The fish should be just opaque and separate into moist flakes under gentle pressure.
4. Open the bags immediately before serving. Lift the fish out carefully and blot away excess surface moisture; do not sear.

Notes

• This low-temperature method is not a validated pasteurization process. For higher-risk diners, cook the fish to a measured internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C instead; it will be firmer.

Crab-Stock Tomato Sauce

Reducing crab stock with tomatoes produces a shellfish-rich sauce without hiding the rockfish beneath cream. Soft shallots add body, while lemon and parsley sharpen the finish.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, roughly crushed
• 1 cup unsalted crab stock
• 2 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided between sauce and finishing
• to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and a small pinch of salt; cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly.
3. Add the tomatoes and crab stock. Simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chunky, glossy, and thick enough to mound gently on the fish.
4. Taste before adding salt, especially if the stock is already seasoned. Add black pepper, lemon juice, and half the parsley. Keep warm over very low heat and reserve the remaining parsley for plating.

Notes

• Use crab stock rather than concentrated crab-boil liquid. If the sauce becomes too thick or salty, loosen it with water rather than more stock.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Thick batons develop browned edges while retaining creamy centers. Their sweetness balances the seafood sauce and the cabbage's citrus heat.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed and left unpeeled
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into roughly ½-inch-thick batons. Dry thoroughly, then toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer with space between pieces.
4. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until browned along the edges and tender all the way through. Rotate the pan if browning is uneven.

Notes

• These are substantial roasted fries with browned surfaces, not shatteringly crisp deep-fried potatoes. Crowding the pan will make them steam.

Brussels Sprout Chips

Separated leaves roast into a mix of crisp edges and tender green centers. Adding them late keeps them from burning while the larger vegetables finish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Trim the stem ends and peel off the Brussels sprout leaves, trimming the stems further as needed to release more leaves. Reserve the tight cores for another meal.
2. Wash the leaves if needed and dry very thoroughly. Toss with olive oil and salt just before roasting.
3. Spread loosely on a baking sheet, using two batches if necessary. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 8–14 minutes, tossing once and checking from 6 minutes onward.
4. Remove individual leaves as they become crisp and browned at the edges, leaving thicker leaves to finish. Keep uncovered and serve promptly.

Notes

• Very dark edges are welcome, but fully blackened leaves will taste bitter. Do not pile or cover the finished chips.

Roasted Cabbage with Yuzu Corn Hot Sauce

Loose cabbage pieces expose plenty of edges to the oven's heat. Applying the hot sauce after roasting preserves its citrus aroma and keeps the cabbage from steaming.

Ingredients

• 1 small head green cabbage, about 1½ lb
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp Noma Projects yuzu corn hot sauce, plus more to taste
• 1–2 tsp water, only as needed to loosen the hot sauce

Instructions

1. Remove any damaged outer leaves and the hard core. Cut the cabbage into 2–3-inch pieces, separating the thick clusters enough to expose their surfaces.
2. Toss with olive oil and salt. Spread on a large baking sheet, keeping the pieces mostly in one layer.
3. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the thick ribs are tender and the thinner edges are deeply browned.
4. Loosen the yuzu corn hot sauce with a little water if needed for drizzling. Toss or drizzle the hot cabbage with 1 tablespoon, then taste before adding more.

Notes

• The sauce's heat and salt should set the final amount; begin lightly so the cabbage's sweetness remains apparent.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The fish cooks gently while the sauce reduces and the vegetables roast. Brussels leaves go in last so their crispness survives to the table.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C and the water bath to 55°C / 131°F. Cut the sweet potatoes and cabbage, then prepare the Brussels sprout leaves.
2. 0:15 — Put the sweet potatoes and cabbage in the oven on separate trays. Start the tomato sauce.
3. 0:20 — Bag the fish and place it in the water bath for 35–45 minutes.
4. 0:35 — Turn the sweet potatoes and cabbage, rotate their trays, and check the sauce's consistency.
5. 0:40–0:45 — Remove the cabbage when tender and browned. Roast the Brussels leaves in the freed oven space, checking frequently. Keep finished cabbage and sweet potatoes warm and uncovered.
6. 0:55–1:05 — Finish the sauce with lemon and parsley, dress the cabbage with hot sauce, remove the fish from its bags, and plate immediately.

Notes

• If the oven cannot accommodate the Brussels leaves alongside the fries, finish both larger vegetables first, then roast the leaves. Allow roughly 60–70 minutes total, depending on oven capacity.

Plating

Keeping the components in distinct sections protects the crisp leaves and fries from the sauce while making each bite easy to compose.

Instructions

1. Set a portion of rockfish on each warm plate and spoon the crab-stock tomato sauce generously over it.
2. Arrange the sweet potato fries alongside, leaving them clear of the sauce.
3. Add the yuzu-corn cabbage and a loose mound of Brussels chips in separate sections.
4. Scatter the reserved parsley over the fish and cabbage. Serve immediately, before the Brussels leaves soften.

Leftover Path

Separate storage lets the fish reheat gently and the roasted vegetables regain some texture. Brussels cores also become a useful extra rather than waste.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate shallow containers. Eat the fish and sauce within 1–2 days and the vegetables within 3–4 days.
2. Warm the sauce in a covered skillet with a splash of water. Add flaked fish and reheat gently until it reaches 165°F / 74°C; avoid prolonged simmering.
3. Reheat sweet potatoes and cabbage at 425°F / 220°C for 8–12 minutes. Add leftover Brussels chips only for the final 2–3 minutes, watching closely.
4. Thinly slice the reserved Brussels cores and roast with the leftover vegetables, or add them to a soup.

Notes

• Refrigerate leftover sous vide fish promptly after removing it from its cooking bag rather than storing it sealed in the bag.