Miso Soup with Asparagus and Broiled Salmon

I'm always looking for new ways to eat fish.  This was a wonderfully light soup, perfect for springtime.  Ben said it was the best soup he's ever had.  I liked that it has some veggies in it that we don't eat very often, like bok choy and sugar snap peas.  It comes together quickly, especially if you have the veggies already chopped.  With some crusty bread it would be a great light Sunday lunch.

I found this recipe in my Sugar Solution cookbook by Prevention, but they have the recipe online too.  I used homemade chicken stock instead of the vegetable broth and included some of the bok choy leaves.  The picture is from Prevention's website.



Ingredients:

4 3-ounce salmon fillets, skinned
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons shao-hsing cooking wine* or dry sherry (optional)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups 1/4" slices bok choy (halve stems lengthwise and slice crosswise)
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup 1" pieces asparagus
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup diagonally sliced scallions

Directions 

Place the salmon in a pie plate. Mix 1 tablespoon of the miso paste and the soy sauce in a cup and spread over the top of the salmon. Put on broiler pan and set aside.  Preheat broiler.

Place the oil, garlic, and ginger in a heavy large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.  

Add the shao-hsing or sherry (if using) and vegetable broth, increase the heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bok choy, peas, asparagus, and carrots. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Add the scallions and remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon miso and cover to keep warm.  

After adding the vegetables to the broth, begin to cook the salmon. Broil the salmon 5" from the heat source for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned and just opaque in the thickest part.  

Transfer the salmon to soup bowls, ladle the soup on top, and serve immediately

* Shao-hsing cooking wine is found in any Asian grocery and many large supermarkets. It's also inexpensive.