Miso Butterscotch

Miso butterscotch sounds like dessert — and indeed can be — but it is better imagined as a step beyond the caramel sauce you may know from Vietnamese cooking. Use it on poached pears or apples; as a marinade for meat; as a braising base for sturdy vegetables like cabbage, eggplant, turnips or new potatoes; or as a sundae sauce, especially over fruit ice creams or sorbets.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup cream
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup miso (red miso is a bit salty for truly sweet applications)
• ¾ cup brown sugar

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    248 calories; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 335 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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About 2 cups

Preparation

1. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts.
2. Stir in the miso and sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened and shiny, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add a little more sugar if you think it’s too salty (remember, you’;ll be using it in savory dishes).
3. Use right away or refrigerate, well covered, for up to 1 week and rewarm before using to loosen it up.

• Possible additions: Chopped nuts; some sesame oil instead of butter; some honey instead of brown sugar.
• On poached pears or apples; marinade for meat; braising base for sturdy vegetables like cabbage, eggplant, turnips or new potatoes; sundae sauce — especially over fruit ice creams or sorbets.

10 minutes