In 2020, Jessica Biederman and Ali Yakich were roommates in Boston with something neither expected to have: time on their hands. Pandemic layoffs had upended both of their careers, so the pair decided to trade restaurant life for an Oregon wine harvest.
Ali found Belle Pente Vineyard & Winery in the Willamette Valley, which happened to need both a harvest intern and someone who could split time between vineyard work and feeding the crew. Jessica, a chef, fit the latter job rather perfectly.
“I can’t pick a favorite memory; there are so many,” Jessica says. She remembers long dinner conversations, feeding the farm’s cows, llamas, goats, and chickens, and leaving the geese to Ali. But running the wine press became her favorite job. “Seeing the grapes pressed of their juice that in a few years evolves so much flavor is a concept that I’m so enthralled by.”
Six years later, the former roommates are working together again, this time at Urban Farmer Denver, where Jessica is executive chef, and Ali is sommelier. On Oct. 15, they’ll bring a taste of that Oregon chapter to Denver with a five-course Belle Pente wine dinner. “It feels like a full-circle moment to be able to bring an experience that was so meaningful to us to our guests,” Jessica says.
The menu is less an exercise in pairing than an edible scrapbook. Heirloom carrots recall vegetables pulled from Belle Pente’s garden. Chanterelle pappardelle nods to a particularly successful day of mushroom foraging. And the seared black cod traces back to the welcome dinner prepared by winery co-owner Jill O’Donnell.
Jessica was hooked when she watched Jill marinate ling cod in sake lees. Her version swaps in black cod, pairing the delicate fish with sake lees, ginger, lemongrass, and mirin, then finishing it with a buttery, aromatic sauce built around kimchi and lobster stock. She’s sharing the recipe with Denver Life so readers can recreate the dish at home.
Her best advice? Don’t overthink the timing. “I use a half-glass rule,” Jessica says. “Pop the cod in the broiler and pour yourself a half glass of the Chardonnay from our harvest.” By the time the glass is empty, she says, the fish should be ready. Then pour another for dinner.
“I love collaboration and a dinner that tells a story.”—Executive chef, Jessica Biederman
Urban Farmer Seared Black Cod
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz. pieces of black cod
- 1 tbsp. lemongrass paste
- 1 tbsp. ginger paste
- 1 tbsp. garlic paste
- 2 tbsp. sake lees
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. mirin
Seared Black Cod Sauce
- 4 tbsp. kimchi
- 2 oz. fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 oz. fresh lemongrass (finely chopped)
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped and separated into halves)
- 4 shiitake mushrooms (dried )
- 1 qt. lobster stock
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 shallots (julienned)
- ¼ oz. coriander seed
- 1 stick of butter (cubed)
Directions
- Combine the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, sake lees, and soy sauce.
- Coat the fish with the marinade, place in a zip-top bag, and refrigerate overnight, no longer than 12 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove the fish from the marinade and broil on medium-high for 8 minutes.
Seared Black Cod Sauce
- Heat a small amount of neutral oil in a saucepan.
- Sauté the garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass until fragrant.
- Add the coriander seeds, kimchi, and half the cilantro, then deglaze with the lobster stock.
- Simmer until reduced by three-quarters.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 3 to 4 cubes at a time, until emulsified.
- Add the remaining cilantro and let steep for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Strain through a fine-mesh chinois.
- Serve the black cod with steamed rice and your choice of vegetable.
The Details
Urban Farmer Denver hosts its Belle Pente Wine Dinner on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.; tickets are $155 per person, including taxes, fees, and gratuity, and advance reservations are required.
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