When we think of miso, we immediately think of miso soup or miso butterfish. But when miso is added to a dish, it brings out the umami, or fifth, taste. Umami translates to “pleasant savory taste,” and makes a dish meaty or more brothy. The reason for that is the high levels of the amino acid glutamate that is present in miso. According to Spruce Eats, “Umami has been described as having a mild but lasting aftertaste associated with salivation and sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof, and the back of the mouth.”
It was not until as recently as 1985 that umami was determined to be a scientific term for the fifth taste, at the Umami International Symposium that was held in Hawaii.
Some recipes add miso as an ingredient for the umami taste, as this beef and farro soup from Food &Wine magazine.
Beef and Farro Soup
Serves 6
According to chef and TV personality Hugh Acheson, the soup’s exceptional savory flavor comes from the miso. “You could easily become a well-fed hermit by doubling this recipe and holing up at home,” he says.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and pepper
9 cups chicken stock or broth
1 head of garlic, pierced all over with a knife
3 thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
1 cup farro (grains of three wheat species, sold in one-pound bags by Bob’s Red Mill)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 leek, light green and white parts only, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
3 small carrots, chopped
1 small bunch Tuscan kale, chopped, about 3 cups
2 tablespoons shiro or white miso
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
In a large cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add half the meat to the pot. Cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate; repeat cooking the rest of the meat.
Pour off all the oil from the pot. Add 1 cup stock and stir, scraping up all the browned bits. Add the remaining 8 cups of stock along with the meat, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
Stir in the farro and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the farro is almost tender, 20 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, leek, celery, carrots, kale, miso and paprika. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with cheese and serve.
Chef Kuniko Yagi adds aka miso or red miso to her short ribs to achieve the umami taste. I prefer aka miso to make miso soup over white miso, as it is more flavorful.
Grilled Apple-Marinated Short Ribs
Serves 4
1-1/4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 meaty beef short ribs
Sauce:
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 scallions, sliced thinly
1/3 cup red miso
2-1/2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and very thinly sliced
In a medium bowl, combine the apple juice, soy sauce, lemon juice, scallions, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Place the ribs in a large, sturdy, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, set it in the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. An hour before cooking, remove the marinated ribs from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature.
In a small skillet, heat the canola oil. Add the scallions, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring a few times, until lightly golden and softened, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or mini food processor and let cool slightly. Add the garlic, scallions, miso, gochujang, vinegar, sesame oil and sugar and process to a smooth puree. Season the sauce with salt and transfer to a small bowl.
Light a grill or heat a grill pan. Remove the ribs from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Grill the ribs over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until medium rare, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice across the grain. Serve the ribs with the sauce and sliced apple.
