Recipes: August 2006 Archives

Soy-a-phobes are constantly complaining about tofu's lack of flavor and its freaky texture--and sometimes they're right. Here's a sandwich that will make your weak-minded meat friends and your vegan cohorts coo with coagulated bean contentment.

We used baked tofu for this sandwich: You can find it in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets. It will usually come with four small, brown bricks per package, and sometimes it will be labeled as "smoked" or "savory" tofu. This type of curd is ideal for many applications because it's totally firm, it's very low in moisture and it has a slightly sweet taste unlike the sometimes-tepid flavor of its soggy brethren. Buy a pack of baked/smoked/savory/whatever tofu, make this recipe, then use the leftover tofu on your grill, in your spring rolls, stir-frys or scrambles.

Tofu and Cauliflower Sammy
2 pieces of baked tofu
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbs. green curry paste
1 leek
3 shallots
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 small bulb ginger
1/2 head of cauliflower
8 Tbs coconut milk
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
5 pieces of romaine lettuce
8 sprigs cilantro
8 leaves of basil
2 tbs. Sriracha
2 tbs. sweet chili sauce
4 pieces of bread

1. Wash the tofu in cold water and slice width-wise into thin strips. Heat 3 Tbs. oil in a skillet on medium heat and add 2 Tbs. curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the sliced tofu, crank the flame to high and sauté for 5 minutes stirring the tofu to discourage burning. When your tofu starts to show some brown, and is fully coated with curry, remove from heat and let cool on a plate.

2. Slice your leeks, shallots, ginger, garlic and cauliflower. Reheat the same pan with the remaining oil and curry paste. Add and sauté the leeks, after the curry starts to spit, keeping a lid on your pan for 5 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, shallots and ginger and sauté for an additional five minutes. When the leeks are soft--the garlic and shallots transparent--add the cauliflower and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 6 Tbs. of coconut milk and cook for three more minutes. Turn off flame.

4. In a small bowl mix the remaining 2 Tbs. of coconut milk, the sesame oil, the rice vinegar and mix with a fork. Stack your romaine, heart-side up, and pile the basil and cilantro in the newly formed 'crotch' of the lettuce. Fold the romaine over as if you were rolling a joint, and slice in the thinnest strips you can. Dress your green ribbons with the coconut-vinaigrette. Toast your bread. Spread 1 Tbs. on one piece of toast, 1 Tbs. of sweet chili sauce on the other. Stack tofu, veggies, greens and slice. This will make 2 sammies and leftovers.

Beverage: Avery Brewing Co.'s Salvation Golden Ale
Soundtrack: Dirty Three, Whatever You Love You Are

We are admittedly, and decidedly, dessert deficient. Salt, hot peppers and garlic hold the key to our hearts. Those of you who dutifully read will note that since our official inception back in early '06 we've never--not once--dared pen a sugar script for your sweet tooth.

So, when Stone Brewery (our personal lords and saviors) sent us a case of serious high-gravity bombers, aka 22 oz. beers (that's full disclosure people!), our mission was clear: to churn some hard-assed beer ice cream. After experimenting with a borrowed ice cream maker, a lot of dairy and some of the finest beer in SoCal, we think we stumbled upon a model marriage of the strongest, booziest beers and the all-too-human need for frozen dairy products.

We fell partial to two varieties: Chocolate Stout, and Caramel Barleywine. Thanks to Stone, we made use of their seasonal brews Russian Imperial Stout and Old Guardian Barleywine. Both of these flavors are sweet and strong--perfect for ice cream--but if you have a different brew loyalty, substitute a sweet beer of your choice and scream away.

Beer Ice Cream
2 cups of your favorite stout, porter or strong ale
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

1. You will need an ice cream mixer and two metal bowls.

2. Pour two cups of your selected brew into a heavy bottom saucepan (the thicker the bottom, the more delicate the reduction, so watch out). Crank the flame to medium high until you get a nice, rolling boil. Watch carefully, as your beer will probably bubble over once you get to a solid boil. When it looks like your beer is getting ready to invade your ever-so-meticulously-cleaned stovetop, turn the flame down low and simmer. At this point your kitchen should smell like fresh bread.

3. Simmer for about half an hour, or until 2 cups have reduced to 1. While your beer reduces, set up a double boiler by heating a large pot half-full of water to a light boil. When the water starts to bubble, and the beer has reduced completely, whip the 3 egg yolks in a separate bowl, preferably another metal one. Pour the beer reduction into the clean metal bowl, put it over the boiling water, and whisk in the sugar until it has dissolved. Remove the beer/sugar syrup from atop the double boiler, and in its place put the bowl with the whipped egg yolks. Add the beer syrup in a slow, steady stream, all the while whipping the eggs.

4. Once all the beer and eggs have been mixed, remove the bowl from the double boiler and add the heavy cream, again in a slow, steady stream, whipping constantly until fully mixed. Place mixture in a Tupperware-like container and chill in your fridge for at least an hour. Set up whatever ice cream contraption you can and spin your beerscream for about 30 minutes, and freeze for 3 hours before serving.

Beverage: The leftovers from your bomber, duh.
Soundtrack: Sister Nancy's One, Two.

Talk knives with us at www.laalternative.com/hotknives/

You don't have to be OK with eating something called "cabeza" just to enjoy a taco, but in L.A. it sure helps. And while most taco trucks have veggie options--potato or even just vegetarian tacos with beans, veggies and cheese are always safe--you probably won't find tofu Mexican-style anytime soon.

So, for that rare instance of drunk dining at home, whip up some of these tofu-potato tacos topped with sour cream-less herb guacamole (if you can't resist the real stuff, mix some extra cumin, cilantro and garlic with your sour cream).

Tofu Tacos
1/2 block firm tofu
2 Tbs. cumin
1 white onion, minced
6 cloves garlic
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 portobello mushroom, diced small
1 white potato, boiled and mashed
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 bunch celery tops, finely chopped
5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. Tapatio (or equivalent hot sauce)
1 Tbs. soy sauce
6 corn tortillas

Guac-a-dilla
2 avocados
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dill, chopped

1. Press your tofu by wrapping in paper towels and placing a phone book on top of it. Let sit for 10 minutes on each side and discard the tofu water. In a bowl, smash the tofu thoroughly with a fork until totally crumbled. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, sauté the cumin, onion and garlic in 3 Tbs. of olive oil on high heat. Let cook for a couple minutes and add the tofu, mushroom, onion, mashed potato, jalapeño and chopped celery tops. Stir thoroughly to keep from sticking. After about 15 minutes, the tofu crumbles should be browned and the mushroom should be well cooked. Add the hot sauce and soy sauce and place on simmer until you're ready to serve.

3. Cut and scoop the avocados into a bowl. Mash together, then whip thoroughly with the olive oil and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Throw your tortillas on a large skillet and heat until nearly crunchy. Heap the tofu filling on each tortilla and top with the dill guacamole.

Beverage: Margarita on the rocks with mint and lime wedges.
Soundtrack: Charles Mingus' Tijuana Moods

Simón Bolívar dreamt that one day the entire American continent from Mexico to Paraguay would be one country: a Latin America with no borders that was united and totally free from foreign control. While we all know that the latest and greatest champs of 'sans border' mentality hang in Washington, we thought we'd pay tribute to Senior Simón (aka The Liberator) with these two sauces from twin countries: Argentina, and Chile.

Pebre is the condiment in Chile, eaten on everything. Chimichurri is traditionally a steak sauce and usually only shows up here at a few Argentinean grills, or on the snotty menus of "super original" high-end steak houses on the Westside. Unite these two dormant bro's in your kitchen. They are for the people.

Chimichurri
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons
2 Tbs. red chili flakes
3 jalapeños
4 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice only
1 packed cup parsley
4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs. ground black pepper

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil on the lowest flame you can muster, while you zest the lemons. Add the lemon zest and the chili flakes and gently simmer. After 20 minutes--the perfect amount of time to make pebre--remove the oil from the flame and cool in your fridge.
2. Place the jalapeños on your burner one at a time over a full flame, turning occasionally to blacken every side of each pepper. When completely black, place all three peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for ten minutes. After that the skin should come off very easily. Chop one jalapeno and reserve the other two for your pebre. Skin and quarter the garlic and shallots. Place the shallots, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and blend into oblivion. Add the now cool, infused oil to the mixture in a slow, steady stream while blending continuously, to emulsify.

Pebre
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
The juice of two lemons
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 roasted jalapenos chopped (deseeded if needed)
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients in order of appearance.

Both sauces will keep well for three days refrigerated in a sealed container. They will grow more intense and amazing with each hour they sit in your fridge. Serve each sauce on toast with sliced heirloom tomatoes or as a condiment for eggs, cheese, pizza, or salad....or just eat 'em with a spoon.

Beverage: A spicy Malbec variety wine
Soundtrack: Buene Vista Social Club's self-titled