Tuna with Miso-Chile Sauce

Name: Tuna with Miso-Chile Sauce
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon butter; 1 teaspoon minced shallot; 1/2 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger; 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/8 teaspoon Japanese or other chili paste (see headnote); 1/2 cup red wine; 1 tablespoon mirin or honey; 2 tablespoons dark miso; 1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; Four 1-inch-thick tuna steaks, each 6 to 8 ounces; Salt and black pepper to taste

December 14, 2011

This is a more complicated use of miso, useful not only for fish but for meat (just substitute tenderloin for the tuna). I learned it from Japanese-born chef Tadashi Ono, who now lives in New York. His dual lives encouraged Ono to take a few liberties of the type that few would take in Japan, with a classic sauce like this one; but if this is fusion cooking, it’s the good kind. The Japanese chili paste called tohbanjan is strictly traditional here, but you can use Vietnamese or Korean chili paste or simply cayenne. I love this with Basmati Rice with Shiso (page 510).

Recipe notes

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