Ninniku Miso-Zuke (Garlic in Miso)

This recipe produces a Japanese appetizer or condiment rich in flavor. This pickled garlic can be eaten on it's own or added to other dishes. Two wonderful uses for this pickled garlic firstly is to stir-fry cooked rice with thinly sliced pickled garlic and secondly to brush the cloves with a little sesame oil and grill them over an open flame or stir-fry until the are soft. Marinating time should be about 7 days.

• Ready In: 18 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 6  garlic, whole cloves
• 9  ounces miso
• 4  tablespoons mirin

Directions

1. Separate each clove of garlic and trim off the root ends and remove the outer skin. Peel the soft, filmy layer off with your hands.
2. In a sauce pan, place the cloves of garlic and cover with enough water by one knuckle height. Bring to a rolling boil and keep at a rolling boil for 1 minute. Drain and allow to cool completely.
3. Pat the cloves dry completely. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the miso and mirin to make a paste.
4. Place one spoonful of the miso mixture in the bottom of a sterilized (by boiling water) small pickling jar and spread it around. Place a small layer of garlic cloves over the miso mixture. Place another spoonful of miso mixture over the garlic cloves and spread around.
5. Layer more garlic onto the miso mixture and continue to alternate until all cloves are covered. Let stand in a refrigerator. You can serve this after 7 days. It will a little strong at this point but will mellow even more after one month.