Miso Spinach Toast Recipes

SPINACH WITH SESAME MISO SAUCE

Steps:

• Wash spinach well. Gather spinach, root ends together, into 4 equal bunches and tie each bunch tightly around middle of stems with string. Blanch spinach, 2 bunches at a time, in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until just wilted, 15 to 30 seconds, then transfer with tongs to a large bowl of cold water to cool. Drain spinach and squeeze excess water from each bunch, squeezing well several times. Cut off string and cut spinach crosswise into 1-inch strips, including first inch of stems. Discard tough stem ends.
• Stir together sesame paste, miso, water, and soy sauce to form a smooth, thick sauce.
• Toss spinach with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

FIVE-INGREDIENT CREAMY MISO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Add the butter, miso and 1 1/4 cups pasta water to the pot and whisk over medium heat until miso breaks down and liquid is uniform, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and Parmesan and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs until cheese is melted and sauce emulsifies. (The key word here is "vigorously." To achieve a silky smooth pasta instead of a gloppy one, put your cacio e pepe skills to work.)
• Divide among shallow bowls and sprinkle with nori or furikake, if using.

MISO SPINACH TOAST

Steps:

• Mix the miso paste with the melted butter, then tip into a frying pan. Add the spinach, cook over a medium heat until wilted, then add the soy sauce. Divide between two toasts, scatter each with the black sesame seeds and the sliced spring onions, and tuck in.