Garlic embedded in miso (ninniku no misozuke)

At one of the shoots for my preserving book, I poked garlic in miso and subsequently forgot about it. For about one year. When I dug the garlic out, it was sublime. You don’t have to wait one year, though I would suggest trying these every few months. You can keep them in a ginger jar on the counter or in the fridge, whichever works for you. I love miso as a pickling medium because you don’t need to add anything to it and there are enough different types of miso to give you a variety in the pickling process. This miso pickling bed should not be reused for miso soup, but a dab of it in a Western stew could be all the salt you need–just a hint for that hidden taste. This garlic-infused miso is also fantastic dolloped on a hot bowl of rice or smeared on grilled eggplant.