Miso fish is also a basic thing.

I’ve been making it for pert’neer a decade. It’s fast, easy and requires nearly no attention. And Rachael Ray can shove it up her Photoshopped ass, ‘cuz this takes less than 30 minutes, and I didn’t even have to fake any cooking talent to make it. You do need some basic Japanese ingredients, but for $10 worth of pantry items, you’ll be able to whip out fairly honest Japanese cooking.

Sakana-no nitsuke (miso fish)
You can use any kind of fish for this. I like a working-class tilapia or basa, but cod went on sale and it was just delicious. I like to serve this with Calrose rice and mixed greens to sop up the sauce. Serves 2.

Sauce
3 tbsp shiro (white) miso
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp yuzu preserves or marmalade
2 tbsp sake (optional, but why don’t you just get a bottle of sake and drink the rest)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp mirin (1/2 tsp honey + 1/2 tsp water can be subbed)
2 or 3 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp grated ginger

A good, firm fish fillet such as mentioned above, cut into 2 servings
1 scallion, sliced eloquently

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in your favorite little sauce-whisking vessel. Taste it and make sure I didn’t fuck up the recipe, because I wrote it from memory (however, I think I’m pretty damn close). I’m really assuming you know how to tell if something tastes “not right” and can tweak basic flavors such as sweet and salty. Also, you should just always taste while you cook anyway, unless you want to be a laughingstock, and who wants that.

Preheat the oven to 350^oF (the magical temperature*). Heat up a pan and slip in some oil (not olive, just this once). Lay the fish in the pan (you can add some shiitake if you want), and pour the sauce over the top. Oh, how it will spatter and protest! Turn off the stove and toss this puppy into the oven. The fish will be done in the time it takes to cook the rice (15-20 minutes). When the fish feels firm to the tip of your ring finger, it’s ready. The great thing about this dish is that the fish never really dries out because of the sauce. Go ahead and sprinkle the scallions over the top, for a little flair.

Serve with Calrose rice sprinkled with fumi furikake (rice seasoning) of your choice (I use a spicy nori fumi furikake – it’s totally optional) and some nice mixed greens. Deftly spoon the sauce over the fish and greens, but leave the rice unmolested. You’ll be glad to have moist little mouthfuls of Clean and White to chase the unctuous sauce.

*350^oF is the magical temperature because it gives you the maximum walk-away-and-forget time without resorting to actual slow-roasting. Oh, that shit’ll cook, it just won’t burn the second you turn your back on it. Also, it’ s my oven’s default temp and sometimes, yes, I’m too lazy to push a “temp up” arrow three or four times.