Green beans with miso sesame sauce
Serves 4

1 pound (500 grams) green beans
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
2½ tablespoons miso
1½ tablespoons maple syrup

Bring salted water to a boil and blanch green beans for 2 to 3 minutes; then plunge them into cold water and drain well.

Cut the beans into 3-inch long pieces and place them in a medium-sized bowl.

Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown. Put the toasted sesame seeds in a “suribachi” (mortar) and crush them with a pestle.

If you don’t have a mortar, either place the cooled seeds in a Ziplock bag; seal it and crush them with a rolling pin or grind them in a small food mill or processor for only 5 seconds with a couple of pulses.

Stir in the miso and the maple syrup. Pour the sauce over the green beans, toss and serve.

Miso corn muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
¼ cup oil
½ cup milk
1/3 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons miso

Preheat oven to 375F.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the butter, oil, milk, yogurt and miso and whisk well to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and baking soda and mix.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Butter the muffin pan and fill evenly with the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Miso soboro don
(Rice bowl topped with miso-crumbled meat or tofu) 3 to 4 servings

1 pound (500 grams) ground meat (beef, chicken or pork) or a 400- to 500-gram block of firm tofu
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon ginger (grated, with juice)
3 tablespoons miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons mirin (optional)
Steamed rice
Steamed greens

For the meat option, heat the sesame oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add the meat and break into small pieces.

For the vegetarian option, break the tofu into small pieces by hand and place in a medium bowl. Break into smaller pieces with a whisk before heating in the pan.

Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, lower the heat and stir occasionally until the liquid has almost evaporated. Serve on steamed rice and steamed greens.

Put all the ingredients in a medium frying pan over medium heat; bring to a boil, lower the heat and stir occasionally until the liquid has almost evaporated. Serve on steamed rice and steamed greens.