Unsweetened cocoa powder can transform savory dishes. Its luxurious richness adds depth to proteins, like the catfish in this recipe from Nicole A. Taylor, featured in Bryant Terry’s book Black Food. You can swap the benne seeds with sesame seeds and maple sugar with light brown sugar, depending on what you have on hand. Instead of catfish, feel free to use any skinless white-fleshed fish fillet.
Ingredients
Cocoa Rub:
- 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 3½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons maple sugar - or light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- ¼ teaspoon dried bird chile flakes - or other crushed red pepper flakes
Fish:
- 2 medium oranges
- 2 pounds catfish - or other skinless whitefish fillets
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix salt, cocoa powder, benne seeds, maple sugar, caraway seeds, and chile flakes in a large bowl until well combined.
- Place a rack in top of oven; preheat to 400°.
- Cut oranges into 6 rounds each and set aside.
- Rinse catfish and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place fillets on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle liberally on both sides with rub.
- Drizzle with oil, then arrange orange slices on top of fillets.
- Roast catfish until flesh flakes easily when gently pressed with your finger, 7–9 minutes. (For thicker varieties of fish, increase the cooking time to 10–12 minutes.)
- To serve, transfer orange slices to a platter and arrange fish on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 38gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 3589mgPotassium: 965mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 299IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 1mg