Umami, the fifth taste, delivers savoriness, complementing the basic four tastes of sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness. You can get this going on at home with the secret ingredient, miso paste. If you add sake to your alcoholic beverage inventory, you can have a fabulous dinner when you thought you were just going to broil some fish. Inspired by Steve Sawa’s “special sauce” – it’s so good, it even made the Wall Street Journal. Omakase.
Miso Sauce
makes about 1 cup
makes about 1 cup
1 cup sweet white miso paste
1/4 cup sake
3 T honey or unrefined cane sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 drop lemon juice
1 drop sesame oil
1. Boil the sake in a small saucepan for 20 seconds. In a small bowl, stir a teaspoon of the sake into the dry mustard to dissolve, then add back to the pan with the remaining ingredients. Whisk to make a smooth consistency. Spread some of this sauce on fish or shellfish and bake/broil to cook (see www.montereybayaquarium.org Seafood Watch for best choices).
Amy’s Kitchen Coach Tips
- Basic method to bake fish fillets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay fish fillets on a rimmed cookie sheet pan or other baking dish. Slather each fillet with a tablespoon or two of the miso sauce. For halibut or salmon filets, 6 – 7 minutes is usually good, then crank the oven to broil and finish under the broiler for 2 minutes.
- This sauce would probably make a great overnight marinade for fish…but I haven’t tried it yet. Next time.