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I look at a lot of recipes online, but I still look forward to Wednesday because that is the day that all of the newspapers I get publish their food sections. Yesterday's New York Times didn't disappoint with this crispy-tofu recipe. Like the writer of the article Melissa Clark, I've tried to get tofu crispy lots of times, but it's never really worked.
Apparently the secret is a non-stick pan, and the patience to leave the tofu alone while it sears. I don't have a non-stick pan, but I do have plenty of patience. I let the tofu sizzle away in my well-seasoned wok, while I chopped the mushrooms and made some rice and it worked very well. The recipe calls for extra firm tofu but I find it a bit dry, so I used firm and then pressed it for half an hour between two plates with a weight on it.
My daughter and I spent awhile hemming and hawing about whether or not to include the chorizo. It seemed like an odd flavour to add and we all eat so much less meat than we used to. In the end, Emma thought that we would miss the chorizo because there were so few ingredients, so I used it. The dish was delicious, but I wouldn't hesitate to leave the sausage out and make it vegetarian.Crispy Tofu With Shiitakes and Chorizo
Serves 2
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slabs
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
3 ounces cured chorizo (1 1/2 small links), diced (or substitute cured Chinese sausage)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green parts reserved for garnish
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 to 4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons mirin or dry sherry.
1. Using paper towels, pat tofu dry. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Place tofu slabs in pan and cook, peeking as little as possible, until golden on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain slabs on a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Increase heat to high. Add mushrooms, chorizo and white and light green parts of scallion. Cook, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are softened and light golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth, soy sauce and mirin or sherry. Cook until sauce reduces and thickens slightly, about 1 minute more.
4. If tofu is no longer hot, push vegetables in pan to one side; add tofu and cook until heated through. Transfer hot tofu to serving plates and top with mushroom mixture and pan sauce. Sprinkle with dark green scallions.
Difficulty Level: Easy
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