Kitchen Conundrum

Miso Glazed Cod Recipe- An adventure in Miso hunting

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Sarah, from Old Mill Wine & Spirits, sent me a recipe for Miso Glazed Sea Bass. I had been dying to try it but I ended up taking some liberties and made a new version. This happened mostly because I could not find any fresh Sea Bass at any store near my home. I gave up after three stores. I then changed some of the measurements too to suit the Cod, which was the readily available fish of the day.

I have to admit, I have never cooked with Miso before. I really had no idea what it even looked like or how it was packaged. I actually did not research it before I went shopping or I would have had a better idea as to what exactly I was looking for. To be honest, I have never actually made any Japanese cuisine at home. Although, I have eaten plenty of take out and in lots of  Japanese restaurants around the world.  I love sushi. It just never really occurred to me to make any on my own.  It was delicious and I will have to make a more since I have so much Miso left over. I need to investigate additional recipes that call for Miso too. Feel free to share if you have a favorite!

I went to my local grocer. Not only did they not have any Sea Bass, they did not carry Miso. Except in packages of instant soup. Strike out.

I went to two more stores before settling on a huge Asian grocer on Long Island, V&T Supermarket. It was my first time there and I spent hours wandering up and down the aisles. What an incredible store. And a world away, right near my home. They have literally hundreds of sauces, and every different kind of noodle you can imagine, from rice noodles, wheat noodles, egg noodles and even noodles made from shrimp. They have extremely interesting finds like dried cuttlefish and other dried fish made to taste like fruit candy. They had beautiful, albeit strange looking, fruits and vegetables.  These were all very exotic to me and my, apparently, very Western cooking habits. I dared to experiment!

More importantly, they had Miso.  After wandering for a few hours not seeing it, I passed another customer who had been wandering in the opposite direction as I was through the same aisles. I asked if in their wanderings did they happened upon Miso. They very nicely explained that it would be in the refrigerator section in a tub, much like margarine and pointed me to it. I am very grateful he told me this as I never would have found it on my own. And no one who worked there spoke much English.  Or at least they didn’t when I asked.

They had many Miso varieties. I chose the Awase Miso. Which means “Mixed Miso”. It is a blend of two different misos from two different areas of Japan. Each Miso varies by region and each has a distinct flavor and texture and aroma. Yellow miso is sweet and creamy, while red miso is stronger and saltier. The Awase is a perfect combination of salt and not overly pungent.

They also had fresh fish. And they also carried live fish that you could choose from, but the tanks did not look all that cared for and were very overcrowded so I opted for the laid out fish.  But yet again, no Sea Bass. So I settled on Cod instead. This recipe would be good for any thick fish fillet. I also served it with steamed sugar snap peas and udon noodles.

 

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup sake

1/2 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

1/2 cup yellow miso paste

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tbsp soy sauce

4 6-oz Cod fillets

2 tbsp green onions, finely sliced

Method

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a shallow glass baking dish.

Lay fish in the marinade and turn gently to coat.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Preheat broiler. Remove fish from marinade. Place fish on rimmed baking sheet.

With broiler door slightly ajar, broil the fish about 6 inches from heat source until just opaque in center, about 7 minutes.

Transfer to plates. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Enjoy!  Or in Japenese どうぞめしあがれ (douzo meshiagare)  which means ‘enjoy your meal’ – said by the cook/chef. Per Omniglot.

Note: Look for Miso in Asian grocery stores or the refrigerator section of your local health food store. It may also be found in the same case where you find packaged Tofu in some larger supermarkets. I have yet to find it in my Stop & Shop though.

 

Bruschettas and Tapenades, Summer Eating Made Easy

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One of our favorite summer eats are a hearty loaf of bread, a bottle (or two!) of wine and some freshly made Tapenades and Bruschettas.  We can sit on the back porch and enjoy a simple evening meal that transports us to far away lands, dreaming of vineyards and olive groves. Some cool jazz playing in the background and a fire in the pit makes for a magical summer evening. This year we have had an amazing tomato garden with handfuls of fresh beauties daily. They are sweet and plump, some red and some yellow and absolutely delicious right off the vine. We can hardly get them all inside and washed before eating them. With some fresh snipped basil and olive oil they are transformed into a delicious, refreshing bruschetta. Our dear friends Sarah and Charles own Old Mill Wine & Spirits, a fabulous wine and liquor store in the town of Rhinebeck, NY (the same place Chelsea Clinton is getting married this very weekend!). They are both gourmands with incredible knowledge and passion and have graciously shared with us some of their favorite recipes. We spent yesterday making some of their amazing tapenades and bruschettas to share with you here. Be sure to “Like” them on Facebook.

The first recipe is a Bruschetta made with white beans. It’s delicious alone on toasted baguette rounds or as a base for the Tomato Bruschetta.

 

Bruschetta with White Beans

Ingredients

1 can cannellini beans

1 clove garlic, mashed

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil   (Reserve ¼ cup for the bread)

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

Method

Drain and rinse beans with cold water. In a food processor, combine beans, garlic, rosemary, 1/4 cup of olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, salt and pepper.  Pulse the mixture into a coarse puree. Set aside.

Slice bread into ½” rounds and brush lightly with olive oil on one side. Broil until slightly toasted.  Spread with the bean puree and serve.

Another wonderful variation is made with mushrooms.

Bruschetta with Porcini Mushrooms

Ingredients

10 oz. fresh Porcini or Baby Bella mushrooms

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

4 cloves garlic

Freshly-ground pepper

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

Method

Wash and dry mushrooms, then chop very fine. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and add to the oil. Saute until garlic turns golden, then add mushrooms and thyme leaves. Saute until mushrooms have reduced and liquid has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir until dry.

Slice the bread and brush with the remaining olive oil. Broil or grill both sides of bread until well toasted. Cut the remaining garlic cloves in half and rub toasted bread with the cut side of the clove. Spread mushroom mixture onto toasts and serve.

And now for the classic! If you are lucky enough to have your own home grown tomatoes and basil, then you will be even happier eating your bounty with great, simple recipe.

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

1 lb ripe tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves

1 cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

salt and freshly-ground pepper

Method

Preheat broiler to high. Slice bread into ½” pieces and drizzle lightly with olive oil on one side. Toast lightly on both sides, being careful not to burn. (*Can also be grilled for extra flavor.)  Slice garlic cloves in half and rub one side of the toasted bread with the cut garlic.

Quarter tomatoes and remove all pulp and seeds. Chop fine. Slice basil leaves into small pieces and add to tomatoes. Add remaining olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Spoon onto toasts and serve.

If bruschettas are not enough, you can also make these delicious olive tapenades.  We love to make combinations with the bruschettas and the tapenades, layering each flavor on top of the toasted breads. The Black Olive-Lemon Tapenade is divine topped with the tomato bruschetta, the flavors, bright and fresh.  You can also use these tapenades mixed into salad dressings or pasta.

Black Olive-Lemon Tapenade

Ingredients

1 ½ cups pitted black Nioise olives

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2-3 anchovy fillets, scrapped of bones

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Place olives, garlic and anchovies in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add olive oil, herbs, lemon and pepper and process to a fairly smooth puree.

Black Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

1 ½ cups pitted black olives

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tsp. capers

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 large fresh basil leaves

5 stems flat leaf parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Place olives, garlic and capers in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add olive oil, basil, parsley leaves and pepper and process to a fairly smooth puree.

If you are like us, you will make them all and when you are done, you will have an array of tasty delights to top your bread.

Pair with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone Rose and enjoy!

 

Fish Cakes Recipe, A Quick Dinner for a Busy Summer Day

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We hope you are enjoying your summer as much as we are.  We have been spending most of our days at the town swimming pool and have been getting home very late in the afternoon. If you are like us, you try never to turn your oven on when the heat outside rises above 80 degrees. As much of the country is undergoing a severe heat wave, we are also tending to eat a lot less because of the extreme heat. But those things that we do eat should provide some positive nutritional value and be fast and easy to make.

These quick and easy Tuna Cakes are jam packed with chopped veggies and make a quick stove top meal that’s perfect with a small side salad. Made with simple ingredients, you can also add frozen mixed vegetables or a handful of fresh chopped spinach or zucchini for some added value.
Ingredients

3 Cans of Solid White Albacore Tuna packed in Water, drained

2 large carrots, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 egg

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Method

In a large bowl, mix tuna with all of the vegetables.

Add the egg and breadcrumbs to bind. Shape into patties and set aside.  (I made 5 large patties when I use 3 cans.  You can adjust the sizes to suit your family.)

In a large skillet over a medium flame, add the vegetable oil to the pan and let it become hot. Being careful not to let the hot oil splatter, add the patties and brown on each side about 3-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels on a plate.

Serve with a side of salad for a very quick,light,  no fuss dinner.

Have you seen one of these? It’s a splatter screen. You can get them really cheap in most housewares department or online.

They are awesome when you need to fry something. You just put it over the pan you are using and it helps protect you from the splattering oil. It’s a must have tool in your kitchen. I have had mine forever and find it extremely helpful.