Tomato and Onion Smothered Tofu: A Childhood Favorite

I'm friends with a lot of people who are all about the meat and potatoes which is all fine and dandy, but I get REALLY bored of that old regiment.  As a kid, I was always the one to reach for the plate of steamed veggies first or scoop up more pineapple and tomatoes than fish from my mother's sweet and sour seafood soup (ooookay, I'll blog that one... some time).  But, many years later, I married one of my meat and potatoes friends and have had three kids with him, one of which practically abhors anything green just like his father.  Much to my chagrin.  I've pureed and hidden veggies in the various cookies and cakes I've made for my kids, but the amount of sugar and fat in those recipes doesn't do much to boost their fiberous counter parts.

  Enter tofu, one of my all time favorite proteins.  I love it almost any way you can dish it up, from the gorgeous desert of silken tofu steeped in amber ginger sugar syrup found at Vietnamese fast food establishments to deep fried cubes stuffed with black fungus mushroom and onions (don't knock it til you try it!).  I'd take a plate of tofu over a hunk of chicken or steak almost any day!  The dish I'll be "preparing" for you today is one my Mummy dearest taught me to LOVE.  It's the vegan answer to spaghetti, best served over a bed of freshly steamed Jasmine rice with a generous drizzling of Sriracha hot sauce over top.  And for all you mamas out there, this is a great way to get your tykes to eat their veg and love them too; each serving packs a mega dose of lycopene rich tomatoes, antioxidant mega star onion and creamy, nourishing tofu.  Ah yes, be prepared to dazzle 'em with this goody goody gum drop!

Ingredients:

2 c vegetable (or your favorite) oil, for deep frying

8 ounce firm tofu, sliced half an inch thick
1/2 c corn starch
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp white sugar
3-4 medium Roma tomatoes (or about 1.5 lbs of your favorite tomatoes), roughly chopped*

1/4 c ketchup

1/4 c chicken broth 

1 tbsp fish sauce
1-2 tsp of Sriracha hot sauce

1. Drain tofu, slice 1 inch thick along length and layer between paper towels on a cutting board or some kind of flat dish.  Place another flat dish on top and weight down with something heavy (a couple cans of soup, for instance); set aside.

2. Heat oil in medium sized high sided frying pan or deep fryer over medium heat.  Pour corn starch onto a large flat plate; dredge slices of tofu, front and back, alternately until all slices are lightly dusted.  When oil has begun to bubble**, carefully slide tofu in and fry, 3 or 4 at a time (or as many as can fit without touching), stirring and flipping occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.  Process all tofu in the same manner and drain on paper towels.

3. In a medium sized heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil.  Saute onions until translucent and slightly golden.  Stir in garlic, sugar and tomatoes; continue to saute until tomatoes are falling apart.  Stir in ketchup, chicken broth, fish sauce and Sriracha (if using).  Bring to a slow boil.

4. Quarter fried tofu slices and nestle into tomato onion sauce.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until tofu has absorbed some of the sauce.

Serving suggestions: Dose a couple strips of tofu and the juicy tomato sauce over a bed of freshly steamed Jasmine rice.  Garnish generously with chopped cilantro and scallions and have a bottle of Sriracha hot sauce and a some fresh ground pepper on the ready for a spicy kick!


*Can also use canned diced or whole tomatoes.  Drain from juices before adding them in step three.  Remaining juice can be added as alternative to chicken broth for an extra saucy end product.  I've done this when tomato prices are too-much-and-thirty-cents a pound.  
**There are several methods of checking the oil for the correct temperature for deep frying: 1. Use a thermometer (350 F), 2. When small bubbles begin to break the surface of the oil, toss in a chunk of bread.  If it immediately floats to the top and bubbles collect around it, the oil's ready for frying, or 3. Insert tip of wooden chopstick into oil in center of the pan (where the heat is the highest).  When bubbles collect, oil is ready for frying.

Urban Spoon

Check out my reviews on Urban Spoon.  I'm a supporter of local/mom and pop type establishments and really hope to boost their business through my reviews!

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My First Almost Perfect Attempt at Macarons

I know the secret to perfect macarons: Italian, NOT French meringue.  Such a simple thing, yet so much less pulling out of hair.  Yes, my friends, sugar syrup will save your macaron-eating soul.  Recently, I had my second baby shower in preparation for Baby #2 to enter the world and since I had such a good time, I thought I'd treat my ladies to something their sweet tooth would not soon forget.  Sadly, my neck of the woods does not offer these little darlings in such a gorgeous variety that would be available in, say, San Francisco or Sydney.  What is a foodie to do?

My last attempt was actually pretty successful, although the batch produced (plain almond cookies with strawberry jam infused buttercream) was almost too sweet even for my taste.  I've solved this dilemma by subbing in a healthy dose of gorgeous mahogany cocoa powder for some of the confectioner's sugar and filling each little tender crisp cookie with a heavenly coffee flavored buttercream.  A shot of espresso in cookie form.  NIRVANA!

This recipe is based on a true tutorial by Another Blogger (http://www.myfoodgeek.com/2007/06/08/almost-foolproof-macarons/).  No offense, but I found a lot of errors in the recipe and thought I'd bring it to light for you lovely readers out there.  'Cause none of us likes to waste ingredients as precious as sugar and almonds and eggs, donchaknaw.


Ingredients:

For the macarons: 

120g egg whites, divided (about 5 large eggs)
35g sugar
150g sliced raw almonds
20 g cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
150g powdered sugar

For the sugar syrup:
150g sugar and 50g water


For the Coffee Buttercream: 
3 tbsp milk/water, heated 30 seconds at a time until hot
4 tbsp instant coffee granules 
1 stick butter, at room temperature
3 c confectioner's sugar

The Tools You Might Use (not in order of appearance):

2 heavy gauge aluminum half sheet pans

1 or 2 silicon baking mats (such as Silpat).  Parchment paper is also a fine substitute, although I would not recommend wax paper 

Stand mixer with whisk attachment (not necessary, but is MUCH easier on your arms and back when you're whipping the heck out of some egg whites and sugar)

You can use a hand mixer or even a conventional wire whisk if you're crazy and into that kind of pain and frustration

Food processor (such as the Ninja blender system, which is *cough* what I used and LOVE for many such applications)

Digital postage scale, for weighing all the ingredients.  This really does make a difference as far as accuracy goes.

Fine mesh sieve 

A bunch of cheap, flimsy paper plates

Probe thermometer with digital screen (looks like this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/5710116/?catalogId=51&bnrid=3120901&cm_ven=Google_PLA&cm_cat=Cooks_Tools&cm_pla=Timers_Thermometers&cm_ite=All-Clad_Oven-Probe_Thermometer&adtype=pla)


Rubber spatula


Gallon sized zip top baggie


**To be honest, this is my personal laundry list of success with macarons.  You can probably make substitutions according to what's available in your kitchen, but I can't speak for how well things will turn out.  Macarons are creatures of environment, sensitive to harsh temperatures and conditions.**

Directions - Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 320 F.  Place a smal bowl onto the plate of a postage scale and carefully separate egg yolks from whites by gently passing the white through your fingers.  Pour into work bowl of stand mixer and hand whip until frothy*.  Place bowl onto stand mixer and whip on medium speed until tripled in volume and stiff peaks form (about 10 minutes total).
2. Combine granulated sugar with water in a small heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to boil over high heat.  Reducing heat, bring to 180 F on probe thermometer.  Sugar and water will combine to form a viscose light amber syrup.  Remove from heat.  
3. Reduce speed of mixer to lowest speed, continuing to whip eggs while streaming in sugar syrup.  Small beads will form on sides of bowl and along spines of the whisk, but will not harm the meringue.  Continue to whip for another 2-5 minutes or through out the next step.  
4. Grind almonds, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt to a fine flour consistency in the bowl of a food processor.  Sift onto paper plate to ensure even grind; replace any unground meal and pulse until all is the same consistency.  
5. Remove meringue to a clean bowl, being careful to avoid the sugar crystals (I did this by way of a rubber spatula, dipping directly down into the center of the meringue away from the crystalized edge of the work bowl).  Gently fold almond/sugar/cocoa into meringue using a rubber spatula until completely combined; batter should be a very sticky pancake batter consistency.
6. Place silicone mat onto doubled up half sheets* Place zip top bag onto a vessel big enough to hold it open and scrape as much batter in as possible.  Gather bag opening, pushing batter into one corner and twist bag into a tear drop shape.  Snip 1/4 inch off corner and pipe 1 1/2 inch circles directly onto silicone mat.  
7. Rap cookie sheets with piped batter against counter once or twice by dropping from a height of about 1 inch or so.  This will settle batter firmly against silicone mat, allowing pied/feet to form in final baked product.
8. Allow batter circles to rest in a cool dry place for at least 20 minutes, or until you can touch the tops without any batter sticking to your fingers.  This may take up to 40 minutes and depends on humidity and drafts in the room you're using.  A fan set to low a couple feet away will expedite the drying process.   
9. Bake for 6 minutes, turn sheet around 180 degrees and cook for an additional 6 minutes.  Cookies will puff up more than out, with little bubbles/feet forming around the edges against the pan.  Let cookies cool on silicone mat on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before carefully peeling them off.  Inside should be moist while outside is crisp and dry to the touch.  

Buttercream:

1. Dissolve coffee granules into hot milk/water and set aside to cool slightly.  Whip butter on medium speed until creamy and lightened in color.  Beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping sides continually.  Drizzle in dissolved coffee and continue to whip until well combined and slightly aerated.  
2. Spoon into a 1 gallon zip top baggie, squeezing into one corner.  Twist corner of bag until all frosting is gathered into it and snip about 1/4 inch off.   

Finally, time to fill the macarons:

Flip all cookies so that moist side is up.  Match according to size, 2 per cookie.  Pipe buttercream concentrically onto one side, all the way to the edge and gently sandwich adjoining cookie on, twisting to assure adhesion.  Eat immediately with a cup of ice cold milk or hot cappuccino or store for up to 3 days in an air tight container.  Mine NEVER last more than 2 days, since they all end up in my belly too quickly.  

Look what you get to eat, now!!!! 

Macarons and chocolate/vanilla pinwheel cookies: a special gift received by each person at my recent baby shower. 

This recipe produces a gorgeous little cookie, tender-crisp on the outside, moist and brownie-like inside.  Cocoa powder and a touch of salt do wonders in balancing out the uber-sweet of the confectioner's sugar, while the coffee buttercream finish the flavors off in a rich note.  Try this one out, ya'll; I think you'll find the results to be a rather fine pay-off for any long cooking day.  Enjoy!  

Israeli Couscous Salad: Rice-A-Roni for the gourmand

I absolutely adore shopping for food.  It is one of, if not the very top, favorite of my pastimes; I even find myself sneaking away for little jaunts to the local market just to check out what's good and fresh.  Farmer's markets are next to dangerous for a gal like me, as the overload of fresh produce and seasonal availability makes over spending a last minute thought.  I guess you could say that grocery shopping is my answer to retail therapy.

A common brand of Israeli Couscous, although you bargain shoppers out there should know by the price tag where I found this little jewel

Large grain Israeli couscous used in today's dish

In this "episode" of Feng Shui Gourmet, I'm using an ingredient that many people have never ventured, or even thought to include in their menus: Israeli couscous.  Couscous (pearl and the finer grain variety) are all about texture.  Each variety is exceedingly simple to prepare, but yields large flavorsome quantities fit for any meal or gathering.  Try adding raw grains to your next soup, or cooked as a means to bulk up a pasta or leafy salad.  Be sure to season and flavor amply during the cooking phase as, like most starches, couscous is very bland on its own and loves the company of good taste.

Some great qualities, besides the flavors and fantastic mouth-feel of this dish, is that it is equally lovely to look at and a joy to prepare.  Do not be fooled by the long grocery list; this can be made with almost anything you've got in your fridge.  You just have to have a bag of couscous, a couple different vegetables (anything with an enthusiastic crunch), and your choice of protein (tofu and couscous might be on my next-to-try list...) to be on the road to unboring salad shangri-la.  What a tasty way to clean out the fridge!

Ingredients for Israeli Couscous Salad... :

1 8.8 oz packet Israeli (pearl) coucous
2 tbsp oil (olive oil preferred)
1/2 small onion (approximately 1/3 lb total), finely diced
1/2 tsp chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea or Kosher salt (1/4 if using table salt)
1 3/4 c boiled chicken broth
OR
1 3/4 c boiled water
2 tsp chicken bouillion
2 c Asian broccoli salad (recipe below)
15-20 shrimp, shelled, deveined, seasoned with lemon pepper and grilled 1-2 minutes per side (or until pink through)
4 rashers of bacon, crisped and sliced into lardons (1/2 inch width-wise ribbons)
1/2 large lemon (approximately 1/5 lb total weight)
Zest of the 1/2 lemon


... And for Asian Broccoli Salad (not pictured):
2 heads broccoli, washed, dried, florets trimmed from stems
2 stalks celery (about 15 inches long each), diced
OR
1 small bag of broccoli salad mix (largely contains broccoli, carrots, and a bit of purple cabbage).
1/4 large yellow onion (about 1 lb total weight), finely diced
1/2 c fresh snap peas, sliced on the bias 1/3 inch wide
1/2 c bottled Asian dressing (I recommend Kraft Sesame Dressing)
2 tbsp mayonnaise

Garnish: 

Fresh cilantro, either a couple sprigs or about 1/4 c, roughly chopped

1/4 c sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Shaved lemon zest, finely slivered

*can be used as garnish or chopped up in chunks and mixed into salad

Cover your work surface with a clean kitchen/tea towel (trust me, this will save you about 15 minutes of clean up time after all is said and done).  On a large cutting board, chop broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.  Using either a sharp chef's knife or a mandolin fitted with the smaller toothed blade, cut broccoli stems into matchsticks on the bias.  Alternately, if using bagged broccoli salad mix, gently combine with the rest of the ingredients until a slaw-consistency is reached.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Keeps for up to 2 days in refrigerator.

Untoasted couscous

Directions for Israeli Couscous Salad

1.  Heat high sided frying pan over medium heat.  Add 2 tbsp oil, turn to coat and add couscous, shuffling pan occasionally for even toasting.  Allow to toast until most grains are toasted, about 5 minutes total (watch very closely).

2.  Add diced onion and garlic, stir to combine.  Boost heat to high and add chicken stock OR water with bouillon (should bubble up around edges without boiling over).  Stir to combine, cover tightly with lid and lower heat.  Cook six minutes, stirring at 3 minute mark.

Nicely tanned.

Addition of onions, garlic and pepper.

Sizzling hotness after addition of broth/water 

3.  Remove lid after 6 minutes are up, stir quickly to ensure bottom cooks evenly, replace lid and remove from heat.  Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes or until couscous is al dente.

4.  Scoop cooked couscous into a large work bowl and gently stir to combine with two cups of broccoli salad, bacon, shrimp (if not using as garnish) and lemon zest.

... Et, voila!  Israeli Couscous Salad in all its textural glory!

Serving suggestions:
Place about 1 cup of couscous salad into a rimmed plate, top with whole grilled shrimp and a generous sprinkle each of cilantro and toasted almonds.  Garnish with slivered lemon peel.

Or

Place entire salad into an attractive dish with shrimp fanned out over the center.  Sprinkle generously with cilantro and toasted almonds.  Garnish with slivered lemon peel.  For either application, serve with a plate of quartered fresh lemons on a plate of its own, allowing each person to season to taste.

This salad can be eaten at any temperature, even the day after straight out of the refrigerator as a side dish, snack or even a hearty meal.  If storing in fridge for later use, reserve garnishes for just before serving.