Miso Hungry!

Last Thursday's foodventure featured 2 items I've never worked with before... MISO and QUINOA. Pretty exciting! I've had a package of quinoa in the pantry for a while and never really bit the bullet and gave it a shot (see what I did there?). The stuff is pretty awesome though! Good texture, got some good flavors going, and it seems to be a pretty versatile little grain. Miso is weird... I learned a couple of interesting facts: (1) Sprouts only offers brown miso. Bobby wanted yellow. This got complicated, but after doing a good deal of research, the difference still eludes me. I guess that isn't really learning anything... (2) Once opened, the stuff will last in the fridge for about a year once opened... kinda creepy, no?

 

Miso Orange Glazed Salmon (adapted from Bobby Flay's Grill It!)

• 2 salmon fillets, about 8-oz each
• 1 c freshly squeezed OJ (about 4 oranges), plus the zest from one
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1/4 c miso paste (see intro)
• 1/2 T soy sauce
• 1/2 T rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c thinly sliced green onions 

1. Make yourself a cheese plate for snacking. Begin consumption immediately.

2. Make the glaze for the fish:  Mix up the OJ, zest, and brown sugar in a small saucepan, and boil it. Then simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the miso and cook for 1 minute, then take it off the heat and whisk in the soy sauce and vinegar. Let it chill out. This is the perfect time to start the quinoa!

3. Coat the salmon with 1/2 the glaze and let it hang for 15 mins. By now you should be halfway done with your cheese plate.

4. Get the excess marinade off the salmon, season with S&P, and put it in a lightly oiled skillet... which shouldn't be too hot or you will burn it to a crispy crispness and be sad (I obviously didn't do this... as far as you know). Cook it over medium heat for, say, 4 minutes on the skin side, then a couple more on the other side, depending on how done you like it (I like medium, so like 2 more mins). Make sure to add the reserved marinade and baste the sucker as much as you can without seeming foolish.

5. Put it on a plate, put more of the miso stuff (it's good... you won't regret it), and throw on some green onions (don't skip... they are pretty AND make the flavors aweeesommee). You gotta scroll down to see the final product... I'm not gonna spoil it by showing you too early!!


Asiany Quinoa with Mushrooms (adapted from Quinoa with Asian Flavors)

• 1 c quinoa
• 2 c vegetable broth (use one you made, if you're awesome)
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 T fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 c green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1. Defrost your homemade broth. I know you have it.

2. Toast the quinoa in some EVOO for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Set the timer for 25 minutes.

3. When the timer says 15 mins left, add the sliced mushrooms, stir, and recover. Also, start step 5 for the salmon if you want to eat this all at the same time!

4. Once all the water is absorbed, you're almost done! Stir in the green onions, season with S&P, and serve er up!! Don't forget seconds.

 

Shroomin'

Friday night's foodventure was another glorious success! My only regrets are that I didn't photo-document the beauty and I didn't make enough to last a week. When I tried to steal a picture from somewhere else online and pass it off as my own, I couldn't find something that did it justice! The mushrooms make the butter and cream their bitch, spreading their deliciousness and earthy delights into the sauce and the pasta. Mixing different types of mushrooms is key here. It adds complexity as each mushroom contributes its own distinct flavor to build a truly amazing dish. In fact, I even bought oyster mushrooms, but they were rendered useless as soon as I got home from the store by the discovery of a tragic mold invasion. This recipe is truly a keeper... Adrien may have called it the best vegetarian meal he's ever had. Yeah... that happened!!


Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce

• 1 ½ lbs mixed mushrooms (I used a combo of white, crimini, and shiitake), stemmed (save the stems for stock) and sliced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¼ c chopped parsley
• 1 c heavy cream
• 4 T butter
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb fettuccine
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 or more bottles of Chianti 

1. In heavily salted water, cook the pasta 1 minute short of the package directions. Strain.
2. Saute the shallots in olive oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt them liberally, and crank the heat up to medium-high, cooking the mushrooms until they give up their juices and the juices cook off. Add the parsley, stir it all up, then add the butter, melt it, and add the cream. Cook over high heat until the liquid reduces by about half (this makes just enough sauce to coat the pasta…if you like it saucier, add more cream before reducing).
3. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and cook it for a minute or so until the pasta is al dente.
4. Serve it up, top the pasta with Parmesan cheese, pour the wine, and embrace the gluttony.

Amendment (01/16/12)... PICTURES! Made this again for my momma, and took some quick pix. Sorry for the poor quality. My phone kinda sucks.