Recipe: Den Miso Marinated Fish and Eggplant

DEN MISO MARINATED FISH:
Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds black cod or salmon fillets, skin on
2 cups den miso (recipe below)

1. Cut fish into eight 4-ounce pieces. Place fish in one layer in a shallow dish. Pour 2 cups den miso over fish, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in refrigerator 2 to 3 days, turning once a day.

2. Heat broiler to high. Remove fish from marinade, and place on a baking sheet skin side down. Broil until caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. With a flat spatula, turn fish, and broil 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve immediately. EGGPLANT WITH MISO
Serves 6 to 8

1/2 cup sesame seeds
Canola oil, for frying
4 Japanese eggplant (about 6 ounces each), halved lengthwise with flesh side scored in a cross-hatch pattern
1 cup Den Miso (recipe below)
Pickled ginger and plums, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 . Spread sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove to a shallow dish to cool. Increase heat to broil. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 360 in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place eggplant in saucepan, skin side up, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

3. Transfer eggplant, skin side down, to an unlined baking sheet. Spread each eggplant half with slightly more than 1 tablespoon den miso. Broil to heat through, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and garnish with pickled ginger and plums. DEN MISO
Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups white miso
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sake
3/4 cup mirin

Combine miso and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Add sake and mirin, and whisk to combine using a heavy whisk. Cook over boiling water, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the color begins to darken, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool.