**Miso is a fermented staple ingredient in Japanese cooking.  It adds depth of flavor to food while also contributing beneficial probiotic bacteria that are beneficial to our gut health.  If you are not familiar with this ingredient, check out this article entitled:  “What Is Miso, and How Do I Choose the Right One for What I’m Cooking?” or read more on the website for South River Miso.  You will find miso in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, often displayed near eggroll and wonton wrappers and/or other fermented foods like kim chi, sauerkraut, etc.  There are different varieties of miso.  Sweet White Miso is a good place to start as it has more of a mild flavor.  If you like more full-flavored foods, you may want to try a darker miso such as red miso or one that has been aged a little longer.  I recommend adding miso right at the end of cooking so you preserve all of the beneficial probiotic bacteria that may otherwise be killed by extended time in simmering liquid.  Miso stores for a long time in your refrigerator, so don’t worry about only using 3 Tbsp this week.  Keep it in the refrigerator with the lid tightly secured on the container and you can use it over the course of the season.

For more amazing recipes featuring vegetables from your CSA boxes, visit our recipe archives!