Well this was good.  I have never cooked with Miso before, not sure why……it just wasn’t on my radar.  I will definitely be using it again.  Tender breast fillets marinated in a mixture of fragrant Asian condiments and topped with gorgeously earthy Asian mushies.  Topped with the ever present Asian herbs that are signature Em’s Food, this dish will impress family and friends alike!

Prep time:  20  Minutes    Marinating time:  30 Mins Minimum     Cooking time: 30  Minutes      $$  Medium Budget

Serves 4

Peanut oil for frying

4 x chicken breast fillets (trim the tenderloins and freeze for later use)

3cm piece of ginger, finely julienned (I use my peeler to peel strips and then use the knife to finely slice)

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

2 tbs of white miso paste

1 tbs of sambal oeleck (chilli paste)

2 tbs of honey

1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar

2 tsp of sesame oil

1 punnet of oyster mushrooms, halved

1 punnet of shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 cup of coriander leaves

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

2 tbs of toasted sesame seeds

Steamed Asian greens & steamed rice to serve

Sesame oil for drizzling

Pre heat the oven to 200°C

In a jug or bowl, use a whisk to combine the miso, honey, chilli paste, rice wine vinegar, samba oeleck and sesame oil.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir to combine.

Score the breast fillets lightly, on the diagonal about 1.5cm apart with a sharp knife and place them in a shallow baking dish.  Pour the miso marinade over the fillets, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  I marinated for about 2 hours but you could do it overnight if you like.

Place the coriander leaves and spring onions in a bowl of iced water, drain just before serving.

Remove the fillets from the marinade (save it for later), shaking off any excess and place on a lined baking tray.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked right through.

Heat a frypan and add a little oil.  Fry the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes or until golden and then add the marinade.  Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, adding a little water if it gets too reduced.

Remove the breast fillets from the oven and allow to rest for a couple of minutes.  Once rested, slice them on the score lines.

For nice presentation I spoon rice into a small ramekin and invert onto the plates.  Place your steamed greens beside the rice and fan the chicken over the top.  Spoon over the mushrooms and sauce and top with the coriander and spring onion.  Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and drizzle with a small amount of sesame oil (a few drops is enough) and serve.  This would look really good on a large platter in the centre of the table too, with the rice on the side.