Miso-Glazed Fish

Salmon on the grill is hard to beat right now – the heat stays outside and so does the mess.  Pretty perfect in my book.  This miso glaze is easy and beyond delicious.

I can’t decide what’s most appealing about miso – the quick flavor it adds to dishes, the fact that it packs big flavor for very few calories, or the deep, rich flavor itself.  Stirred into nothing more than hot water, miso becomes a fragrant, restorative soup.  Whisked into salad dressing, it adds a layer of salty-sweetness, a delicious foil for crunchy greens.  Brushed onto fish before grilling, miso creates a flirty, sticky glaze, the kind that coaxes lovely bits of crispness outside a tender, buttery interior.  A particularly good match, miso and fish.

And an easy one.  While you heat the grill, stir together the glaze and coat the fish.  Choose thick, firm fish for the grill – salmon is a great choice, as is halibut or sea bass.  Serve alongside a salad or hot rice with a handful of peas tossed in for a simple dinner.  Pretty enough for guests, light enough for bathing suit season, and quick enough for a weeknight meal, this dish has it all.

Miso-Glazed Fish
Adapted from www.cookinglight.com
Glazes 4-6 oz. fillets of fish (salmon, halibut, sea bass…)

1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. hot water
2 Tbsp. miso (find it near tofu in the dairy/refrigerated section of grocery stores, red or white work well)
Cooking spray
Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Heat grill.  Combine first four ingredients, stirring until smooth.  Spoon over fish.  Carefully spray hot grill grate with cooking spray.  Grill the fish a few minutes per side or until fish is just done (flakes easily; don’t overcook).  Sprinkle with chives.  (Fish can also be broiled.)