Miso Glazed Fish and Bok Choy

~ White House Red Door

A preschool teacher once declared about my now 15yr old son, “you better have a plan, because if you don’t, he does!” The same sentiment holds true for my January calendarentire household. With two active teenage boys, and one “sign me up for everything” tween, things can quickly get derailed. In my attempts to contain the chaos as much possible, I have a general plan or template for dinners each week. This is so helpful when grocery shopping; daily trips to the store are only occasional, and money is saved because I’m shopping more efficiently with menus in mind. I’ve learned the hard way, that if I don’t have a solid dinner plan in place by the time the kids get home from school, we’re probably doing take out!

That said, things do come up and this is a very flexible “schedule.” Nothing is set in stone. It really just serves as a general guideline and helps me organize my shopping (and mind) for the week. Here’s a look at my weekly template for dinners:
Meatless Monday– Fish
Taco Tuesday– Build your own tacos, fajitas, burritos, etc. I usually set out a protein, with loads of grilled/sautéed veggies, rice, beans, tortillas, cheese, guacamole, and salsa.
Wednesday– Pasta
Thursday– Soup or stew (especially in fall/winter)
Friday– Take-out, and by the end of the week I’m ready for it.
Saturday– My husband usually grills (even in the snow!)
Sunday– Homemade Pizza

Meatless Monday usually means fish, like Fast and Crunchy Baked Cod or fillets simply seasoned with salt and pepper and briefly roasted in the oven.Ingredients for miso glazed fish: white miso, rice vinegar, vermouth, sugar, black vinegar Recently, Miso Glazed Fish has made several successful appearances. The glaze is slightly sweet/salty and perfect for firm fish like swordfish, halibut, and salmon. Sea bass and sable (black cod) would be wonderful as well, but they are expensive compared to the others. The dish is quick and easy. Popped into the oven, it is done in no time. Serve with rice and something green. We love it with bok choy sautéed with ginger, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (recipe follows miso glazed fish).

Note about the photos- You’ll see that there is no beautifully plated finished product. This is the result of the aforementioned active teens and tween. As soon as the fish came out of the oven, I was able to quickly snap a few pics before it was gobbled up. Then it was off to drop one son at basketball, pick the other up from his basketball practice, and get my daughter to ballet. In my ideal world, the final shot would have been a gorgeous piece of fish, lightly sprinkled with sliced green onions, presented on a bed of rice, with bright green bok choy on the side. Use your imagination!  You can see it, right?

Bok Choy
On the bright side, the bok choy did make it into a serving bowl!

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about you? Do you have a general idea of what your dinners will look like throughout the week? Or, do you decide day by day?

Miso Glazed Halibut

Miso Glazed Fish

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons vermouth*
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons white miso
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon black vinegar
24oz firm fleshed fish (swordfish, halibut, sea bass, sable (black cod) salmon)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place vermouth, rice vinegar, white miso, sugar, and black vinegar. As the glaze warms, stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a parchment lined casserole or sheet pan place fish or fish fillets. With a pastry brush, off-set spatula, or spoon, glaze top and sides of fish. I always have glaze left over, so don’t feel the need to use it all.

Place fish in oven. Cook times will vary depending on thickness of the fish. I usually start checking at the 15 minute mark. The fish is done when it is opaque in the center and easily flakes with a fork. Alternatively, you can place the fish under the broiler for approximately 6 minutes… but keep an eye on it, it can quickly burn.

*If you have sake, please feel free to use in place of vermouth.  But we don’t have sake, and I probably won’t buy an entire bottle just to have on hand for this dish.  Vermouth works well, as would dry sherry.

Vermouth, rice vinegar, white miso, sugar, and black vinegar in a small saucepan.
Put vermouth, rice vinegar, white miso, sugar, and black vinegar in a small saucepan.
Ingredients for miso glaze in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Place the saucepan over medium heat, and whisk the ingredients together until sugar dissolves.
Miso glaze in a saucepan
Miso glaze is done. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly.
Halibut fillets in parchment lined casserole with miso glaze in the background.
The fillets are ready for the miso glaze.
A pastry brush glazes the top and sides of fish fillet.
Using a pastry brush, off-set spatula, or spoon, glaze the top and sides of the fish.
Raw miso glazed fish ready to go into the oven.
Place miso glazed fish into a 375°F oven. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until fish is opaque inside and can be easily flaked. Alternatively, place under a broiler for about 6 minutes, but remember to keep an eye on it! The glaze and fish can quickly burn.
Miso Glazed Halibut
Out of the oven… the fish looks done, but need to be sure.
Checking fish for doneness, opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
Checking for doneness… the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
IMG_8964
Quickly served and then off to basketball and ballet! No time for a beautifully styled shot…

 

 

Bok Choy

Sautéed Bok Choy with Ginger, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes

  • Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients:
2 heads of bok choy, rinsed and chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I used grapeseed)
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut in half
1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, stirring frequently for approximately 1 minute. The ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes are there to flavor the oil.

Add chopped bok choy to skillet, stirring so that it mingles with the oil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. The water from rinsing the bok choy will help steam it. Cook for 3-5 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

The bok choy will reduce down by quite a bit. The leaves will wilt and stems will be tender but retain some crunch. We happen to like the contrast of textures, but if you’d prefer more uniformity, give the stems a head start by adding them to the skillet first. A minute or so later, add the leafy part of the bok choy.

Chopped bok choy on cutting board with garlic clove, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Rinse and chop the bok choy. Peel and cut a 1-inch piece of ginger in half. Peel a garlic clove and smash with the flat side of a knife. If you want a little bit of spice, you’ll also need a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes warming in a skillet.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm a tablespoon of vegetable oil with ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes for a minute or so. Watch carefully, so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Stir the bok choy, giving it a light coat of the flavored oil.
Stir in the bok choy so that all the pieces have had a chance to meet the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium low and cover.
Cooked bok choy in skillet
Cook for 3-5 minutes until leaves have wilted and stems are slightly tender, but retain a bit of crunch.

Bok Choy

21 thoughts on “Miso Glazed Fish and Bok Choy”

  1. I really like this idea! I have a menu plan as well but things are really up and down, track meets, people get sick etc. So, now with part time work and work that is not scheduled I am trying to figure this out! I think your idea of pasta night, taco night is a great idea! I am going to implement this plan! Also lovely dish!

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    1. Thanks! It really helps keep me sane when it’s time to start dinner prep. Though like you said, there are ups and downs with any schedule- for us, no track meets, but basketball and ballet (and recently added- cross country skiing!). 🙂

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      1. yes! well now this substitute job means looking online and deciding to take a job that day. I just saw one which started in an hour but thought no way! So I would like to make some freezer meals and have a plan in place so I can take a job like that on the spot. So I like the meal day like pasta etc. great idea! thanks!

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  5. I think you did a marvelous job with the fish – it looks tempting and delicious and I don’t eat fish. I don’t even know how many times I thought to have a weekly dinner schedule but Stefano is constantly traveling for work (I know when he leaves and never know when he’ll be back) so I end up cooking for Her Majesty and myself simply improvising most of the times. I know … not that efficient. 😉

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    1. Thanks, Francesca, that’s a wonderful compliment because I remember you saying you don’t like fish! Improvisation is fun, and Her Majesty is going to be quite a cook too after all your dinners together. Such special time to share with her! 🙂

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  7. It’s such a busy life being the mother of teenage children in particular. There are always so many clubs and societies at school, and elsewhere, they want to attend. Playing taxi service is all part of the daily routine. We always had a menu plan when all our children were at home but now we’re not as strict. We have a general idea of the type of things we’ll be cooking each day, so shopping is all done in bulk. But, like you, we do vary things a lot. I love the miso glaze, and although we’ve never had bok soy, I intend to have a look when I’m next at the market. Lovle recipes.

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    1. Yesterday, I was just doing loops in the car… 3 kids, 3 different schools, and staggered activities left me trying to seamlessly drop off one, pick up another, and while the third was waiting in the wings. Then, the texts started coming in… “I’m ready” or “are you on your way?” to “where r u???” These are not real problems and one day I know I’ll miss the chaos! 🙂

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      1. That sounds like great fun! I hate to say it, but, ‘Ive been there…done that…’ as they say. It’s very wearing to say the least. I’ve had similar problems with the children being at different schools, too.
        Hope your blood presssure’s come down to normal now! 🙂

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      2. Completely normal! Ended yesterday at my oldest son’s basketball game… that’s when we (the moms) get to have our playdates- catching up on the bleachers/sidelines! Wouldn’t trade these days for anything. 🙂

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