Cod in Pacific Rim Glaze

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Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled, and cut into medium pieces

2 ounces fresh ginger root, peeled and cut in thin slices
1 fresh jalapeño, cut in half, seeded, cut into medium pieces
2 Tbs. soy sauce (tamari)
2 Tbs. mirin
3 Tbs. dark corn syrup
1 cup rice-wine vinegar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds cod fillets
3/4 cup water, wine or fish stock
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, washed, leaves removed from half

Preparation:
Put rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 500°. Put garlic, ginger and jalapeño in a blender. Add soy sauce and mirin. Blend to a smooth purée. Scrape down sides of blender with a rubber spatula. Add syrup and vinegar. Blend until smooth. Using the spatula, scrape into small bowl. Reserve.

Pour olive oil into a roasting pan 18” by 12” by 2”. Using your hands, rub the oil all over the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Put the fillets in the pan. Pour half the sauce over the fillets; rub into all parts of the fillets. Turn fillets over, pour on remaining sauce and rub in.

Arrange fillets in pan with the side that was attached to the skin facing up. Fillets should touch sides of pan as little as possible; put on the diagonal if necessary. Cook 17 minutes, checking after 12 minutes to see if there is liquid left in pan. If not, add 1/3 cup warm water.

Transfer fillets to serving platter. Put the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup water, wine or fish stock to the pan. As it begins to bubble, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Scrape up all the dark crispy bits. Reduce liquid by half. Pour sauce over fish on serving platter. Decorate with remaining cilantro leaves.