Miso Soup + Seaweed Harvest for Outdoor Wedensday

"Tis the season to be jolly...." True, but wretched excess robs the body of strength and the mind of clarity. That's scary because the holiday season has only just begun and weeks of revelry remain before the firm resolve of the New Year kicks in. Eating sensibly can be difficult and its hard to find nutritional balance on holiday tables. Truth be told, I don't always look for balance, but I do watch what I eat. It's not a diet in the true sense of the word, but when I know dinner will be heavy, lunch will be light, sometimes very light. While I know there are celebrities who advocate regimes of fast and purge, that's not my style. I have to eat something. My something can be light and the portion can be small but it has to be there or my inner diva surfaces. Even I don't like her much. To keep her quiet, I made miso soup for lunch today. In Japan miso soup is a culinary staple. It is very light and usually served at the beginning of a meal. The soup, developed by Buddhist monks in the 7th century, was a favorite of Samurai warriors who chose it for its nutritional content. It is still a favorite in Japan today where it is called misoshiru. The soup is made with a stock called dashi and a soft miso paste. Other ingredients can be added according to whim or availability. Miso paste is made from a mixture of soybeans, a starch such as rice or barley, salt, a smidge of water and yeast. Fortunately, miso paste can be found in most large grocery stores. It comes in four forms: red, white, barley, and soybean. I use a commercially available white miso to make my soup. Unfortunately, I have to make my own dashi. While that's not hard to do, it requires some forethought and advanced planning. When I make it, I make lots and freeze it. If you are unable to get the ingredients for dashi, a vegetable or chicken broth can be used. I add very little else to my soup. I usually settle on a handful of green onions, some Wakame seaweed and tofu. While it is not necessary, I add tofu to "beef" up the protein content of my soup.







Wakame is an edible seaweed that can be farmed or harvested from the ocean. It is high in nutrients and low in fat and cholesterol and, when fresh, is a glorious leafy green in color. I have no access to fresh Wakame, so, I use a dried, dehydrated form. Today's recipe is a two step procedure. The first recipe is for dashi, a Japanese fish stock. The second is for the soup itself. I know it's hard to make something from scratch when dehydrated packets of it are available in grocery stores. I make my own to keep a handle on the sodium content of my soup. I hope you'll give this version a try. Here are the two recipes.

Dashi - Japanese Fish Stock

Ingredients:
4 cups cold water
1 (6-inch) piece konbu (edible kelp), cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup bonito flakes (bonito is a member of the mackeral family)

Directions:
Put water and konbu in a pan. Let konbu soak for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in bonito flakes and remove from heat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Press and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Yield: 4 cups.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:
4 cups hot dashi (see above)
1/3 cup miso paste
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 cup medium-firm tofu
2-1/2 tablespoons pre-soaked Wakame seaweed

Directions:
Bring miso to a simmer. Slowly spoon miso paste into soup. Do not boil. Stir in softened Wakame, green onions and tofu. Serve hot: Yield: 4 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Japanese Clear Soup with Carrots and Daikon Flowers - Kahakai Kitchen
Nabeyaki Udon - Tasty Trix
Vegetable Wonton Soup - Seriously Soupy
Soba Noodle Soup - The Hunger Struck
Chinese Egg Drop Soup - Curious Eats
Tom Yum Goong - Las Vegas Food Adventures

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Miso Chicken - Shades of Gray - Outdoor Wednesday

A perfect dish to ward off the damp and creeping fog.



The ridgeline seen from my kitchen window.



Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast.



London in winter fog.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... This chicken is one of my secret weapons. I make it once or twice a year, usually in the winter, to lift spirits and mellow the steely gray of the Oregon winter sky. The chicken is really easy to do and you can find all the ingredients you need to make it in any large grocery store. Chicken wings cooked in this fashion would be perfect for game day. While I grilled these, they can also be baked in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or so. Mirin is, for the most part, a cooking wine, though it can be served as a drink for ceremonial purposes during new year celebrations. Its composition is 40 to 50 % sugar, so basting marinades made with it must be watched, lest they burn. It is very similar in taste to sake, though it has a lower alcohol content. Interestingly enough, it can be made at home. Miso is a condiment of fermented soy bean paste that can be used to add a unique flavor to marinades and basting sauces. Used in conjunction with mirin, it can help overcome really strong flavors. It, too, can be made at home. Maybe I'll put them on my bucket list. Maybe. Here's the recipe I use for wings or thighs. I actually prefer thighs, but I must admit that wings make better party food.

Miso Chicken ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup mirin or 1/2 cup mirin + 1/2 cup sake
1/2 cup light miso
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoon minced garlic
8 (about 2-lbs.) boneless chicken thighs or 20-24 (about 3-lbs) chicken wings
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1) Combine soy sauce, mirin, miso, onions, ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Divide marinade into 2 parts. Pour half into in a one-gallon zip-lock bag. Shake to mix well. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, shaking bag several times. Refrigerate reserved marinade.
2) Preheat grill to very hot or oven to 400 degrees F.
3) Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
4) If grilling, cook for 5 minutes, turn and continue grilling until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Brush chicken pieces with reserved marinade.
5) If baking, arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on a large rack set over a baking pan. Cook for 30 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade.
6) Transfer chicken to a serving platter and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Photos of the Oregon coast and London in the fog are printed via terms of Creative Commons licensing.