Stuffed Tofu

This is a tasty dish that's simple to make.

But ... I did have trouble stuffing the tofu triangles; the sides kept breaking. I eventually sliced the triangles open from the peak to the base, allowing for more of the stuffing to be inserted.

Otherwise, go gettum! The tofu adheres to the pork stuffing as it cooks, kind of preventing it from breaking apart.

Oh, and if, like me, you end up with lots of extra stuffing, do what I did: use it to make steamed pork hash (recipe next time).

Ingredients 

• FIRM TOFU, 2 10-ounce blocks
• SHRIMP (MINCED), GROUND PORK, either or both, 10 ounces total
• GINGER PASTE, ½ teaspoon
• GARLIC, minced, ½ teaspoon
• SALT, 1½ teaspoons
• RICE WINE OR DRY SHERRY, 2 teaspoons
• WHITE PEPPER, 1/8 teaspoon ground
• CORNSTARCH, 1 teaspoon
• CHICKEN STOCK, 1½ cups
• SOY SAUCE, 2 tablespoons
• GREEN ONION (white and green parts), 1, cut into 2"-3" pieces

Directions 

1. In a medium bowl, combine and mix the shrimp and/or pork, ginger, garlic, salt, rice wine or sherry, white pepper and cornstarch well.
2. Cut the block of tofu along a narrow side to form 4 squares, each about 3 x 3 x 3/4 inches. Cut each square from corner to corner in an X-shape to from 4 triangles. Repeat with the remaining squares, making 16 triangles in all. Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel.
3. Cut out a thin pocket along the long side of the triangle (see my remarks above).
4. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling into each pocket, being careful not to break the tofu.
5. Bring the chicken stock and soy sauce to a boil in a nonstick skillet, then reduce to a simmer.
6. Place the tofu into the skillet, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.
7. Add the green onions, stir, cook for an additional minute, and serve with additional soy sauce.

Shrimp Creole

Having had Shrimp Creole throughout my life, I figured it was about time that I actually cooked it on my own. So I googled some recipes and found this one. It’s Emeril Lagasse’s recipe that I modified just a little.

As a bonus, the recipe for Emeril’s Bayou Blast is also included.

Ingredients: Sauce

• BUTTER, 1 stick
• ONIONS, 2 medium, chopped
• GREEN PEPPER, 1, sliced into strips
• SALT and CAYENNE, to taste
• BAY LEAVES, 2
• TOMATOES, diced, 1 can
• GARLIC, 2 minced
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, 1 tablespoon
• FLOUR + WATER SLURRY
• GREEN ONION GARNISH

Ingredients: Shrimp

• SHRIMP, 1 pound, 16-20 size, peeled and deveined
• CREOLE SEASONING (See Below)

Ingredients: Creole Seasoning (Emeril’s Bayou Blast)

• PAPRIKA, 2½ tablespoons
• SALT, 2 tablespoons
• GARLIC POWDER, 2 tablespoons
• BLACK PEPPER, 1 tablespoon
• ONION POWDER, 1 tablespoon
• CAYENNE, 1 tablespoon
• OREGANO, 1 tablespoon
• THYME, 1 tablespoon

Directions

1. Sauté the onions in the butter until soft, then add the green peppers.
2. Add the salt and cayenne to taste, then the bay leaves.
3. Pour in the can of tomatoes and add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Bring to a simmer and thicken the sauce with the flour/water slurry.
5. Dust the shrimp with Creole seasoning and lay on top of the sauce.
6. Cover and simmer until the shrimp is just cooked though (about 3-5 minutes).
7. Serve over rice.

Beer-Braised Oxtails with Carrots

This is the first time I prepared oxtails using beer. Of course, I’d heard of it before; after all, it is a classic European preparation.

Know what? It’s delicious. The beer imparts an additional subtle flavor and the final product tastes nothing like beer (for those who aren’t enamored of beer’s flavor).

Ingredients

• OXTAILS
• COOKING OIL, 2 tablespoons
• ONIONS, 2 medium, chopped
• BEER, 1 twelve-ounce can
• TOMATO SAUCE, 1 eight-ounce can
• CELERY SEEDS, ½ teaspoon
• BAY LEAF, 1
• MINCED PARSLEY, 1 tablespoon
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, 1 teaspoon
• SALT, 1½ teaspoons
• BLACK PEPPER, 1/8 teaspoon
• CARROTS, 6-8, sliced ½-inch thick
• FLOUR SLURRY

 Directions 

1. Brown oxtails in oil in a large, heavy kettle over high heat and drain on paper toweling.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add onions to kettle and sauté, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
3. Return oxtails to kettle, add beer, tomato sauce, celery seeds, bay leaf, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
4. Cover, and simmer over low heat 3 hours until meat is tender.
5. Skim off the fat.
6. Add the carrots and simmer 20 minutes longer.