Seared Monterey Bay Black Cod with Zucchini Purée, Summer Vegetables & Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
From the culinary team at Pete's, one of our favorite dishes right now celebrates exactly what we love about cooking on the Central Coast—beautiful local ingredients, peak-season produce, and a preparation that lets each ingredient shine.
Black cod, simply prepared with crispy skin, paired with a vibrant zucchini purée, cherry tomato confit, summer squash, romano beans, squash blossoms, and a bright tomato vinaigrette. The dish is really a snapshot of the season.
Black Cod
5–6 oz skin-on black cod portions
Kosher salt, to taste
Neutral oil, for cooking
Zucchini Purée
Zucchini, sliced
Shallot, sliced
Olive oil, as needed
¼ cup vegetable stock
Kosher salt, to taste
Lemon zest, to taste
Confit Cherry Tomatoes
Whole cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic
Fresh thyme
Kosher salt, to taste
Tomato Vinaigrette
Confit cherry tomatoes
Champagne vinegar
Olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
1 pinch sugar
Seasonal Vegetables
Zucchini, cut into ¼-inch chunks
Summer squash, cut into ¼-inch chunks
Romano beans
Other seasonal green vegetables
Squash blossoms
Kosher salt, to taste
Lemon zest, to taste
Directions
Prepare the Black Cod
Portion the black cod into approximately 5–6 oz skin-on pieces. Check carefully for pin bones.
Pat the fish extremely dry, particularly the skin. Lightly season both the flesh and skin with kosher salt shortly before cooking.
Keep the fish refrigerated and uncovered so the skin remains dry.
Make the Zucchini Purée
Sweat the sliced zucchini and shallot in olive oil without developing color. Season lightly with salt.
Add ¼ cup vegetable stock and cook until the zucchini is completely tender.
Transfer to a blender and blend until very smooth with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Adjust seasoning with salt and finish with lemon zest.
Prepare the Confit Cherry Tomatoes
Toss the whole cherry tomatoes lightly with olive oil, salt, garlic, and thyme.
Cook over low heat until the tomatoes soften and concentrate while remaining intact. Cool and reserve the tomatoes in their oil.
Make the Tomato Vinaigrette
Purée the confit cherry tomatoes and whisk with champagne vinegar and olive oil.
Season with salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Strain and set aside.
Prepare the Vegetables
Cut the zucchini and summer squash into ¼-inch chunks. Trim the Romano beans.
Blanch the Romano beans in well-salted water until just tender, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Split the squash blossoms lengthwise and quickly sauté them.
Cook the Vegetables
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and summer squash and cook until just tender with a little caramelization.
Add the blanched Romano beans and other green vegetables and warm through.
Fold in the confit cherry tomatoes last, taking care to keep them intact. Season with a pinch of salt and finish with lemon zest.
Cook the Black Cod
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add enough neutral oil to lightly coat the pan.
Place the black cod skin-side down. Press gently for the first 15–30 seconds so the skin makes full contact with the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook primarily on the skin side until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
When the fish is approximately 80% cooked, flip and finish on the flesh side.
Plate
Swipe the zucchini purée across each plate.
Arrange the seasonal vegetables over the purée.
Place the black cod prominently on the plate, skin-side up, with some of the vegetables partially tucked beneath the fish.
Top the vegetables with the sautéed squash blossom.
Spoon the tomato vinaigrette around the fish and serve immediately.
