White miso is salt with a memory. It adds the salinity you expect, but underneath it there’s something else — fermented depth, a little funk, the kind of savoriness that makes the other ingredients taste more like themselves.

This recipe pairs it two ways: in a bright, herbaceous sauce that goes over the steak, and worked into the farro while it’s still warm. Neither use screams miso. That’s the point.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Steak

• 1 NY strip steak (about 1 inch thick, 12–14 oz)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

Miso-Herb Sauce

• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon (or extra parsley)
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• Black pepper to taste

Warm Farro Salad

• 1 cup farro
• 2½ cups water or stock
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Handful of arugula
• Salt and pepper

Method

Farro

1. Rinse the farro. Bring it to a boil in salted water or stock, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender but with some chew, about 25–30 minutes. Drain well.
2. While the farro is still hot, stir in the miso and butter until both melt in. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook another 2–3 minutes, until they blister slightly. Deglaze with the red wine vinegar.
4. Toss the tomato mixture into the farro. Add the arugula and fold gently — it should wilt just a little from the residual heat. Taste and adjust.

Miso-Herb Sauce

5. Whisk together the miso, lemon juice, and warm water until smooth. Add the garlic, then whisk in the olive oil. Fold in the herbs. The sauce should be spoonable, not pourable — adjust with a little more water if needed. Taste for seasoning.

Steak

6. Pat the steak dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes if you have time.
7. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s very hot. Add the oil, then the steak. Cook 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, pressing gently to ensure full contact. If the steak is thick, use tongs to sear the edges too.
8. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Plate

9. Spoon a generous mound of farro onto each plate. Lay the sliced steak over or alongside it. Drape the miso-herb sauce over the steak so it runs into the farro.

Notes

• White miso is mild and sweet. Red miso is sharper and saltier — use half the amount if substituting.
• The sauce keeps well in the fridge for a few days and is excellent on roasted vegetables, fish, or grain bowls.
• Farro can be cooked ahead and rewarmed with a splash of water or stock in a skillet.