Black Cod and Succotash with Lemon Parsley Oil

Bright summer vegetables paired with environmentally-friendly, Omega-3-rich black cod make for a healthy and satisfying meal.

From Jenem Martin, Bon Appétit Chef/Manager at Genentech – South San Francisco

Serves 6-8

Succotash

The cooking time for this recipe is very short. It is important to have all ingredients measured out, prepped, and cooked (parboiled til just tender).

  • 1 cup snowcap beans, cooked
  • 2 1/4 cups corn kernels, cut from four ears of corn
  • 3 cups toy box tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup potimarron squash, peeled, small diced, and cooked (acorn or butternut squash will work)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 3 tablespoons basil, chiffonade (in thin strips)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots until soft and slightly brown. Stir in garlic and corn. Continue cooking until the corn is cooked through.

Next, add the beans, tomatoes, and squash. Gently toss to incorporate all the ingredients. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Do not overdo it — the mixture should be hot, but the tomatoes should keep their shape.

Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and serve.

Lemon Parsley Oil

Yield 1 cup

  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed with stems on
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch the parsley for 30 seconds. Carefully remove the parsley and dip it in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and dry well.

In a blender, add the parsley and half of the olive oil. Puree well. If needed, turn off the blender and scrape the sides down with a spatula. On medium speed, slowly add the remaining oil, lemon juice, and zest.

Optional: Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve to separate the solids from the oil.

Seared Black Cod

  • 8 black cod filets (4 ounces each), skin on
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

With a sharp knife, make three to four 1/4-inch incisions to score the skin of the fish. Use a paper towel to dry the fish well on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat a large nonstick pan over high heat. When hot, carefully add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Lay fish with the skin side down. You do not want to crowd the pan, so do only 2-3 filets at a time. At this point, do not move the fish until the skin has crisped and the fish is ready to be flipped over.

When the fish is 75% cooked (when the opaque flesh has become white 3/4 of the way up from the bottom of the pan), flip it over and continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until done. Remove from pan onto plate.

Constructing the Dish

Begin with a serving of succotash on a plate. Place the black cod on top. Drizzle the lemon parsley oil around the edge of the succotash and fish and serve.