Miso pork cutlets with buttered sesame corn

Name: Miso pork cutlets with buttered sesame corn
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 x 250g pork cutlets; 100g white miso; 2 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 1 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; vegetable oil, for brushing

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

February 3, 2023

Miso-marinated pork cutlets with buttery corn.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Using miso in marinades is one of my go-to kitchen tricks; it adds depth of flavour to meats with little effort. While red miso, which is a bit more intense, works here, too, I usually prefer white miso with pork since it's mild and sweet with a good balance of saltiness. The buttered sesame corn is the perfect accompaniment to the pork, especially in summer when you can find it in abundance.

Ingredients

4 x 250g pork cutlets
100g white miso
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
vegetable oil, for brushing

For the buttered sesame corn

2 tbsp lightly salted butter
kernels from 3 corn cobs (about 400g)
2 spring onions, finely sliced, plus extra to serve
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
50ml sake
3 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
sea salt and white pepper
lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Place the pork cutlets in a non-reactive dish or container and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the miso, mirin, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil and mix to combine. Pour over the pork cutlets, turning to coat. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat a chargrill to hot, brush with a little oil, and cook the cutlets for about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Remove from the chargrill and set aside to rest for 6-8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the corn by warming half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When foaming, add the corn kernels and spring onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is vibrant in colour and cooked (around 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic followed by the sake and continue to cook for a minute or two longer or until the sake has mostly evaporated. Stir through the remaining butter and the sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
4. Slice the pork cutlets and serve with the corn, lime wedges and an extra scattering of spring onions.
Note: In Japan, sudachi, a small green citrus, is used to finish the dish, but here, lime works perfectly.