Black Cod Cacciatore

Black Cod Cacciatore

Black Cod Cacciatore: Hunter's Sauce for the Fish Lover

Cacciatore means "hunter's style." Which is funny, because the only hunting this recipe requires is finding the black cod in your freezer.

The classic version is chicken, braised low and slow in tomatoes, wine, and garlic until the whole house smells like an Italian grandmother is visiting. San Francisco chef Chris Cosentino grew up on it. Every family has its own version, he says, and his always used chicken thighs. Then he swapped in wild Alaska black cod, added fennel and buttery green olives, and spooned it over creamy polenta.

The result is a cold-night dinner with serious stick-to-your-ribs energy. It also happens to be fish. Nobody at the table will complain.

Why black cod belongs in a braise

Black cod (also called sablefish) is the richest, most buttery fish in Alaska waters. Chefs call it "butterfish" for a reason. Most fish panic in a simmering sauce. Black cod relaxes.

That richness stands up to red wine, garlic, and chili. The sweet anise of fennel and the briny snap of Castelvetrano olives cut right through it. And when you lift a fillet onto the polenta and it falls into big, glossy flakes? That's not a mistake. Chef Cosentino says that's exactly what a perfectly braised dish should do.

Our black cod comes in 6 oz portions, which is precisely what this recipe calls for. Four portions, four plates, zero math.

What you'll need

Serves 4. About 15 minutes of prep, 45 minutes of cooking.

For the cacciatore

• 4 Sena Sea black cod portions (6 oz each), skin off, thawed
• 1 large fennel bulb, plus 2 tsp chopped fronds for garnish
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 cup garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pinch crushed chili flakes
• 1 cup red wine (Chef's rule: if you'd drink it, you can cook with it)
• 1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp basil leaves, torn
• Flaky salt and coarse black pepper

For the polenta

• 1 cup polenta
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and black pepper

How to make it

1. Start the polenta first. It's the slow one. Whisk the polenta into the cold water in a pot over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the water is absorbed, turn the heat down and add the milk. Stir every 10 minutes or so until the grains are soft and tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Prep the tomatoes and fennel. Purée the tomatoes and their juices in a blender. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the fennel, saving the fronds. Halve the bulb top to bottom, then cut each half into 6 wedges through the core, like slicing an orange. Blanch the wedges for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

3. Build the sauce. Season the black cod on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add the fennel, garlic, and onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chili flakes, pour in the wine, and let it bubble until about three-quarters has cooked off.

4. Braise the fish. Add the tomatoes and fish stock and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium. Nestle the black cod into the sauce, scatter in the olives and herbs, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.

5. Plate it up. Spoon about 1/2 cup of polenta onto each plate and top with a portion of fish. Ladle the sauce over everything, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and tuck a few fennel fronds on top.

A few tips from our kitchen

• Thaw ahead. Move the black cod from freezer to fridge the night before. Dinner-you will thank morning-you.
• Don't skip the blanch. A few minutes in boiling water takes the raw crunch off the fennel so it turns silky in the sauce.
• Go gentle. Once the fish is in, keep the sauce at a lazy simmer, not a rolling boil. Black cod is forgiving, but it likes a calm pan.
• No polenta? No problem. Crusty bread, pasta, or roasted potatoes all do the job of catching every drop of sauce.

Hunter's sauce, minus the hunting

This is the dinner for the first truly cold night of the season. The one where you want something rich, slow, and a little bit Italian, with a glass of that red you opened for the sauce.

Stock up on Sena Sea wild Alaska black cod and keep a few portions ready. Your next cozy night in is already in the freezer.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Chris Cosentino and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.