Sake Steamed Kabocha Squash With White Miso Food

SAKE-STEAMED KABOCHA SQUASH WITH WHITE MISO

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, peel squash very lightly, still keeping it green at the edge. Cut squash lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges, then cut the wedges crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.
• In a small bowl, combine miso and 3 tablespoons sake, stir and set aside.
• Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium. Add chile peppers and let them sizzle, then add squash and stir to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread out squash slices in one layer and cook gently without browning for about 3 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of sake and cover with lid. Allow squash to steam for about 2 minutes more, until it is just cooked through.
• Add miso-sake mixture and sesame oil, if using, carefully combining to coat squash slices without smashing or breaking them. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

STEAMED KABOCHA WITH GINGER-SOY DRESSING

Steps:

• Pour water into a large saucepan, wide skillet, or large wok to come 1" up the sides and place over medium-high heat. Mix white and pale-green parts of scallions, garlic, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a small heatproof ramekin. Set inside a large bamboo steamer off heat (or, if using a metal insert, don't bring water to a simmer and fit into saucepan before adding dressing. Cover dressing with foil.)
• Cut squash in half; scoop out and discard seeds. Slice into ½"-thick wedges. Arrange in steamer basket around ramekin, overlapping a little if needed (for metal insert, add as much squash as will fit without piling up, placing over dressing). Set over saucepan (or turn on heat), cover, and steam until squash is tender (a tester, skewer, or paring knife should easily slide through flesh), 13-15 minutes.
• Transfer squash to a platter and top with scallion greens and sesame seeds. Serve with dressing alongside.

SAKE-STEAMED CHICKEN AND KABOCHA SQUASH

Steps:

• Combine chiles, sake, and 1 cup water in a pot. Fit with a steamer basket and arrange ginger in basket. Season chicken with salt and place in steamer basket, skin side up; add squash and 2 sliced scallions. Cover pot and steam chicken and squash over medium heat, adding more water by 1/4-cupfuls if needed, until squash is tender and chicken is just cooked through, 16-20 minutes.
• Remove steamer basket from pot and bring liquid to a boil. Cook until flavors are concentrated and liquid thickens, 6-8 minutes (you should have about 3 Tbsp.).
• Slice chicken and arrange on plates with squash. Pour steaming liquid over and top with additional scallions.

MISO-GLAZED KABOCHA SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a blender or food processor, whirl miso, ginger, sake, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
• In a large bowl, toss squash slices with miso mixture to coat thoroughly. Lift slices from sauce and arrange them, overlapping slightly, on a large baking sheet. Reserve sauce.
• Bake 15 minutes. Brush slices with remaining sauce (you will have some left over) and cook until tender when thick edges are pierced with a fork, about 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Drizzle with sesame oil and serve hot or warm.