Broiled Sake-Marinated Cod with Shrimp Dumplings in Broth

This is a recipe that we’ve been making since 2008 when it appeared in the LCBO’s Food & Drink, Early Summer Magazine. In fact, JT has often made it for my birthday! I’m not sure what initially drew me to this ingredient heavy recipe but I do know that I have absolutely loved it since day one! We often make it without the shrimp dumplings as an everyday dish, but I recently made it for a dinner party with dumplings so I thought I’d finally share it with you. Although it does look daunting, the steps are easy and the dish comes together beautifully with very little effort so you too can enjoy your dinner party. We haven’t made many changes, with the exception of a few minor ingredient modifications and doubling the broth, I just adore the flavour of the broth and always feel like it could have used just a bit more…so our version includes, just a bit more!

Did anyone else notice that the recipe clearly states 3 shrimp dumplings per serving but this one only has two?

Broiled Sake-Marinated Cod with Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth

Serves 4 generously

Original recipe by Lucy Waverman, LCBO Early Summer 2008

Ingredients for Cod and Sake Marinade:

• 400 g Cod
• ¼ cup (50 mL) sodium reduced soy sauce
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) honey
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) mirin
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) sake
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) grated peeled fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) grated garlic

Directions for the Cod and Sake Marinade:

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and whisk well. Lay cod in a single layer in a shallow, non-reactive pan and pour the marinade over, making sure the cod is covered it it, wrap container in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight, turning Cod occasionally.

Ingredients for the Shrimp Dumplings: 

• 175 g shrimp, deveined and cut into pieces
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp (2 mL) grated fresh ginger
• ½ tsp (2 mL) grated fresh garlic
• 2 tsp (10 mL) honey
• 2 tsp (10 mL) mirin
• 2 tsp (10 mL) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame oil
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) water
• 25-32 wonton wrappers or this recipe

Directions for the Shrimp Dumplings:

1. Combine all of the ingredients but the egg yolk, water and wonton wrappers in the bowl of a small food processor and process until well puréed. Set aside. Lightly whisk the egg yolk and water together.
2. Place one teaspoon of the shrimp mixture into the centre of a wonton wrapper, rub a bit of the egg yolk-water mixture on the edges and fold up the edges in a decorative pattern, squeezing out any air. Set finished dumplings on a piece of parchment on a cookie sheet and continue until you have used up all of the shrimp mixture (how many dumplings you get will depend on how much shrimp mixture).
3. Freeze the dumplings until required, it only takes a minute longer to cook them from frozen and they are much easier to handle while frozen.

Ingredients for the Shiso Broth:

• 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock or water
• 4 tbsp (50 mL) sodium reduced soy sauce
• 4 tsp (20 mL) mirin
• 4 tsp (20 mL) rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp (4 mL) honey
• 1 tsp (4 mL) toasted sesame oil
• 1 oz (30 g) shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 20 thin slices peeled carrot
• ¼ cup (50 mL) julienne leek (white part only)
• 1 cup (250 mL) baby spinach leaves
• 1½ tsp (7 mL) white sesame seeds, toasted

Shiso Broth and Serving:

1. Pre-heat the oven on High broil. Remove the Cod from the marinade and lay onto a parchment lined shallow sided baking tray. Broil for 8-10 minute or until an internal temperature of 168° F is reached.
2. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil and boil 12 shrimp dumplings for about 3 minutes or until they float to the top. Remove dumpling with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Combine all of the Shiso Broth ingredients but the spinach and sesame seeds in a large pot and slowly bring to a boil (adding the marinating liquid as a punch of flavour). Cook until the carrots are soft and then reduce to a simmer, adding the spinach and the shrimp dumplings to wilt and warm through.
4. Warm 4 shallow, rimmed soup bowls. Add about 1 cup of broth, including mushrooms, spinach and carrots and top with the broiled Cod serving with 3 dumplings per plate. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Notes:

• I always use sodium reduced Soy sauce.
• I have replaced sugar with honey.
• No need to purchase drinking Sake, a good quality cooking Sake will do the trick.
• The LCBO recipe makes far too many dumplings so just freeze what you don’t use for next time.
• The LCBO recipe for the dumplings contain scallops but they are ridiculously expensive so I have omitted them, either way is tasty.
• In a pinch, you can buy ready-made shrimp dumplings although I have not done this.
• Purchased wonton wrappers tend to be a bit too thick, so I recommend to roll them to a thinner diametre so they don’t taste too heavy.