RECIPE: MISO SALMON FROM ULTIMATE BENTO

The hosts of Bento Expo, Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa, make bento meals accessible to North American cooks with expert Japanese touches in their new book Ultimate Bento. Fish cured with miso paste, known as misozuke in Japan, has been around for about 500 years, but it's most likely one of the original dishes served in bento boxes. Though salmon is used here, this preparation is good with almost any fish that has a relatively high fat content.

■ 2 tbsp (30 ml) yellow miso paste

■ 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey

■ 1 tbsp (15 ml) sake

■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) grated ginger

■ two 7-oz (200-g) fillets salmon

■ 1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil

1. Whisk the miso, honey, sake and ginger together in a small bowl until smooth. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface.

2. Spread half of the miso marinade in an even layer in the centre of the wrap. Lay the salmon fillets on the marinade layer.

3. Cover with the remaining marinade. Wrap the plastic wrap tightly around the salmon, squeezing out any air. Let the salmon cure in the refrigerator for at least two days, or up to five days.

4. When you're ready to make your bento, use your hands to scrape off as much of the marinade as you can. Use a paper towel to remove any remaining marinade.

5. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl it around. Place the salmon in the pan and fry on one side until it's golden brown. Be careful, as the honey makes the salmon burn easily. If it gets too dark too quickly, turn down the heat.

6. Turn the salmon over and fry until the second side has browned and the salmon is cooked through. Serve with broccolini and rice.

Makes: 2 servings