weeknight dinner: apricot chili glazed tofu

this is another one of those things i've had in the back of my head since i first saw the recipe. the original recipe was for chicken lettuce cups but it was the apricot sesame sambal sauce to go with them that had me. i finally decide to use the sauce with a stir-fry. since i didn't quite have the exact ingredients that the original recipe called for, my version is slightly modified. i also adjusted quantities depending on flavors that i prefer. the result is a classic combination: sweet and spicy. don't be scared by the fruit and spicy combo. i'm not sure why but several people i've mentioned this to have had an awkward reaction. just think duck sauce. (often apricot based).

apricot chili glazed tofu
(adapted from guy fieri's apricot sesame sambal sauce from the food network)

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• whatever asian hot chili sauce you have adjusted to taste; i only had thai chili sauce, so i used a drizzle
  
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon minced cilantro
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• tofu, diced
  

• mix all ingredients together thoroughly
  
• use part of the sauce to marinate the tofu
• sautee tofu in a skillet over high heat, turning every so often until browned
• add remaining sauce and stir fry for another minute
• stir fried some vegetables to add to the mix (i used string beans and baby bok choy) and serve over rice
  

weeknight dinner: eggplant, two ways (csa week 5)

a beautiful eggplant sat in my fridge. this was enough to conjure up thoughts of the book alone in the kitchen with an eggplant (read it). the problem was, that after the last eggplant (baked eggplant parmesan), i wasn't quite sure what to do with it. i was feeling antsy enough that i didn't really want something italian and didn't just want to roast or grill it. better yet, i wanted it to be easy. do i even have to say his name anymore?

so what actually happened was that i was having a rough week and to make myself feel better, decided to hang out in my kitchen alone with my eggplant and cook it two different ways (dinner for different nights). i chose to do a simple eggplant stir-fry with some csa bok choy and mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant. and then i made a cobbler.

first the stir fry: i briefly sauteed the eggplant in some canola oil (careful, it will absorb however much you throw in there) until it was slightly soft. then i sauteed the bok choy with lots of minced garlic and some ginger. then i thew the eggplant back in, mixed everything together, threw in some oyster sauce and let it all cook for a couple more minutes. voila, how's that for instant gratification?

then the bittman recipe. this one attracted me because it had a bunch of interesting ingredients that seemed like an easy mix as well as a bit of an unusual combination. basically, you slice and score the eggplant and then coat it with a mixture of chopped parsley, honey, olive oil, garlic, and breadcrumbs. yummmmm, right?! then you sprinkle lemon juice on top and if your bittman, serve with yogurt, if you're me, goat cheese and toast. instant gratification part II. if you haven't already, definitely take a look at the microwave minimalist column.

mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free)
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt
• 1 large eggplant
• lemon juice
  

• combine parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, honey, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
• cut eggplant crosswise into 1-inch slices; score the top of each. put slices in dish and spread breadcrumb mixture over eggplant tops, pressing it into slits.
• loosely cover with waxed paper and microwave on high power for about 5 minutes. remove paper and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, until very soft. sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with yogurt (or goat cheese!) on the side.
  

csa week 1: when all else fails, stir-fry

subtitle: words to live by from go go

if you haven't learned this cooking rule by now, you really should. especially if you've ever found yourself with a fridge full of veggies that need to be used-helloooooo csa. this isn't the first time and certainly will not be the last time that a stir-fry saves the day.

some things to keep in mind when stir-frying:

1. you don't need a wok; a large pan will do
2. high heat is key. food cooks quickly yet retains color and flavor and doesn't turn to mush.
3. for veggies that take longer to cook i usually steam or boil them briefly first, drain them, and then give them a quick stir fry to get all of the moisture out.
4. you really can throw anything in there.

in this case, there was asparagus and pea shoots from the csa and mushrooms from the refrigerator.

this was my first adventure with pea shoots and there was an uh, issue, with some tough stems involved. so don't forget to trim your pea shoots! but otherwise, they seem to be rather user friendly. treat them as you would any other sort of green. (stir-fry, saute, eat raw, etc.) more ideas from my favorite pals at chowhound here. and if you're feeling super into the stir-fry thing you might want to do some rice reading.


pea shoot and other things stir-fry

• one bunch pea shoots, trimmed
• mushrooms
• small bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces
  
• couple cloves of garlic, minced
  
• one shallot, minced
  
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil (it does better than olive oil over high heat)
  

• put some olive oil in a large pan.
  
• once oil is heated, throw in garlic, shallot, mushrooms and asparagus.
• a few minutes later, add pea shoots.
• cook until slightly wilted. add salt and pepper.
• serve over rice.