Miso Salmon with Grilled Bok Choy

Miso is a rich condiment made of mostly fermented rice and soybeans, that you can purchase in a paste form. Miso is high in protein and vitamins and very much a part of daily Japanese culinary culture. Miso is typically salty, but its flavor and aroma depend on various factors in the ingredients and fermentation process.

My husband and I love miso soup and really wanted to make some of our own, so I decided to expand and incorporate the paste into another meal. I've seen a lot of recipes over the years for salmon prepared with miso, so I decided to make a variation of my own.

2 6-8 oz salmon fillet

2 tbsp white miso paste

2 tbsp hot water

1 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp Mirin

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp fresh minced ginger

Place salmon fillet into a glass dish or plastic bag. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over salmon. Place in refrigerator to marinate for about 1-2 hours.

For the bok choy:

2 baby bok choy bulbs, halved

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Drizzle the oil over the bok choy and rub garlic into the layers of the vegetable. Set aside.

Over med-high heat, using the direct grill method, grill the salmon fillets for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the flesh flakes easily with a fork. Grill bok choy, cut side down over direct heat for the last 5 minutes, until wilted and soft. ( I like my bok choy to be soft, but still have a nice bite to it, but you could really leave it on and grill both sides.)