There’s been a new power ingredient in my kitchen — it has truly been missing for months. An element so elemental to the art of food, I’d argue it’s the piece of the culinary puzzle that pumps it with life.
This “special sauce,” which I now thankfully have back in my kitchen is the presence of PEOPLE — and it’s our reawakened togetherness, the joy of collective enjoyment, and our gratitude for being able to share these delicious summer experiences that suddenly makes everything taste even better than before.
With the rekindled pleasure of hosting friends and extended family, the spices taste spicier, the herbs more aromatic, the umami notes deeper in flavor and summertime seafood that smacks with new and happy memories etched into time. And with so many more mouths to feed, I’m leaning on simple-to-execute, crowd-pleasing menus, dishes and inspiration. Things like:
- Giant vats of summer chowder, which are perfect for large groups (and easy leftovers!)
- Wine pairings that take summer seafood dishes from good to give-it-to-me.
- Summer side dishes that perfectly complete epic seafood feasts.
- Warm weather cod recipes that make this delicate species shine.
- Wild-caught seafood cooked on an open flame.
- And finally, my easy, no-recipe miso-mirin-honey sablefish — aka the flavor profile equivalent of a mic drop inspired by the renowned Nobu preparation, which I prepare by making a marinade of equal parts (you guessed it) miso, mirin and honey, dredging the fillets in it (some folks opt for an overnight marinate, but a quick 10 minutes does the trick), baking at 375 degrees for about 15 min and then broiling until the fillets start to lightly char on top.
So, here’s to cook-outs and love-ins. And to the irreplaceable bliss of being close to the ones you love. May we all get to marinate in the joy of togetherness forever.
Live wild!
Monica
Pictured Above: Miso-mirin-honey sablefish, brown rice with furikake, ground sockeye dumplings and a salad of chilled and seasoned cucumber and radish bites — a plate that’s like a testament to the dynamism of the sea.
