Marinating just caught fish in a simple combination of miso, a little sugar and alcohol was a traditional technique used in Japan to preserve its freshness for the long journey from the sea to inland markets. It also made the fish very tasty.
Miso is a seasoning paste made from soybeans mixed with a grain, usually rice, barley or rye and then fermented. It is a staple in Japanese kitchens. The paste has the consistency of peanut butter and comes in a variety of colors – white, yellow or red – depending on ingredients and methods of fermentation. Lighter colored varieties have had a quick fermentation period and are slightly sweet and mild in flavor. Dark colored pastes have been fermented longer, are stronger in flavor and tend to be saltier. White miso is the most delicate, yellow is considered an all-purpose blend and the darker reddish brown pastes are used in heavier dishes. Miso is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
Mirin is a Japanese spirit-based liquid sweetener used only for cooking. It is used to add a special sweet taste and flavor to marinades, glazes and simmered dishes.
This recipe, adapted from the New York Times, is a dressed up the version of the traditional marinade.
Miso marinated fish with steamed
Ingredients
- 4 six ounce (180 g) cod fillets (or salmon, Chilean sea bass, Sablefish or even scallops)
- ¼ cup mirin
- 3 tablespoons sake
- 1/3 cup miso white or yellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Asian dark sesame oil
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- Steamed Vegetables
- (used any combination of vegetables, trimmed, peeled if necessary and cut into bite size pieces)
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- Sauce Miso
- 1 tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (preferably home made)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sake
- 1 ½ teaspoons mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon wasabi
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Combine the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, turn the heat down to low and stir in the miso and sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Allow to cool.
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towel and place in a wide glass bowl or baking dish. Pour the marinade over the fish then turn the fillets over a few times in the marinade to make sure they are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and marinate for as little as 2 to 3 hours, or up to a day.
- To make the miso sauce, combine the ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until smooth. The sauce can be used straight away or covered and kept in the fridge for 2 days until ready to serve.
- To steam the vegetables, place the steamer basket in a saucepan. Add enough water to reach just below it. Bring the water to a boil. Harder vegetables (carrots, turnips, squash) take longer to cook than tender vegetables (zucchini, beans, snowpeas, peas, asparagus) so add those first then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium and steam 5-8 minutes. Most tender vegetables only need a couple of minutes to cook so add those for the last few of minutes of cooking time. When done the vegetables should be vibrant in color and crisp-tender. Remove from the steamer, sprinkle with salt and keep warm.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C) Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and wipe the foil with oil. Remove the fish from the marinade and wipe off any excess. Place the fish in the roasting pan and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in the oven and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until the fish is opaque and can be pulled apart easily with a fork. (Alternatively, if you have access to an outdoor grill or have a well ventilated kitchen or don’t mind fishy smells, buy fish, skin on and cook skin side down on the grill or skin side up under the oven broiler. It’s the cooking skin that accounts for most of the lingering smells!)
- When ready, transfer the fish and vegetables to warm plates and serve accompanied by the miso sauce.
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https://www.charlottepuckette.com/recipes/main-dish-seafoodfish/miso-marinated-fish-with-steamed-vegetables/
