Black Cod with Red Cabbage and Pomegranate Brown Butter
Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Janiak created this dish to shine with Seghesio's Sangiovese. "The cabbage and pomegranate make the pairing sing; the parsnips show off the wine's fruit."
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Cook onion in 2 tbsp. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, cover, and cook over medium-low until it has wilted and released its liquid, about 15 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup wine, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very tender to the bite, about 45 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp. butter and the salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, combine pomegranate juice, remaining 1 1/2 cups wine, the peppercorns, and star anise in a frying pan and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Strain into a bowl. Heat 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until separated. Skim off foam and continue cooking butter until golden brown and nutty smelling, about 10 minutes. Whisk browned butter into pomegranate-wine reduction and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. If sauce separates, whisk again.
Step 3
3
Cover parsnips with water in a saucepan, cover pan, and simmer until very tender when pierced, about 25 minutes. Strain, saving cooking liquid. Combine parsnips with 1/2 cup butter in a food processor, and whirl, adding enough cooking liquid to make a smooth purée. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
4
Preheat broiler. Melt remaining 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until golden brown and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley.
Step 5
5
Lightly oil a broiling pan. Brush fish all over with about 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Set, skin up, in pan. Broil 4 to 6 in. from heat until skin is crisp and fish is opaque but still moist-looking in the center, 6 to 10 minutes.
Step 6
6
Spoon parsnip purée and cabbage side by side on plates. Set fish, skin side up, on top, and top with mushrooms. Spoon sauce around servings.
Ingredients
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
About 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 head red cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cored and thinly sliced
2 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
1 cup plus 2 1/2 to 3 tbsp. butter, at room temperature, divided
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 star anise
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-in. lengths
About 8 oz. white beech mushrooms, stems trimmed, separated into clumps; or shiitakes, stemmed and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 pieces skin-on boned black cod (sablefish; 5 to 6 oz. each) or striped bass
Directions
Step 1
1
Cook onion in 2 tbsp. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, cover, and cook over medium-low until it has wilted and released its liquid, about 15 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup wine, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very tender to the bite, about 45 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp. butter and the salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, combine pomegranate juice, remaining 1 1/2 cups wine, the peppercorns, and star anise in a frying pan and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Strain into a bowl. Heat 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until separated. Skim off foam and continue cooking butter until golden brown and nutty smelling, about 10 minutes. Whisk browned butter into pomegranate-wine reduction and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. If sauce separates, whisk again.
Step 3
3
Cover parsnips with water in a saucepan, cover pan, and simmer until very tender when pierced, about 25 minutes. Strain, saving cooking liquid. Combine parsnips with 1/2 cup butter in a food processor, and whirl, adding enough cooking liquid to make a smooth purée. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
4
Preheat broiler. Melt remaining 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until golden brown and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley.
Step 5
5
Lightly oil a broiling pan. Brush fish all over with about 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Set, skin up, in pan. Broil 4 to 6 in. from heat until skin is crisp and fish is opaque but still moist-looking in the center, 6 to 10 minutes.
Step 6
6
Spoon parsnip purée and cabbage side by side on plates. Set fish, skin side up, on top, and top with mushrooms. Spoon sauce around servings.
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