This buttery, flaky pan-seared sablefish is sweet, savory and garlicky in a good way. Pair it with broccoli for a restaurant quality meal that’s ready in minutes.
This post is sponsored by Alaska Seafood.
This Honey Garlic Alaska Sablefish recipe is ready in about 20 minutes. And that’s even if you forget to thaw the fish (because you can cook it from frozen)!
Here’s what you’ll need
Alaska sablefish (also known as black cod)
Fresh or frozen broccoli
Grapeseed other neutral-tasting oil
Coconut aminos, reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
Honey
Toasted sesame oil
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Crushed red pepper flakes
Yes. I know. The list seems a little long. But once you gather the sauce ingredients, it goes quickly. Promise!
Why I prefer Alaska Seafood
It’s always wild and sustainable. Alaskan fishermen harvest only as much fish as science tells them the environment can handle. This allows the marine ecosystem and seafood species to continue to replenish year after year.
Alaska is the nation’s largest source of domestic wild-caught seafood. In fact, nearly 60 percent of all wild seafood and 95 percent of wild salmon harvested in the U.S. comes from Alaska.
If you haven’t noticed before, be sure to Ask for Alaska or look for “Alaska” on packaging and on restaurant and food delivery menus to guarantee that you are getting wild and sustainably harvested seafood.
Best way to cook sablefish
For this recipe, I chose Alaska sablefish, also known as black cod.
I love it for its rich, buttery texture when cooked. I think it works well broiled with a glazed or pan- seared like this recipe. This succulent fish is quite forgiving making it a great one to start with if you are new to cooking seafood.
But you can swap in other fish. Alaska seafood includes a variety of species, including salmon, cod, pollock, halibut, crab and more, that are available fresh, frozen or canned year-round. For this recipe, salmon would work great but also halibut with a few adjustments to the cooking time.
Sablefish is a good source of omega- 3 fatty acids but with a mild flavor that most people will enjoy. And as I’ve mentioned many times before, omega- 3s are essential for everyone for their immune and heart-health benefits, but especially for children’s brain and development.
In fact, the US government just released their updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommends eating seafood 2-3 times per week for everyone 12 months and older.
Is frozen fish ok?
YES! In fact, I often prefer it. I live in Atlanta. The nearest ocean is several hours away. We don’t get a lot of fresh fish. Here’s the thing…
Frozen wild seafood makes buying, meal planning and cooking seafood easy; Alaska freezes its seafood just after it leaves the water to ensure freshness and it can be prepared in as little as 15 minutes – no thawing required.
That means I can keep frozen fish on hand to make a meal in minutes at any time. No thawing required and no running out to find fresh fish at a seafood counter the day of!
Let’s make this recipe
Whisk the sauce ingredients together (or shake in a jar)
Sauce the vegetables.
Slice, season, sear and baste the fish. Sauce and serve the fish!
Be sure to watch me make this Honey Garlic Sablefish on Instagram where I shared it as part of #AskForAlaska #SeafoodSunday.
Tips for success
Pat the fish dry. I made this recipe using thawed black sablefish (thawed overnight in the refrigerator). Removing excess water from the fish will allow for maximum contact and a good sear.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Keeping the skillet hot is a key to creating a nice sear and enhanced flavor. Overcrowding can cool the pan and also affect that browning process leaving you with steamed fish instead.
Leave the fish alone. One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking fish is moving it around too much. To avoid rips and tears, let the fish cook for at least 3-5 minutes before trying to move it.
Don’t overcook the fish. This one is hard. I know. Cooking a thick versus thin fillet will drastically affect cook times. And with practice you will get used to the indicators.
You’ll know when the fish is done by touch and timing. But I recommend using a meat thermometer to cook fish to a safe internal temperature of 145°F, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Substitutions
Don’t have any broccoli? Change it up. Though you might need to adjust the cooking time a bit, you can absolutely swap in Brussels sprouts green beans or cauliflower. Or serve the fish with a green salad.
Soy sauce. Reduced sodium soy sauce adds rich, deep flavor to the honey garlic sauce. To make this a gluten-free recipe, use tamari. To make this a soy- and gluten-free recipe use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce. You can swap these in equal amounts. You might find that coconut aminos adds a bit more sweetness and less rich flavor to the sauce however.
Don’t have fresh ginger? I prefer fresh for the punch of flavor but ground ginger can work in a pinch. Try 1 tsp ground ginger for the 1 inch fresh ginger root.
How to serve this recipe
This recipe goes well with rice or quinoa on the side. The first time I made it, I flaked the fish over brown rice and added the broccoli to make a bowl.
It’s also perfect for date night!
Plate the sablefish with an extra drizzle of honey garlic sauce, your date’s favorite roasted vegetables and a glass of white wine.
Honey Garlic Sablefish with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound Alaska sablefish (black cod), cut into 4 fillets
- 12 ounces fresh broccoli florets
- 3 tbsp grapeseed other neutral-tasting oil, divided
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos, reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 5 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Coarse salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked rice for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spritz a baking sheet with oil or line with parchment. Set aside.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, coconut aminos, honey, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until well combined. Or shake all ingredients in a jar with a lid.
- Add ⅓ cup of honey garlic sauce to the broccoli florets in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Place on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is caramelized.
- Pat the fish dry. Season with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sablefish with the skin side up. Cook about until seared and golden, about 4 minutes. Flip.
- Add the remaining honey garlic sauce to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by about half and the fish is cooked to 145°F. Baste the cod with the sauce generously. Serve warm with a side of warm broccoli and rice, if desired.
Sandy Holeman
Brian Belden