Simple Measure

Miso soup is one of my favorites. I don’t know if you remember, Erin, but you introduced it to me a few years ago when you worked at the Co-op. Isn’t it funny, the things you never knew existed but make you intensely happy when you find them?

Miso is delicious, healthy, and fits in perfectly with a vegetarian diet. I usually use it to replace chicken or beef stock in soups, as well as to flavor rice or quinoa while cooking. It adds depth to dishes that need an extra boost of flavor. And a simple bowl of miso soup is perfect on its own.

One of my favorite meals of all time is a large hunk of O Bread’s Chili Cheese Ciabatta and a steaming bowl of adzuki bean miso. If I could only find something similar in Chicago I would be a happy girl. But I think that’s a meal that will have to live in my Vermont memories. Of course, that’s good motivation for me to try my hand at recreating such a lovely bread.

I’ve tried making lots of different versions of miso soup, complete with soba, seaweed, and god knows what else. But I love this recipe for its simplicity. It’s a good base for any additions or impulses that you have, yet I’ve been enjoying it on its own for the past three Tuesdays now. Its spicy infusion of jalapeño and ginger is just what the doctor ordered on cold winter nights… or even the not-so-cold ones we’ve been having lately.

Spicy Miso Soup
Serves 6

One word of caution with this recipe: if you’re shy about spiciness, try using less jalapeño. Or just remove the seeds and membrane — they contain most of the fire. Since I’m not too picky, I just slice the pepper thinly in order to keep the pretty rings intact.

5 cups water

1 block of tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed

1 shallot, sliced

2 large cloves garlic, pressed

1 large piece of ginger (about the size of your thumb), peeled and sliced

1 large jalapeño, sliced

5 shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced

1 baby bok choy, roughly chopped

1 bunch of scallions, sliced

1 Tbs rice vinegar

Juice of one lime
1/4 cup white or mellow flavored miso

Bring 5 cups of water, shallot, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and mushrooms to boil in a large stockpot. Reduce heat to simmer for ten minutes.

Strain the broth in a colander or sieve; reserve the stock and mushrooms (jalapeños can be reserved if you wish). Return to pot, adding tofu, rice vinegar and lime juice.

Simmer for three minutes, or until tofu is heated through. Remove from heat and add bok choy. Put miso in a small bowl and pour a cup of the broth over it. Whisk until dissolved; return to pot.

Serve garnished with scallions.