oh sweet halibut

Magical miso. Get a tub of this stuff and use it for anything and everything. Obviously, make soup. But also add a dollop to any stews or stocks for a deeper flavor. Make a salad dressing or a spread with some nutty tahini. Marinate meat. Or, a simple classic, glaze a nice piece of fish. That's what I did here, served atop a red cabbage slaw with a limey, gingery dressing. Super simple, healthy and light, perfectly refreshing for a warm summer day . The miso glaze is wonderfully sweet, tangy, salty, and complex. I kinda screwed up the pieces of fish when I flipped them, cause I'm clumsy like that, but it didn't hurt the flavor one bit. You might want to use a good nonstick skillet for this one. Recipe after the jump:

MISO GLAZED HALIBUT WITH RED SLAW

For the slaw:
1 lb red cabbage, shredded
4 medium carrots, shredded
2 tsps freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce

For the fish:
4 Alaskan halibut fillets (preferably wild), about 6 ounces each
2 tbsp yellow or white miso paste
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Slaw preparation: Combine the ginger, lime juice, sugar, mirin and soy sauce and whisk until well combined. Pour over the grated vegetables and toss well. Set aside while you prep and cook the fish.

Fish preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, mirin, soy sauce, and ginger. Rinse and pat the fish dry, then brush with olive oil. Place the halibut in a hot ovenproof skillet (nonstick is probably a good idea), and sear for 4 minutes. Flip the fish and sear the opposite side for 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Brush liberally with the miso glaze, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes or until it just begins to flake. Serve the fish atop a bed of the red slaw. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.