Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share a virtual kitchen table with other readers of Daily Kos who aren’t throwing pies at one another. Drop by to talk about music, your weather, your garden, or what you cooked for supper…. Newcomers may notice that many who post in this series already know one another to some degree, but we welcome guests at our kitchen table and hope to make some new friends as well.
Please do not attack Democratic candidates or drag primary fights into our community.
I have mentioned my fascination with a cookbook by chefs Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion, Keepers: Two Home Cooks Share Their Tried-and-True Weeknight Recipes and the Secrets to Happiness in the Kitchen: A Cookbook. One of these ladies is from Japan, the other from Belgium. They both married American men and met each other while working at Saveur magazine. And they are both really busy moms — so Keepers and their new book, Dinner Plan: Simple Weeknight Recipes and Strategies for Every Schedule, are geared toward time efficiency as well as taste. But I digress. To the point here, I tried a recipe that called for Miso Mayonnaise— that is to say, mayo that has some miso and a bit of citrus stirred into it. The idea is that the miso adds a little Umami, that subtle, savory element you find in things like dried mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and, yes, Miso (a traditional Japanese ingredient from fermented soy beans). As I said, one of the authors is from Japan… I liked the Miso Mayo.
So now I am the proud owner of a tub of white miso paste and am open to exploring other uses for it. Seems I am not alone in this… it is a trendy ingredient that isn’t just for Japanese cooking. Not anymore. And not just in savory things, either. Chef David Chang’s restaurant, Milk Bar, even offers Chef Christina Tosi’s butterscotch sauce made from miso that is served on vanilla ice cream — and by all accounts, it’s great.
7 Delicious Ways to Use Miso Paste — Stone Soup blog
20 Ways to Make the Most Out of Miso — Epicurious
35 Ways to Use Miso — CookingLight
So far, I’ve tried adding some miso to risotto— and it was good. I’ve also tried a tiny bit on buttered toast — and liked it. I’ve stirred it into chicken broth to drink from a mug. Delicious. I plan to put some in the next vinaigrette dressing I make and to make a compound butter for vegetables.
Have you experimented with miso in your cooking? I am new to this and would love to know!
Also from Japan and trendy in a different way, check out Samurai Cat, a comedy (and gorgeous period drama) streaming on Amazon. I’ve been treating myself to an episode a night.
Come in, be comfortable, and share your day, your weekend plans, your menus! This is an open thread.