Miso Brown Butter and Crispy Sage
Miso and brown butter is an unlikely pairing, but the result is rather earth-shattering. The miso adds a deeper savory note to the earthy and nutty sage-laced brown butter, coming together in a truly magical pasta “sauce.” The miso brown butter can also be used as a dressing for roasted vegetables or grain bowls.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and stir in pasta. Cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and shallots. Cook for about 7–8 minutes, until shallots soften and begin to turn golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter starts to foam, add the sage leaves, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the butter is browned and the sage is crispy. Remove from the heat, then take the crispy sage out of the brown butter and set it aside.
- Immediately whisk the miso paste into the browned butter until the mixture is well combined. Add the pasta to the miso brown butter, along with a splash of the pasta cooking water, the shallots, Parmesan, and parsley. Squeeze the lemon juice on top, season with sea salt and black pepper, and toss well. To serve, add a final drizzle of olive oil, and top with the crispy sage and extra grated Parmesan.
Reprinted from Family: New Vegetarian Comfort Food to Nourish Every Day by Hetty McKinnon (Prestel; 2019) Cookbook cover photo credit: Luisa Brimble