Lime Coconut Fish with Sesame Greens

A rare multi-component recipe from me! The individual pieces may not be that impressive, but they work together for a very pleasing meal. You’ll have leftovers of everything (or you should make enough to have them) so I’ve included suggestions for how to repurpose them into similar but different dishes.

Black cod isn’t cod at all - it’s sablefish, or butterfish. If you can’t find it, use sea bass for a similar experience, or try cod, mackerel, or wild salmon.

Seared Black Cod with Kaffir Lime Coconut Broth & Sesame Greens

adapted from The Viking Cooking School

Broth Ingredients:
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk (do not shake)
2 cups rich chicken or vegetable broth
2 whole kaffir lime leaves (or 2 [3-inch] strips of lime zest)
1 (1-inch) piece galangal, thinly sliced (or 1 [1-inch] piece ginger, thinly sliced)
1 large garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
*You will have lots of extra broth, that won't freeze well. Prepare to use the broth as a curry or heat with canned pureed winter squash for a thick, flavorful soup.

Fish Ingredients:
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
4 (4 oz) black cod fillets (or sea bass, wild salmon, mackerel, or another fatty fish)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and freshly ground pepper

Greens with Shiitake Mushrooms Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 2 oz)
salt, to taste
4 oz chopped spinach (or other dark leafy green) 1-2 bunches baby bok choy, each leaf sliced lengthwise
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*you can use as much or as little greens as you like

You'll most likely have leftovers of each component - be ready to use them immediately. Greens can be chopped into eggs or rice or potato soup. Coconut broth can be heated with pureed winter squash for a soup or cooked with a spoonful of Thai curry paste, shrimp, and vegetables. Cooked fish can be repurposed into fish tacos or frozen (or only cook what you know you'll eat).