Springtime! It brings light, new life and some much needed color into our lives after the darkness of winter. Days grow longer, sunshine melts away the last remnants of snow and plants pop up where you’d least expect them.

For some people, spring is just another (hopefully warmer) season to endure before it’s finally summer. For others, it hosts Easter, a Christian holiday dedicated to the commemoration of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and subsequent return from the dead. 

This year, Easter takes place on Sunday, April 12, the weekend after we would’ve returned from spring break if COVID-19 hadn’t derailed life as we know it. While the main festivities are typically reserved for Easter Sunday, the week before also contains special days such as Palm Sunday (when Jesus arrived in the town of Jerusalem) and Good Friday (the day of Jesus’ death).

Celebrants – including many EPHS students – will hopefully still be able to take part in many wonderful traditions and activities during Easter such as going to church service (online), eating a big family meal (without the family part), and looking for easter eggs (sorry kids: the hunt is in your basement this year!). While these Easter activities (and their quarantine equivalents) are fun staples for many families, there are also more serious aspects to the holiday.

“Easter symbolizes more how [Jesus] laid down his authority in heaven,” said sophomore David Edwards. “The bible says that he should have died at the whippings and so I thought, okay, that means that he used his supernatural power just to keep on dying so he could save me because he loves me.”

Edwards normally spends his Easter Sunday with family and friends at his godparents’ house.

“They cater Easter so there’s just a bunch of people there. It’s a ton of fun,” he said. 

The caterers bring an arrangement of delicious foods, but one of Edwards’ favorites is the miso glazed sea bass.

“It just melts in your mouth,” he said. “Like a good fish should.” 

While the actual recipe from the caterers used by Edwards’ family was not available, I was able to adapt a substitute to serve in place of the original. Fresh sea bass fillets also proved very difficult to find, so I used cod fish instead. 

Although the big meal brings his family and friends together, the story of Easter and its important meaning is what inspires everyone to partake in the festivities, which is something that not even a global pandemic can change. 

“It’s not about the food,” Edwards said. “It’s about the idea behind it.”

Got friends or family coming to town during Spring Break or for Easter? Not since COVID-19 you don’t! Add this fancy fish to your quarantine meal plan! With its smokey, savory flavor, it’s a great break from all the frozen pizzas, canned soups and pasta you may have been eating. Stay safe and enjoy!

Ingredients

⅓ cup sake

⅓ cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

3 tbsp soy sauce

¼ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup miso paste

4 (4 oz) fillets fresh sea bass 

2 tbsp green onion

1 thin slice ginger

1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

Whisk together the sake, mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, miso paste, ginger, and garlic in a bowl to make the marinade. Place the sea bass in a large sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the sea bass. 

Chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours. 

(I did 24 hours to allow for longer marination)

Arrange the fillets on a baking sheet. Discard the marinade.

Preheat the oven’s broiler on high setting and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Prop the oven door to remain slightly ajar.

Bake the fish under the broiler until it flakes easily with a fork. After the first 4 minutes, flip to the other side. Cook 7 to 9 minutes in total. 

Sprinkle with chopped green onions to serve.