Simply put, miso is nothing more than a Japanese paste made from cooked, fermented soybeans. Simply put, this month's recipe is nothing more than a cup of miso soup...but, we think you'll find it to be an elegant preparation for the first white chanterelle of the season.
Yes, there are chanterelles popping up from the forest floor on the southern Oregon coast! We presented our first find floating in a refreshing bowl of miso soup and followed it with a light salad featuring miso salad dressing for a refreshing summer lunch.
Miso Soup
4 cups of dashi - prepare your own with the recipe shown below or purchase a commercial preparation
3-4 tablespoons miso - use red or white miso or a combination
Accents of thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, blanched vegetables (such as sliced mushrooms and carrots and sugar snap or snow peas) and/or thin strips of seaweed
- In a pot over medium heat, bring the dashi to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add the miso. Using the back of a fork, blend the miso into the liquid. Return pot to heat and bring liquid back to a simmer. Pour into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with desired accents.
Dashi
16 cups water
6-8 inch piece kombu (dried seaweed)
4 cups bonito flakes (dried, shaved bonito fish)
- Place water and kombu in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and discard the kombu. Add the bonito flakes and let set about 15 minutes, or until the flakes fall to the bottom of the pot. Strain (several times, if necessary) until the broth is clear.
Baby Shrimp Salad with Miso Dressing
2 tablespoons white miso
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
3 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Salad greens
Cucumber, peeled and sliced
Green onions, sliced
Baby shrimp
Toasted sesame seeds
Rice crackers
- Combine the miso, sugar, mustard and vinegar in a small pan over medium heat. Heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, added up to 1 tablespoon of water to obtain a consistency similar to French dressing.
- Toss dressing with greens, cucumber, onions and shrimp. Garnish with sesame seeds and accompany with rice crackers.