CRISPY, STICKY TOFU STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLINI AND GREEN BEANS

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

The secret to crispy tofu is all in the prep. Some people swear by freezing and thawing tofu but my tried and true method is to give it a good press, then cube or crumble it, season it with salt and pepper and toss it with cornstarch. From there, all it needs is a short stint under high heat to get crisp on the outside while remaining bouncy and moist within. 

Use that crispy tofu however you like – as a topper for a kale caesar, on top of sesame noodles, dipped in BBQ sauce, etc. My favorite way to use it is in flavorful stir-fry like this. While this stir-fry is best hot from the stovetop, I usually double the recipe and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week.

Crispy, Sticky Tofu Stir-Fry with Broccolini and Green Beans

Ingredients

For tofu….

  • 2 1-lb packages tofu 
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Granulated garlic (optional)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil like grapeseed, vegetable or canola (olive oil is fine)

For sauce…

  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp cornstarch  
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 inch piece of ginger, skin removed and minced
  • 5 tbsp soy sauce (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
  • 4 tbsp honey (1/4 cup)
  • 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • red pepper flakes or favorite hot sauce like chili paste or sriracha to taste (I left out for my kiddos’ sake)

For vegetables…

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (suggestions above)
  • 2 bunches broccolini, edges trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise if stalk is thick 
  • 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed if necessary
  • Salt and pep
  • 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

To serve: rice of choice, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

Method
  1. Wrap tofu in paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth and press under something heavy like a cast iron skillet for as long as you have – overnight or even 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 (on convection if you have it).
  2. Cut pressed tofu into 1-2 inch squares or rectangles, or crumble by hand and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Season generously with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and granulated garlic. Then sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss, toss, toss. It will seem like a lot but will eventually stick to the tofu. Drizzle with neutral oil and toss again. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping after the first 15 min. The tofu should be nice and crisp. 
  3. Make stir-fry sauce by mixing all ingredients together.
  4. Place large skillet over high heat. When piping hot, add the oil, vegetables and a pinch of kosher salt. Let them get charred on one side for about 4-5 minutes, then give them a good toss and leave them alone again to get charred on a second side. 
  5. When the veggies are cooked to your liking, turn the heat down to medium/low, add the tofu, sesame seeds and the stir-fry sauce. Toss, toss, toss again until the sauce has reduced and it is glossy and sticking to the vegetables. Serve over your rice of choice with cilantro and lime wedges.

Serves 6 people

Prep ahead – Make the stir-fry sauce a day ahead, prep your veggies up to a few days in advance, and press your tofu a day ahead. You can even cook the tofu and stir-fry the veggies a few hours ahead, but wait to combine the veggies, tofu and sauce until the last minute. This ensures the tofu is as crisp as possible. I still enjoy this stir-fry as leftovers but it is best enjoyed right away.

(Want another tofu recipe? Try this one for Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls!)

WILD MUSHROOM AND FARRO VEGGIE PATTIES

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

I put a good amount of thought into what to title this recipe and the best I could come up with is… Wild Mushroom and Farro Veggie Patties. Hmmm. What would be better? Veggie burgers? Too hippy-dippy / health food-y. Croquettes? Too dated. So “patties” it is, which I’m guessing still doesn’t have you running to the kitchen.

I hope you look beyond what we’re calling these here and see the potential for deliciousness in the recipe – earthy mushrooms and chewy farro bound together with satisfying cannellini beans and amped up with plenty of garlic, shallot, fresh herbs and parmesan.

Serving Suggestions

You could absolutely serve these Wild Mushroom and Farro Veggie Patties as you would a traditional burger, layered between a bun or english muffin with all the fixings. But they are also the perfect vegetarian topper to a hearty salad – something like this caesar-ish kale and roasted broccoli salad or this kale and brussels sprout number – or served simply with a roasted vegetable.

While I haven’t tried it yet, I’m also guessing you could make these vegan by trading the parm for a vegan cheese or nutritional yeast and the egg with a flax egg or aquafaba. If you do that, report back below and let us know how it went.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and make this recipe yours. If you do, leave a review, snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @whatweeat.nyc.

Happy cooking!

WILD MUSHROOM AND FARRO PATTIES

Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (plus more for cooking patties)
  • 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms, ~1 lb (use the best you can get your hands on – I used a combination of maitake and shiitake)
  • 1 medium shallot, minced (~3 tbsp)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (~2 tsp)
  • 1 14-16 oz can cannellini beans, drained
  • 2 cups cooked farro (equivalent to generous cup uncooked farro)
  • 1 packed cup fresh herbs, finely chopped resulting in ~1/3 cup (I used parsley and basil)
  • 1/3 cup finely grated parm
  • 1 egg
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste (you’ll probably need around 1 tsp salt)
Method
  1. Melt the butter and oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the finely chopped mushrooms. Stir so the mushrooms are evenly coated with the fat then leave undisturbed until mushrooms begin to release their liquid, then begin to brown on their undersides, ~5 minutes. Give a good stir, then leave alone to continue browning on second side, ~5 minutes more. Finely, add in the minced shallot and garlic and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute for another ~3 minutes to take the raw edge off of the shallot and garlic. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, roughly mash the drained cannellini beans in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Most of the beans should be broken up, almost like very roughly mashed potatoes (see picture above). Add in the cooked farro, chopped herbs, parmesan, cooled mushroom mixture and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Mix thoroughly then taste for seasoning. Adjust with more salt and black pepper if necessary.
  3. Once you are happy with the taste, crack in the egg and work it into the mix with your hands. The mixture should hold together relatively well when shaped into a ball.
  4. Shape into 8-9 patties, each with ~1/3 cup of the mixture. I used a measuring cup to help me portion these. Place on plate or sheet pan, cover snugly with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour so that the mixture has time to hydrate. This help them hold together when frying.
  5. To cook: Return cleaned skillet to stovetop over medium heat and coat bottom with olive oil. Cook the patties for ~4-6 minutes a side until nicely golden.
  6. Enjoy!

Serves 4 (each person having 2 patties)

STICKY RICE WITH CRISPY TOFU AND BRUSSELS HASH

Posted on by admin – By

My love affair with tofu started somewhere around age 10. My favorite Thai restaurant (which was the only Thai restaurant within a several town radius of my own) served the most perfect fried tofu triangles with peanut sauce. The tofu was crunchy on the outside and moist and simply flavored within. Smothered in rich peanut sauce and quickly dipped in the restaurant’s bright nuoc cham, each bite was an adventure for my inexperienced palate.

This flawless little appetizer is the reason I’ve stuck with making endless rounds of mediocre tofu for decades, ever in the search of some cooking method that would replicate that early food memory. I’ve shallow-fried, deep-fried and roasted infinite sheet trays. I’ve drained and pressed tofu overnight in the refrigerator, frozen and thawed it, and worked with every texture from silken to extra firm. I’ve quick-marinated and left tofu to sit with seasoning for several days before cooking. While much of these efforts came with some reward, the texture has always been…meh.

It wasn’t until I came upon a recipe from Cookies and Kate that I discovered the merits of cornstarch.

Continue reading “STICKY RICE WITH CRISPY TOFU AND BRUSSELS HASH” →

THE LAST TURKEY MEATLOAF RECIPE YOU’LL EVER NEED (AND A BONUS RECIPE FOR MEATBALLS!)

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

A month or so ago, I made my favorite meatloaf recipe live on Instagram. It’s a love child of Bon Appetit’s Best Beef-and-Bacon Meatloaf and Food52’s Gluten-Free Turkey Meatloaf. I have been thinking of it since so grabbed all the requisite ingredients at the market this week. Alas, when dinnertime rolled around, I realized I didn’t have the full 80 minutes called for to make it in loaf form. (Have you ever dealt with a hungry toddler?)

So I translated the recipe into meatballs and love both versions so much, I wanted to make sure to document the recipes here.

Continue reading “THE LAST TURKEY MEATLOAF RECIPE YOU’LL EVER NEED (AND A BONUS RECIPE FOR MEATBALLS!)” →