One of my friends once owned a place that served delectable organic small plates in a funky part of town. I had a melt-in-your-mouth soy-miso monkfish that was just to die for. I’ve tried to re-create the experience here. Because monkfish can be hard to find, I use flounder to make this at home, but feel free to use sole, tilapia, salmon, or any fish. For that matter, this would be delicious with chicken or pork tenderloin as well. To make the dish spicier, double or triple the amount of black bean sauce. You can usually find black bean and garlic sauce in the Asian section of the grocery store.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2

　　2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

　　1 cup sushi rice

　　1/2 to 3/4 pound fish fillets

　　2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

　　4 teaspoons miso paste

　　2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

　　1 teaspoon black bean and garlic sauce

　　1 large golden or red beet, peeled or not and sliced

　　2 shiitake mushrooms, halved and sliced

　　2 cups snow peas

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

　　

Step 2

Wipe the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil.

　　

Step 3

Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add to the pot with 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water and stir until the rice settles into a smooth layer. Add the fish.

　　

Step 4

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, miso paste, rice wine vinegar, black bean and garlic sauce, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil. Stir until the miso is dissolved and the sesame oil is incorporated, then drizzle half of the mixture over the fish.

　　

Step 5

Arrange the beet slices in a layer on the fish, then scatter the mushrooms on top. Load in the snow peas and drizzle the rest of the soy mixture over all.

　　

Step 6

Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 7

Calories: 542

　　

Step 8

Protein: 34g

　　

Step 9

Carbohydrates: 91g

　　

Step 10

Fat: 3g

　　

Step 11

Cholesterol: 54mg

　　

Step 12

Sodium: 137mg

　　

Step 13

Fiber: 7g

　　Glorious One-Pot Meals