Miso Salmon

Copyright 2006 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients:

6-8 oz. salmon fillets (1-inch thick)
1/4 cup miso paste
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sake
2 T light brown sugar
2 T sugar
1 T soy sauce
1 t freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In shallow dish, combine miso, rice vinegar, sake, light brown sugar, sugar, soy sauce and ginger to create marinade. Place salmon skin up into dish and marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Remove salmon and shake off excess marinade. Place fish meat up on baking dish or roasting pan lined with aluminum foil and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Toast bread crumbs in non-stick pan for about 2 minutes till golden brown and then sprinkle on top of salmon about 2 minutes before fish is done. In small saucepan, warm the leftover marinade into a condensed sauce and drizzle on or around your salmon.

Makes two servings. Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.

Pair with a glass of Sauvingnon Blanc.

TIPS: If you don't want to bother with toasting the bread crumbs, you can sprinkle it on top of the salmon and then place your salmon under the broiler until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

MANY MISO: There are a variety of miso, ranging from white (or mild) to red (medium) or dark. The white miso is sweeter and holds less punch in cooking. Medium or red miso is the most versatile for cooking. Dark miso is stronger and is often used for soups or stews. My personal preference is to buy a blend of the white and red. The blend I have has a nice caramel color whose taste holds up well in marinade but isn't overpowering.

Assortment of miso paste in the refrigerated section at Nijiya Supermarket in San Francisco's Japantown.