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Think miso soup. What comes up? A bowl of brown, oddly separating soup — half is clear, and half isn’t! simultaneously! — with perhaps some squares of white tofu, maybe some wakame (sea kelp), possibly another veggie or two, yes?
Today I was really in the mood for some miso soup, but had to move a gigantic pile of chard to get at my tub of miso in the back of the fridge. Out came the chard. It looked so nice on the cutting board. Hmm, I wondered what would happen if I made my green soup the usual way — saute leeks in butter/oil, add chard, add stock, and puree — but just added miso at the end? Would it fulfill my jonesing for miso?
I’m ecstatic to report that yes, it did! I added about two tablespoons of miso to the last little batch of pureed soup, and mixed that into the rest of the soup. Satisfying, and then some. And just for a little textural fun, I julienned the chard backbone and sauteed the strips in breadcrumbs and ghee, and tossed that on top. This one’s going to be going into the regular rotation, and definitely into the new vegetarian book.
You could use any kind of stock for the broth; today’s was duck stock, but it would be equally good with veg stock or chicken stock.
I’m finding myself using more and more miso these days, in all kinds of dishes. I used to be a fan of the gutsy red misos from Nagoya, but lately I seem partial to the more delicate white misos from Kyoto. Less intensity, but more layered flavor.
Anyone use miso in unusual ways? Let’s hear about it!
I love to slather any type of miso and tahini onto toast. I also find myself adding miso to anything that tastes flat or is somehow lacking. Miso usually rounds it out.
You sound like a fellow umami addict!
is tahini umami too?
I think tahini has umami, but I'm not sure about it. I don't think it's a huge umami carrier, but it does have a savory little smack to it. Must investigate!
Hatcho miso rocks! Any which way you eat/drink/spread it.
A favorite: thin sliced wholewheat toast, spread very thin with hatcho miso, cut into fingers and dipped into a soft-boiled egg
Another: diluted with some dashi, sprinkle of honkaku mirin, few drops of grated ginger and a sprinkle of ichimi-togarashi flakes, then add to a stir fry of cubes of tofu, eggplant, cucumber, whatever… a JP version of kochujang or mabo sauce.
all best from Kamakura!
Oh wow this green miso soup rocks! It sounds and looks really healthy. Thanks for sharing.
Ha! Miso and tahini was the spread for the great breat at the Paradox, the macrobiotic restaurant on E. 7th St. in New York that I'd go to when I was in high school! That was 45 years ago, and both of those items were really exotic.