WORDS BY BARBORA ORMEROD
“If you’re a curious cook, you’ve probably bought miso paste for a specific recipe and then puzzled over how to use the rest of the jar. This is inevitable to some extent with unfamiliar products, but miso is no novelty ingredient. It has many uses and depleting that surplus might be easier than you think.
WHAT IS MISO?
It is made from soya beans which are salted and fermented using koji, a mould culture also used in brewing sake. The resulting thick paste with its mouthwatering flavour has long been a staple seasoning in Japanese cuisine; used to add heft to all manner of foods. Different ingredients and fermentation periods produce different types, but the typical flavour profile combines powerful savoury, earthy notes with a pleasant saltiness and sweet fruity hints.
WHAT CAN IT DO?
Miso functions both as a seasoning and a flavouring in its own right. The easiest thing is to use it instead of salt in anything from mashed potatoes to burger patties, mayonnaise, vinaigrette or even scrambled eggs. It does the job nicely, while adding a layer of flavour.
However, miso paste makes an expensive salt substitute and has a lot more to offer, so a simple swap won’t make the most of it. Miso is also rich in umami, the savoury flavour associated with mushrooms, parmesan, seaweed and fermented foods in general. Such umami flavours are great at providing the base for soups, stews, dressings and marinades. This last one works sublimely with meat, fish and vegetables, and marries particularly well with the charred notes of barbecued food. For best results, pair stronger dark miso with red meats and the subtler flavour of white miso with fish and vegetables. The thick paste also helps it adhere to the food, so you can get a more tasty marinade with every bite.
Miso can also boost flavour just before service. Mixed with a little maple syrup and melted butter, it makes a beautiful glaze which does wonders to roast fish or vegetables. But perhaps my favourite thing to do with miso is to mix a few tablespoonfuls with softened butter, roll it up and keep it in the fridge. This miso butter is immensely useful and tastes so damn good that people actually close their eyes when eating toast that has been graced with it. It’s also terrific with a good steak, seafood risotto or simply with a dippy egg and soldiers.
Surprisingly, miso’s usefulness extends beyond savoury cooking. It can add a richness of flavour to sweet things like chocolate brownies, caramel sauce or a vegan chocolate mousse. The latter can be made by blending equal amounts of silken tofu with melted dark chocolate and a little white miso, served with dark caramel almond praline. After all, sugar works best when up against a worthy counterpart, and the flavours here are quite something.”