Miso, the traditional Japanese soybean paste, is one of those convenience foods whose complexity belies its ingredients: it contains only soybeans, salt and grain (usually rice or barley, though others are used too), inoculated with the Aspergillus orzyae bacteria and aged for up to three years. The production process is not unlike that for good hard cheese, and miso is frequently compared with Parmesan. It is equally complex, and both are known for the strong presence of umami, the Japanese word for the fifth taste (after salt, sour, sweet and bitter), roughly translated as ''deliciousness.'' Here, miso is combined with little more than scallops, then allowed to sit for a while before grilling or broiling. The combination and preparation are traditional, the equivalent of slathering something with barbecue sauce before cooking. Of course, miso is a far cry from barbecue sauce: its elegance is unmistakable.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, quick, main course
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Put miso in a bowl. Add mirin or wine. Whisk until smooth, adding more mirin if needed. Stir in onion, a pinch of salt and of cayenne. Combine scallops, let sit 10 minutes. Cook right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. When ready to cook, heat a broiler (or grill), setting the rack as close as possible to the heat source.
- Broil until lightly browned, without turning, 3 to 5 minutes, or grill, turning once after 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lime juice, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 205, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 25 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1950 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
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