Smoked Black Cod Toast Recipe

Place the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl. Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar and 0.25 tsp salt; stir until sugar dissolves. Pour the pickling liquid over the onions, pressing to submerge. Let sit at least 20 minutes at room temperature (can refrigerate up to 48 hours). Drain before using.

If your smoked black cod is cold from the fridge, let it sit 10–15 minutes to come closer to room temperature. Gently flake the fillet into large pieces with a fork, keeping some texture. Toss the fish with 1 tbs lemongrass paste, 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs mirin and 1 tsp neutral oil to lightly season and coat; let rest 5 minutes so flavors marry. (Because the fish is already smoked/salty, seasoning is light.)

Cook aromatics

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add spices & pepper

Stir in 1 tbs curry powder and 0.5 tsp turmeric and toast briefly 30 seconds. Add the finely chopped half habanero (remove seeds to reduce heat) and cook 1 minute, stirring so it softens but doesn’t burn.

Finish sauce

Lower heat to medium-low and add 0.25 cup heavy cream and 2 tbs Greek yogurt (or crème fraîche). Stir until smooth and simmer gently 1–2 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tbs lime juice, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce is too thick, thin with up to 1–2 tbs water or additional cream.

If you prefer a velvety texture, blend the sauce briefly with an immersion blender or small food processor, then return to the pan to warm before assembling.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or heat a skillet/grill pan to medium-high. Brush both sides of each bread slice with 1 tbs olive oil (divide across slices). Toast the bread on a baking sheet for 6–8 minutes until golden and crisp, flipping once; or grill in a pan 2–3 minutes per side.

Place toasted slices on a platter. Spoon about 1.5–2 tbs of the warm curry-habanero sauce onto each toast, spreading to cover the surface but leaving edges exposed.

Divide the smoked black cod pieces among 6 toasted slices, using roughly 1.5 oz (about 25–30 g) fish per slice so each toast gets a generous flake. Arrange the fish gently on top of the sauce.

Top each toast with 1–2 teaspoons of drained pickled onions. Garnish with a small pinch of microgreens or cilantro and a light sprinkle (about a pinch) of flaky sea salt. Serve with lime wedges alongside for squeezing over just before eating.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days; pickled onions up to 48 hours refrigerated, and smoked cod should be used within 24 hours.