This is a surprisingly simple dish that produces the most delicious results. It has a combination of flavors that are all over the map — sweet, salty, and rich — but they compliment each other amazingly well. Black cod works well in this dish, but it can be hard to find. If you can’t get your hands on that particular type of fish, halibut, sea bass or even salmon will work well here. While you may be tempted to make this dish even easier, don’t skip the step of caramelizing the leftover sauce down into a glaze. Not only does it thicken up to glaze the fish perfectly, the flavor intensifies as it is reduced, resulting in a sweet and salty sauce that is simply magnificent. To toast the sesame seeds, put them in a dry skillet and toss them around until they become fragrant. Keep a close eye on them, as they’ll burn. Remove immediately when toasted.
1/2 cup white miso paste
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 cup water
2 pounds black cod, or other type of meaty fish filets
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish.
Coat the inside of your slow cooker pot with cooking spray, brush with oil, or line with a slow cooker liner.
Put the miso, mirin, brown sugar, vinegar and water in your slow cooker. Cover and cook for four hours.
Add the fish and cover and cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes until the fish is tender. Remove from the slow cooker and put on a plate or cutting board. Tent with foil to keep the fish warm.
Put the remaining sauce in a saucepan on the stove and bring to boil. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is thickened and reduced by half. It should look syrupy. Add the green onions.
Serve the fish with steamed white rice. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve any extra sauce on the side.
