Saffron Cream Sauce works magic on black cod

According to Jay Harlow, author of "West Coast Seafood," butterfish generally refers to the fillets of the smaller fish, caught in California waters.

Black cod's high fat content takes well to dry heat cooking methods - broiling, hot smoking and oven roasting.

"Squeegee" the skin with the back of a knife to remove excess moisture before cooking the fish in a little oil and finishing it in the oven.

Saffron Cream Sauce Makes 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce, enough to serve 4 to 6

2 large pinches saffron 1/2 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc2 to 3 teaspoons canola oil 1/2 cup finely minced shallots1 small thyme sprig, optional1 8-ounce bottle clam juice1 cup heavy cream-- Kosher salt, to taste-- Lemon juice, to tasteInstructions:

Per serving: 179 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat (9 g saturated), 54 mg cholesterol, 138 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

Wine pairing: A rich white such as the 2011 Testarossa Rincon Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($41; 14.1% alcohol) or the 2012 Cadaretta SBS Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon ($23; 13.1%) will complement the sauce without overpowering it.

4 4- to 6-ounce scaled, skin-on fish fillets-- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste-- Canola oil, grapeseed or olive oil, as neededInstructions:

Cook until the skin is browned and crisp (gently lift an edge of the fillet to check) and the fish is the desired doneness - depending on the thickness, about 10 minutes per inch for thicker fillets.