When life is on overload and I don’t have a lot of time to devote to dinner (yet still want something delicious), my “catch of the day” is making fish! This easy-peasy Merken-blackened Sablefish with Tangerine Pickled Red Onion Relish, is a fish dinner winner – it’s succulent, spicy and just a little sweet. And, this quick fish recipe is ready to serve in 20 minutes or less!

And, in addition to all these perks, it’s also a great addition to your healthy diet, prepared in in a grill pan (or on the grill) using no extra fats, just a unique spice blend inspired by Chilean cooking (and my own touches) for off the hook flavor and fun fruit relish. Read on to get the blackened sablefish recipe:

How to Cook Sablefish and What Does Sablefish Taste Like? Sablefish, also called black cod or butterfish, is a North Pacific species that yields large yet delicate white flakes, a luxurious and velvety texture, and mildly sweet and buttery flavor thanks to the high healthy fat content.  In fact, sablefish has the most omega 4 and omega 6 fatty acids as any wild fish harvested in Alaska, including salmon, this is so great for your heart heath! Another benefit of those healthy fats is that it keeps the fish tender and moist, and pretty darn hard to overcook. One of my favorite black cod cooking methods is to fire, gas or in a grill pan – I also like to leave the bottom skin on the fillet in my black cod recipes to maximize the sablefish taste, juiciness and omega 3 availability.

Most people don’t know that the darker “stuff” once you peel the skin off fatty fish like salmon or sablefish is where the majority of the healthy fats reside – so don’t scrape it off, eat it! BTW, I’ve been keeping my freezer stocked with Sablefish from SitkaSalmonShares.com, an amazing fisherman’s co-op that sends responsibly-caught, wild Alaskan seafood to my doorstep, flash-frozen in dinner sized portions. If this interests you, save $25 off any of their seafood shares (except Taste of Fall) with my Sitka Salmon Shares discount code: FITFORK

What is Merken? Merken is a signature spice blend based on the smoked Cacho de Cabra chile pepper from Chile (a chile from Chile!) used first in indigenous Mapuche cooking and, now, modern South American cuisine. I’m lucky enough to actually have a bag of the authentic spice blend that my parents gifted me as a souvenir from a trip to the Patagonia region to make all my Merkin recipes. However, while it’s available on Amazon, I’ve not yet seen it in a local store. But don’t fret, my recipe offers an assortment of spices, including smoky chipotle which is a tad spicier, but makes a good substitution in Merkin recipes.

How to Make this 20-minute Fish Recipe: First, thing up for this quick fish recipe is getting the red onions ready to “quick pickle” so they have time to sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes while you are making remainder of meal. I love, love this way to make pickled red onions – it’s quick and takes the hard onion-y bit out! So good on everything from fish, tacos, poke bowls, salads and more! 

Next, get a start on the relish by dicing up a seeded jalapeno, cilantro leaves and couple Mandarin oranges with the skin on (if you have oranges with thicker skin, just peel, chop and add a little extra peel using a zester). Set that side to toss with picked onions before serving. 

Next, toss together Merken spice blend in a small bowl and rub/pat generously on the skinned side of your sablefish filet, don’t be shy. Heat up grill or grill pan to medium high, about 400 F degrees. Sear seasoned sablefish, spice-side down for approximately 3 minutes or until spices have made a nice crust.  Use a wide spatula to carefully flip fish over and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes more until cooked through and flaking (it will have a little more “puffed up” appearance when done). To serve the blackened sablefish, simply toss in some of the red onions that have been pickling into the salsa, and dump a pile on top!

The result is a flavorful experience with a crusty, spicy top exterior and succulent, melt-in-your mouth interior. The fruity relish just helps to marry together the flavors of this Merkin fish recipe even more!

Each generous 6-ounce portion of fish serving has 410 calories, 30.8g fat, 5.5g net carb, and 26.8g protein and is paleo-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free and low carb enough it could work with a keto diet. 

And again, let me tell you how much I’m loving my fish from SitkaSalmonShares.com – it’s so great for these crazy times when it’s scary and no fun to shop and the grocery store, and often what I want (like black cod) isn’t “currently available” in person at the market. Use my Sitka Salmon Shares discount code (FITFORK) to save $25 off most seafood collections.

5 from 7 votes

Print

Merken-blackened Sablefish with Tangerine Pickled Red Onion Relish

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

18 mins

 

Course: dinner, entree, Main Course

Cuisine: chilean, fusion, South American

Keyword: fish, black cod, sablefish, merken, spicy, tangerine, 20 minute

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 410 kcal

Ingredients

For Pickled Red Onions

• ½ cup slivered red onion
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 little packets stevia or 1 tsp real sugar
• ¼ tsp salt

Remainder of Relish

• 1 small mandarin tangerine diced with skin on
• ½ jalapeno seeded and finely diced
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped

For Homemade Merken Spice Blend* (or sub 2 Tbs Purchased Merken Spice Blend)

• 1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground oregano
• ½ tsp salt

For Fish

• 12- ounce filets sablefish (aka black cod), skin on bottom side

Instructions

1. Make picked red onions first so they have 15 minutes to sit in fridge. Add finely slivered red onion to clean jar or small bowl and cover with apple cider vinegar. Stir/shake in salt and stevia. Let sit in refrigerator while preparing remainder of meal.
2. Prep relish by dicing a small tangerine, removing seeds but leaving skin on. Add chopped cilantro and chopped, seeded jalapeno. Set aside until onions are ready.
3. Next, prepare spice rub by mixing chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt in small bowl.
4. Pat fish filet(s) dry and keep skin intact on bottom. Generously sprinkle and pat down the spice blend into fish.
5. Heat grill or grill pan to approximate 400 F degrees. Place spice-rubbed fish, spice-side down on grates/pan and grill for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until a blackened crust forms.
6. Use a wide spatula to carefully flip fish over, to skin side on the grates/pan. Let cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until fish cooked through, white and flaky. You will also notice that it has puffed up a bit.
7. Take onions out of fridge and drain off vinegar mixture, chop them up a bit. Mix into relish.
8. If sablefish still in one big filet, cut in half. Spoon an even serving of relish over the top. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes