Miso is one of my fridge staples. If you are not in the know miso is a delicious Japanese seasoning, slightly salty and packed with umani. It is reputedly fantastically good for you, and being fermented keeps in the fridge for ages. There are lots of different types of miso, made with different grains and beans. I keep a dark barley and a light sweet white miso in the fridge all the time.
Miso is usually is sold as a paste in jars or pouches, but instant varieties are available usually mixed with freeze dried tofu and seaweed – they make a delicious and restorative soup – perfect for when you have overindulged the night before and also great for tummy upsets. Miso paste is stocked by Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado and most health food or Japanese shops. I usually buy the Clearspring brand.
Use miso in sauces, dips, salad dressings, casseroles and soups. Mix with oil and it makes a delicious coating for pasta and noodles; but my current favourite way to use it is in a herby butter, delicious on a rare steak.
Like many of my recipes, this is more of an idea and thus is very adaptable – use whichever herbs you have. My current batch contains tarragon, parsley and rosemary. Coriander works especially well. Add some lemon zest or chilli too. Use a darker miso for heavier herbs and a light one for more delicate ones.
Once made I pack this into pats in my silicone mini muffin pan and freeze them, once frozen pop them out of the pan and into a plastic pot until ready to use. It is an easier way to do it than rolling the butter into clingfilm wrapped log, chilling and then slicing. I imagine that using a silicone chocolate mould would make very attractive butter pats.
Recipe: Herby Miso Butter
Ingredients
- 100 g butter (very soft )
- 3 tsp miso
- 2 tbs finely chopped mixed herbs
Instructions
- Mix the butter and miso well. Stir in the herbs.
- Pack into portions in a silicon baking tray and freeze. Pop out of the tray and keep in a plastic box in the freezer until ready to use.
- Delicious on pasta or on a steak with a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
I like this so much that it is my Desert Island Dish – coming soon to a packet of Maldon salt near you! Read more about Maldon Salt’s Desert Island Dishes, and a chance to win a copy of the book.
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
That steak looks amazing, never thought of serving miso with steak but I bet it goes brilliantly.
Helen
It is my new favourite thing Sarah!
Kavey
Glad you blogged this, been thinking it sounds marvellous since you mentioned it…
Helen
Let me know if you try it!
Hugh
As someone who has been introduced to Macro biotic cooking recently, Miso is now part of my cooking and really love using. Thank’s Helen for the article.
Helen
Happy to help Hugh. It is one of theosse ingredients which once you discover it you cannot quite work out how you did without!
Jude A Trifle Rushed
What a great idea, the miso butter sounds heavenly and the silicone moulds – well that’s brilliant. Looking forward to seeing the Maldon salt packages, do let us know when they are in the shops.
Helen
As soon as I see a Maldon salt packet I shall be shouting about it! Would you like me to sign one for you?
laura@howtocookgoodfood
I could just imagine how good miso butter is. I love miso and find it such an intriguing ingredient. A flavour that is so good but I find it hard to describe. The desert island dishes sounds like a brilliant idea, bet you are delighted to be featured by them x
Helen
I know what you mean about it being hard to describe. I really want to go to Japan and see it being made too!
I am delighted about Maldon. So exciting.
Leigh
Now that’s a flavour you really don’t see all that often! I’ll give that a try!
Deena Kakaya
Helen this is so clever I love it! I’m going to stick some on corn on the cob x