Miso Eggplant Burgers with Shiso and Sesame Mayo

Name: Miso Eggplant Burgers with Shiso and Sesame Mayo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 large (about 1 lb each) (900 g) large globe eggplants, stems trimmed, cut crosswise into eight ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds from the widest part (save the narrow ends for another use); 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado oil; 3 tbsp (55 g) white (shiro) miso; 3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin; 1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water; ¼ cup (60 g) Japanese or regular mayonnaise; 2 tbsp (18 g) white sesame seeds, toasted (1 tbsp will be crushed into the mayo, 1 tbsp kept whole for topping); 4 buns (240 g) burger buns, brioche or potato, split; 8 leaves (8 g) fresh shiso (perilla) leaves, rinsed, patted dry, stems removed; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) medium ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thick rounds of eggplant are broiled until silky, then lacquered with a sweet-salty white miso and mirin glaze until bubbling and caramelized. Stacked on toasted buns with fragrant shiso, juicy tomato and nutty sesame mayo, they are deeply savory and satisfying without any meat.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 51 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the eggplant
2 large (about 1 lb each) (900 g) large globe eggplants, stems trimmed, cut crosswise into eight ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds from the widest part (save the narrow ends for another use)
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado oil
For the glaze
3 tbsp (55 g) white (shiro) miso
3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin
1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
For the sesame mayo
¼ cup (60 g) Japanese or regular mayonnaise
2 tbsp (18 g) white sesame seeds, toasted (1 tbsp will be crushed into the mayo, 1 tbsp kept whole for topping)
For assembly
4 buns (240 g) burger buns, brioche or potato, split
8 leaves (8 g) fresh shiso (perilla) leaves, rinsed, patted dry, stems removed
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) medium ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick

Equipment (7)

Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), lined with foil
Small dry skillet for toasting sesame seeds
Pastry brush or spoon for glazing
Small bowls for the glaze and mayo
Sharp chef's knife
Paper towels
Metal spatula or tongs

Steps

Before you start

Eggplant needs 15 minutes of salting, so start there and make the glaze and mayo while it rests.
Know your broiler: position the rack so the eggplant sits 5 inches (13 cm) below the heating element. Miso burns fast, so stay near the oven once the glaze goes on.
Choose firm, glossy eggplants with tight skin and no soft spots; they have fewer seeds and less bitterness.
If shiso is hard to find, see substitutions. Buy it from an Asian market or well-stocked grocery.

1
Salt the eggplant
- Arrange the 8 eggplant rounds in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or board.
- Sprinkle both sides evenly with the kosher salt (about ⅛ teaspoon per side, per 2 rounds).
- Let them sit for 15 minutes; beads of moisture will form on the surface.
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Ready when: Surfaces are beaded with moisture and slightly glossy
Tip: Don't skip the salting; unsalted eggplant turns spongy and watery under the broiler.
2
Mix the miso glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the white miso, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger and water until completely smooth and about the consistency of thick honey.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: No miso lumps remain and the glaze drips slowly off the whisk
Tip: If it is too stiff to brush, whisk in 1 more teaspoon of water.
3
Toast seeds, make mayo
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking the pan often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate.
- Crush 1 tablespoon of the seeds with the back of a spoon or in a mortar, then stir into the mayonnaise.
- Keep the remaining 1 tablespoon whole for topping.
- Refrigerate the mayo until serving.
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Ready when: Seeds are light golden and smell nutty
Tip: Seeds go from golden to bitter quickly, so move them off the hot pan as soon as they color.
4
Heat the broilerOven 500°F / 260°C
- Position an oven rack 5 inches (13 cm) below the broiler element.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and heat the broiler on high (about 500°F / 260°C) for at least 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Element glows bright orange-red
Tip: Foil makes cleanup easy; the glaze caramelizes onto the pan and sticks fiercely otherwise.
5
Dry and oil the slices
- Blot both sides of each eggplant round firmly with paper towels, wiping off excess salt and moisture.
- Brush both sides of each round with the neutral oil (about 2 teaspoons per round) and arrange in a single layer on the foil-lined sheet.
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Ready when: Slices are dry to the touch and evenly glossy with oil
Tip: Eggplant soaks up oil; brush rather than pour so the burgers don't turn greasy.
6
Broil the first sideOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the sheet under the broiler (500°F / 260°C) and broil for 5 to 6 minutes without turning, until the tops are deeply browned in spots and the flesh looks slightly collapsed.
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Ready when: Tops are deep golden brown with darker flecks
Tip: Broilers vary; if the edges blacken before the centers brown, lower the rack one position.
7
Flip and cook throughOven 500°F / 260°C
- Using a spatula, flip each round.
- Broil for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the second side is browned and a knife slides into the center with no resistance.
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Ready when: Knife tip glides through the center like soft butter
8
Glaze and caramelizeOven 500°F / 260°C
- Remove the sheet and brush the tops generously with about half of the miso glaze.
- Broil 1 to 2 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and browns in spots.
- Flip the rounds, brush the other sides with the remaining glaze, and broil 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Sprinkle the whole toasted sesame seeds over the tops.
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Ready when: Glaze is bubbling, mahogany brown with a few dark spots, not black
Tip: Watch constantly: sugar in the mirin and miso can burn in under 30 seconds.
9
Toast the bunsOven 500°F / 260°C
- Move the eggplant to a plate.
- Place the split buns cut side up on the same pan (or a clean one) and broil for 45 to 60 seconds, until the cut surfaces are lightly golden.
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Ready when: Cut sides are pale golden and slightly crisp
Tip: Stay put; thin bun edges burn faster than you expect.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread sesame mayo on both halves of each bun.
- On each bottom bun, layer 1 tomato slice, 2 shiso leaves, then 2 glazed eggplant rounds, overlapping slightly.
- Cap with the top bun, press gently, and serve immediately while the eggplant is hot.
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Tip: Place the tomato below the shiso and eggplant so juices soak into the mayo-coated bun, not the eggplant glaze.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the rounds an even ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick so they cook at the same rate; thinner slices burn, thicker slices stay firm in the center.
Apply the glaze only at the end. Miso and mirin caramelize and burn quickly, so adding it earlier gives bitter, blackened patches.
Rotate the pan front to back after glazing if your broiler has hot spots.
For extra crunch, add thin slices of cucumber or quick-pickled ginger to the burger.

Make ahead

"Salt, dry and broil the eggplant (steps 1, 5 to 7) up to 1 day ahead without glazing; refrigerate in a covered container. The glaze and sesame mayo can also be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Glaze and broil just before serving (step 8), adding 1 to 2 minutes to warm the eggplant through."

Storage & reheating

"Assembled burgers are best eaten right away. Store leftover glazed eggplant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat on a foil-lined sheet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8 minutes. Freeze cooked, unglazed eggplant for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before glazing. Sesame mayo keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not recommended at room temperature for more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

fresh shiso (perilla) leaves → Fresh basil leaves with a few mint leaves, or baby arugula. Basil plus mint approximates shiso's herbal, slightly minty flavor.
mirin → Dry sherry or rice wine plus 1 teaspoon sugar for each 3 tablespoons. Use 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the wine with 1 teaspoon sugar stirred in until dissolved.
white (shiro) miso → Yellow miso. Slightly stronger and saltier; use 2½ tablespoons (45 g) instead of 3.
Japanese or regular mayonnaise → Unsweetened plain vegan mayonnaise. Makes the burgers fully vegan, provided the buns are also vegan.