![Food By Mom [Yuno Marioni]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XoPz!,w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd81a4bd-aabf-4b7b-8e7d-497bad885d15_720x960.jpeg)
![Food By Mom [Yuno Marioni]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XoPz!,w_36,h_36,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd81a4bd-aabf-4b7b-8e7d-497bad885d15_720x960.jpeg)
Grandma Ariko’s Famous Miso Cod — Just Like Nobu’s!
A staple from my mom’s kitchen — tender black cod marinated in savory-sweet miso, then broiled until golden and caramelized. Simple, comforting, and always reminds me of home.
I grew up in Japan, so naturally, I ate a lot of fish — and this was one of my mom’s staple dinners when I was a kid. Lately, I keep seeing copycat versions of Nobu’s miso cod all over social media, and they make it sound like such a special, elegant dish. But for me, it was just a cozy, comforting weeknight meal I grew up with. That said, I totally get it — if I hadn’t grown up in Japan and had this at Nobu, I’d be wowed too.
It’s honestly so easy — just marinate the fillets overnight, then broil them for about 7 minutes. You’ll get tender, flaky fish with a savory-sweet, umami-packed miso glaze and a beautifully charred top. Simple, cozy, and so good.
Note: My mom used to debone the fish after broiling because it’s so much easier — the bones just slide right out with no effort. I’ve been doing it the same way.
Serve 2~3
Ingredients
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sake
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
about 2~2 1/2 tbsp miso I use mix miso or white.
1 tbsp sugar
about 1 lb black cod, cut into 3~4 filets - skin can be left on or removed, depending on your preference
Instructions
Add mirin, sake, and soy sauce to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add miso and sugar. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Set aside and let it cool.
Lay cod filets in a baking dish and pour the cooled miso mixture over the filets and cover it tightly with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. (Note: You can marinate in a ziplock bag too.)
When ready, remove the filets from the refrigerator. (Note: — It’s completely normal for some liquid to pool around the fish while marinating, so no need to worry — just gently pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking.)
Set the oven rack to the top position, about 4~6 inches from the broiler element, and preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil and place the fillets skin-side down. Broil for about 5~7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets, or until the top is nicely charred and a skewer goes through the fish with no resistance. If any spots start to burn too fast, cover them with small pieces of foil.
Disclaimer Note: We're all about sharing here! But please credit recipes and photos if you choose to send these along. Thank you!