Taste & Create - Other People's Food

Welcome to the first 2008 edition of Taste & Create, where my directive was to:

• Browse through my partner’s yummy blog entries, and pick out one dish that looks really interesting.
• Create the dish I've chosen.
• Taste it and tell you what I think (aka - blog about it)!
• Include a photograph.

My partner this month is Katie of Other People's Food. I love the premise behind Katie's blog. She takes published recipes (family favorites, features from magazines and cookbooks, the best of the web) and recreates them in her Virginia kitchen, making "Other People's Food" something entirely her own. If you're not familiar with Katie, I'd strongly suggest you go check her out. Go ahead. Really. We'll wait...

I spent the better part of a week combing through Katie's archives, discovering we share a lot of common culinary likes and dislikes. I've bookmarked more that a dozen recipes "to try".

I found myself salivating over a recent series of "brown butter" features, wondering which buttered up recipe I would choose? Goat Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Bell Peppers and Brown Butter? Buternut Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage? Roasted Fish Fillets with Brown Butter Corn Sauce?

In the end I bagged the butter (for now...) selecting her Miso-Glazed Sea Bass with Asparagus.

Asparagus? In January? It looks pretty emaciated in my grocery store, so I substituted leeks and parsnips from my CSA box.

And Whole Foods didn't have any sea bass, so a succulent slice of Alaskan halibut took the lead role in my version.

The fish was excellent. And I knew I'd love the buttery parsnips and crispy leeks. But the standout here was the miso glaze. A brilliant balance of sweet and salty, with a clean tart finish from the lemon, caramelized to perfection under a broiler. MUCH less fussy and far less time consuming than Martha's version or Nobu's, this is going to be my go-to miso glaze.


Miso Glazed Halibut with Roasted Winter Vegetables
(adapted from Katie of Other People's Food)

3 leeks, white and light green parts only
5 medium parsnips
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
fresh cracked black pepper

1 pound halibut fillet
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
juice of one small meyer lemon

Preheat the oven to 450.

Slice leeks in half lengthwise; submerge in cold water, "swishing" to remove dirt and grit. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut parsnips into 2-3 inch cubes.

Toss leeks and parsnips in olive oil. Spread on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast at 450 for 40 minutes, stirring at the 20 minute mark.

Combine the miso, sugar, lemon juice and a couple of twists of fresh ground pepper in a small bowl. Whisk well with a fork to combine.

Put fish in 8x8 broiler-proof pyrex baker. Top with miso glaze.

Broil fish 5-6 inches from heating element under low broiler for 6-8 minutes. Turn off oven and close oven door for additional 6 minutes to ensure thick fillet is cooked through but not dry.

Thanks to Nicole for introducing me to Taste and Create, and to Katie for providing such wonderful recipes to choose from!

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