Splendid Table Report: Beyond Miso Soup

There's a tub of miso paste wedged near the back of our fridge. We pull it out when we get the odd craving for miso soup or find a recipe that calls for a few tablespoons. Ever wonder if there are more ways you could use that miso paste in your cooking? Sally Schneider was on The Splendid Table last week with a few great ideas!

The first thing Sally suggests is investing in a range of misos, from light to dark. The darker, stronger misos are great with hearty dishes made with things like red meat, mushrooms, and roasted chicken. The lighter misos are better for, you guessed it, lighter preparations. It goes well with vegetables, fish, and fresh salads.

She also debunked the notion that miso can only be used in Asian-style dishes. White miso makes a classic marinade for fish, so why not use a darker miso in a marinade for steaks and kebabs going on the grill? Sally says this gives dishes a similar flavor as those expensive dry-aged meats, and we can't wait to try it!

We were also intrigued by her suggestions of mixing some white miso with almond butter to make a spread for sandwiches. We can see this going into a grown-up version of peanut butter and jelly, or being used in Michael Ruhlman's favorite peanut butter and cabbage sandwich.

That same white miso goes very well with nut flavors, so Sally suggests mixing it with hazelnut or walnut oil for a salad vinaigrette. For those of us who get tired of eating the same salad day after day, this could be a very simple way to mix things up!

With these guidelines and basic ideas, Sally says to just play around! All misos have incredible umami depth and add a savory quality to any dish. There are countless ways a few teaspoons can be put to use in our favorite dishes.

How do you use miso in your everyday cooking?

Listen to the Whole Interview! Improvising with Miso with Sally Schneider on the Splendid Table

(Image: Flickr member avlxyz licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (13)

Last summer, my boyfriend and I caught some beautiful halibut, ling cod, and rock cod in the Monterey Bay. At first we just wanted to eat it prepared simply, but soon we were experimenting with sauces and marinades. Our absolute favorite preparation was this miso marinade I came up with. It's also wonderful on salmon.

Miso-Glazed Halibut for Two
two 6-8 ounce halibut fillets

1/4 C. light miso paste
2 1/2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. agave syrup
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
pinch cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

1 lime, cut into wedges
pickled ginger

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450F.

2. In a quart-sized ziplock bag, combine miso, vinegar, agave syrup, oil, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Smoosh the bag around to mix the ingredients together, then add the halibut fillets to the bag and let marinate for 20 minutes or so.

3. Place the fillets on a foil-lined pan, then pour about half the marinade over the fillets. Discard the rest of the marinade in the bag. (To avoid wasting a plastic bag, you could do all of this in a mixing bowl. I just liked the convenience and lack of clean up!)

4. Sprinkle the fillets with the sesame seeds, then bake for about 15 minutes, or until miso has turned a shade browner and sesame seeds are beginning to toast.

5. Serve over rice, quinoa, or whatever you like. Garnish with lime wedges and pickled ginger.

http://operagirlcooks.com

I mix it with tahini for a very earthy spread.

Made the following salad dressing last week. Umami at its best!

3 T Red Miso
1 T Tahini
juice of 1 small lemon
1 T agave syrup
1/4 C water
1 clove garlic
a bit of grated ginger (to taste)
3 T almonds

wizz it all up in a blender

The almonds thickened it up nicely. Coated ever nook of my salad greens.

Thanks for the recipes!

I'll echo lillies--a tiny bit mixed with tahini makes a delicious spread on rice cakes.

A scant tablespoon mixed into my steelcut oatmeal and left overnight makes it sweeter. I just gently reheat it in the morning (careful, don't boil, it kills the beneficial stuff in miso). I learned this off of the South River Miso website - they also make the most amazing miso.

I also make miso dressing that I very nearly want to drink straight as well as miso marinades and glazes for fish.

I make a miso compound butter that is amazing on everything. With some miso, lemon juice and zest, and some softened butter, this is how I like to finish a piece of pan-seared salmon. It's a crowd pleaser. Super yummy on veg too, like steamed broccoli.

Miso with Marmalade on chicken - great in salads with Asian dressing

How long do those resealable bags last in the fridge? I like keeping it on hand and I know it has a long shelf life but I recently tossed what i had because I felt it had been too long even though it smelled fine.

Mm, that would be tasty in onion soup.

I like it in a marinade for grilled asparagus, and as milk miso soup with kabocha.

I absolutely love it in a salad dressing. I can definitely get in my RDA of veggies with some of that drizzled on....

@Traci7822 - Miso can last a really long time in the fridge since it's a fermented item. Like over a year, especially if it's a darker one. Lighter misos are more delicate but they still last a good long time when stored properly.

When I get miso that comes in a bag I decant it into a glass jar (small peanut butter jars work well too) and it can last ages in the back of the fridge. Also you can freeze it too if you are using it too slowly.