Oysters in Vinegared Bean Paste (miso)
Oysters in Vinegared Bean paste -- Kaki No Sumiso-Kake
20-24 oysters, shucked
2-3 Tbsp Sake
8 scallions (optional garnish)
1 Tbsp mustard paste*, Japanese
2 Tbsp miso (bean paste), white
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
Drain oysters, discarding liquor.
Combine sake with 1 cup salted water and bring to boil. Add oysters and cook just long enough to plump and begin to curl, 30 – 60 seconds. Remove oysters and drain well, reserving cooking water.
Blanch trimmed scallions in the bioloing water for 30 seconds, cool in cold water drain well and pat dry.
Mix well mustard paste, miso, mirin, and vinegar and stir until smooth.
Divide oysters among 4 – 6 small bowls, garnish with scallions, and pour sauce over to coat oysters. Best eaten soon after preparation but it is OK to let them marinate at room temperature an hour or two – no more – before serving.
*1 Tbsp dried oriental mustard mixed with a little hot water to form a paste is a good alternate.
Ref: Ortiz & Endo: The Complete Book of Japanese Cooking (1976), modified by KTK
Sound fantastic! I have not made the recipe, but I question: why discard
the oyster liquor?
Anyway, if it is not good for that recipe, make an oyster sauce from it
rather than loosing it to the drain!
John, You are absolutely correct, particularly if you are making a lot and
wind up with, say, more than half a cup of liquor. When we did it, we only
processed 24 oysters (3 each for six people - just right for an appetizer)
which did not make enough liquor to be worth saving. We thought about it,
but could not fit that small a quantity into any foreseeable meal that
week.
Tom.