Miso Sauce
A quick, sweet and savory pan sauce of miso paste and fruit jam, cooked with a little garlic and ginger and finished with butter and a squeeze of lemon. The jam sweetens it in place of the mirin and sugar in a classic miso sauce, so it uses what you already have in the kitchen. It's ready in about 5 minutes.
Servings 2 servings
Calories 205kcal
Equipment
- 1 All-Clad D3 8" Frying Pan Any small frying pan works
- 1 Induction Burner Or your stovetop
- 1 Chinois Strainer Optional, for a smoother sauce
- 1 Fine Mesh Strainer Works in place of the chinois
- 1 Mixing Bowls A small one for the miso mixture
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Microplane Grater For the garlic and ginger
Ingredients
Miso Mixture
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon miso paste white or light yellow miso (see notes for other kinds)
- 2 tablespoon fruit jam or jelly or preserves; I used fig preserves
Sauce
- vegetable oil enough to coat the bottom of a small pan
- ½ teaspoon garlic grated
- ½ teaspoon ginger fresh, grated
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- lemon juice a squeeze, to taste
Instructions
Mix the Miso Mixture
- Add the miso paste and jam to the water in a small bowl and mix until everything is incorporated and no lumps of miso are left. Set it aside.
Cook the Sauce
- Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a small pan over medium heat.
- Add the grated garlic and ginger to the hot oil and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the miso mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Finish the Sauce
- Turn off the heat and add the unsalted butter. Keep the pan moving until the butter is emulsified into the sauce.
- Season with a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust: a little more jam if it's too salty, a little more lemon if it's too sweet.
Strain (Optional)
- For a smoother sauce, pass it through a fine mesh strainer, such as a chinois, to take out the garlic and ginger.
Video
Notes
Which miso. I use white miso for this sauce, since it's the mildest. Brown or red miso works too, but it's saltier, so you might need a little more jam to balance it out.
Which jam. Use any fruit jam you have; jelly and preserves work too. I used fig preserves with pork chops. Apricot is the one I use most with chicken. Mango or pineapple jam works really well with fish. Honey works fine in place of the jam.
Making it ahead. Make the sauce up to the butter, let it cool and keep it covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days (the USDA's time for leftovers). When you want sauce, bring the base back to a boil in a small pan, turn off the heat, and finish it with the butter and lemon.
For a smoother sauce. Strain out the garlic and ginger with a fine mesh strainer. Most of the time I serve it just as it is.
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Nutrition
Calories: 205kcal