Dinner Tonight: Caramelized Tofu with Brussels Sprouts
After a vegan friend came over for dinner, the shrink-wrapped package of tofu that she'd brought along to eat languished in my refrigerator. Frankly, I didn't know what to do with it. So instead of challenging myself to find a decent recipe, I ignored it for as long as possible, until the consume-by date loomed close. I hate wasting food, but it's possible that I hate tofu even more.
Eventually I landed at 101 Cookbooks, where I stumbled on this recipe for caramelized tofu with shredded Brussels sprouts. The tofu (preferably firm) is sliced into strips and seared with oil, garlic, and pecans, then finished with dark brown sugar to give it a fabulous sweet-savory coating. Then the Brussels sprouts go into the pan so they pick up all the good pan residue and become crisp and golden. The result was a lightning-quick dinner with very satisfying, balanced flavors. The only part I didn't like? The rubbery tofu. Oh well.
About the author: Blake Royer founded The Paupered Chef with Nick Kindelsperger, where he writes about food and occasional travels. He is currently living for the year in Tartu, Estonia.
Caramelized Tofu with Brussels Sprouts
- serves 2 -
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Ingredients
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into thin 1-inch segments
3 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
3 tablespoons fine-grain natural cane sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, ends trimmed off, and cut into 1/8-inch wide ribbons
Salt to taste
Procedure
1. Heat a large skillet and add the oil over medium heat. Add the tofu with a pinch of salt and cook until lightly browned, then add the garlic and pecans and cook until the garlic is soft and fragrant, about one minute.
2. Lower the heat and stir in the sugar, stirring often to avoid burning. Remove from heat and add the cilantro, then transfer to a warm plate.
3. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and stir and scrape to combine with any pan residue. Season with salt and cook, stirring only occasionally to promote browning, until there are golden bits and the sprouts turn a brighter hue.
4. Transfer to plates, top with the tofu, and serve.
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3 Comments:
Just wondering - did you drain and press the tofu before you used it? Tofu is always going to be chewy, but "rubbery" doesn't sound right ....
KarynMC at 5:08PM on 12/30/08
Hated tofu myself, until I found that it must be pressed, and then marinated, before baking/pan-frying/whatever. Now it's in the regular rotation (and I'm quite the Midwestern carnivore).
TruckBoatTruck at 5:09PM on 12/30/08
Yes, it should be pressed, no it doesn't need to be marinated (unless you want it to be a specific flavor before cooking it). From the picture, it's no wonder that you ended up with rubbery sheets of tofu. You may have sliced the tofu too thinly. Try cutting/frying thicker squares of tofu that it doesn't all become caramelized, but leaves a good amount of juicy tofu inside. I'd recommend a 1/3 inch to 1/2 inch slices.
FoodBubbles at 2:11PM on 01/15/09