momofuku collards with baked tofu on rice

I've read the Momofuku ramen recipe at least 3 times since I've had the book. It's a serious recipe that involves things I've never made before, like soft poached eggs and pork shoulder.

I am going to make it.

But not today.

Rather, I'm going to ease into cooking Momofuku slowly. I consider this to be like wading in the shallow end of the pool as you get ready to swim laps (maybe JR's triathlon training talk is rubbing off on me?). What I'm making today isn't even a full on recipe from the cookbook; rather, it's in the notes about the seasonal vegetable toppings that are often added to Momofuku ramen.

Just reading about this topping makes my mouth water.

I'm sorry if you are a vegetarian are reading this. But I have to say it. Cooking the collard greens with bacon made them almost unspeakably delicious. You end up with bacon-infused greens with just a hint of salt and sweet.

Here's how I turned this would-be ramen topping into the centerpiece of our meal:

Momofuku Collards with Baked Tofu on Rice

Serves 2

3/4 c. brown rice

1 1/2 c. water

Momofuku collard greens

baked tofu

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Combine rice and water in a small pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Stir. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 50 minutes. While rice is cooking, make collard greens and baked tofu (recipes below).

To serve, put rice and collard greens into individual bowls; top with baked tofu and green onions.

Momofuku Collard Greens

1 piece bacon

1 bunch collar greens, destemmed and coarsely chopped

1 large pinch kosher salt

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 c. water

Put a piece of bacon in a wide skillet (that can later be covered). Cook on medium-high heat. Once it's begun to render some fat, add collard leaves. Toss well to coat in fat. Add salt. Cook, stirring a few minutes, until collards start to give up their liquid and shrink a little.

Add soy sauce, sherry vinegar, brown sugar, and water. Put lid on pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally until tender, about 40 minutes. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.

Baked Tofu

6 oz. tofu, cut into 4 rectangles

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Drain tofu on paper towels. Mix soy sauce and maple syrup. Allow tofu slices to marinate in soy sauce mix for 10 minutes, flipping once. Transfer tofu to oiled baking dish, reserving marinade. Bake tofu in a 350 degree oven until tender, 30-40 minutes. Brush with marinade occasionally as tofu bakes.

cole's first miso

I was reminded of how great miso is while dining out in Seattle last week. I decided that I needed to learn how to make it. In doing so, I learned that by a measure of tastiness to difficulty of preparation, miso scores very high. In other words, once you have the right ingredients on hand, it's super simple (and fast!) to make. Since most of the ingredients are dried, it's easy to keep everything you need to make it on hand.

My first miso was our main course a couple of nights ago for dinner. I made it for the second time for lunch today. Start to finish can literally be less than 10 minutes (including clean up!) depending on what you decide to include in your version. Here's what I did in mine:

Cole's First Miso

Serves 2

3 oz. soba noodles

1 tsp. dasha powder

3 Tbsp. miso paste (I used white miso)

3 oz. firm tofu, cut into small cubes

a handful of mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

2 Tbsp. dried wakame

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Saute mushrooms in olive oil and set aside.

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a soup pot. Add dashi. Reduce heat to simmer. Ladle about a cup of the hot water out into a bowl. Whisk miso paste into water and return to pot. Taste broth and repeat with more miso if a stronger flavor is desired. Add wakame and mushrooms and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, until wakame is fully reconstituted.

Divide the soba noodles and tofu into two large bowls. Ladle soup over noodles and tofu. Top with green onions and a drizzling of sesame oil. 

My lunchtime version today omitted the soba noodles and I added in a handful of spinach at the same time as the wakame. I think I could eat this every single day!

baked tofu with teriyaki sauce

I've been on a bit of a tofu hiatus lately. It hasn't been on purpose - I love tofu and generally eat it numerous times throughout the week. I was craving it. But wanted to try something new. The following recipe is roughly based on one I found online. I made a lot of substitutions and changes to the quantities (drastically reducing them - I think the original recipe probably made 3 cups of teriyaki sauce! Slightly too much for two people...). Here's what I did:

Baked Tofu with Teriyaki Sauce

Serves 2

baked tofu:

olive oil

6 oz. firm tofu

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Press tofu between paper towels to remove excess liquid. Slice into strips and press again. Cut strips into medium bite-size pieces and place on an oiled pan. Drizzle additional oil over the top and toss to coat well. Space pieces evenly. Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned (do not overcook; tofu will become chewy).

teriyaki sauce:

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes

1/4 c. tamari

3 Tbsp. agave

1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder

1 Tbsp. water

Cook garlic and ginger in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add tamari and chili flakes, decreasing heat to medium-low. Add 1/2 c. water and agave.

In a separate bowl, combine arrowroot and water until arrowroot is completely dissolved. Slowly add to sauce while stirring. Continue to stir over medium-low heat until sauce begins to simmer and thicken. Remove from heat. Serve over baked tofu.

We enjoyed our baked tofu with teriyaki sauce over quinoa and steamed broccoli.

cashew ginger tofu

I love peanut sauce. JR and I eat the following formula probably at least once per week:

grain (typically rice or quinoa)

+ green vegetable (kale, broccoli, sweet peas, green beans)

+ protein (almost always tofu)

+ peanut sauce

It's flavorful, healthy, and filling without being heavy. And while this combo with peanut sauce isn't getting old (I think I could possibly eat this every night and still like it), Dreena Burton's cashew variation sounded intriguing. The following recipe is from her cookbook (one of my favorites), Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan.

Cashew-Ginger Tofu

Serves 4

1/3 c. cashew butter

3 1/2 Tbsp. tamari

3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. agave nectar

3/4 cup water

12 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares

Combine cashew butter, tamari, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and agave nectar in a food processor and puree until well mixed and smooth. Add water and puree again until smooth. Pour some of the mixture into an 8x12 baking dish, spreading to cover bottom. Add tofu to dish. Pour remaining sauce over tofu to cover evenly. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove cover, stir well, and bake again uncovered for 5-7 minutes, until sauce has thickened (but don't overcook, as sauce will become too thick).

The cashew sauce turns out incredibly creamy and delicious. So I guess now our standard will gain another variation:

grain (typically rice or quinoa)

+ green vegetable (kale, broccoli, sweet peas, green beans)

+ protein (almost always tofu)

+ nut sauce (peanut or cashew)

On this particular evening, we enjoyed our cashew-ginger tofu over quinoa and steamed kale. It was tremendous!

peanut spinach & tofu

Maybe this is swimming rama? I think so, but I'm not totally sure. Swimming rama is a common dish at Thai restaurants - typically spinach in peanut sauce served over rice. But I'm not sure if peanut sauce + spinach = swimming rama, or if there are other requirements. And Google wasn't much help in this area - it led me to a few recipes for swimming rama, but I didn't find any good info on what it actually is. So rather than title this post "Cole's swimming rama", to be safe, I'm going to stick with peanut spinach & tofu.

Those who are familiar with my schedule know that I'm on vacation right now. No, I'm not cooking on vacation (I'm letting others cook for a change!). Rather, I'm still catching up on some items from last week when I was still in the kitch. 

Variations of this recipe are one of my favorite, easy, weeknight dishes. I typically make it with: rice + vegetable + protein + peanut sauce. The peanut sauce changes from time to time depending on what I have on hand, as does the vegetable and protein. Here's how it goes:

Peanut Spinach & Tofu

Serves 2

For peanut sauce:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. tamari

3 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. agave

1/2 c. natural peanut butter

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. sea salt

about 4 oz. soy, rice, lite coconut milk, or water

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

12 oz. firm tofu, rinsed, pressed, and cut into cubes

4-6 cups spinach*

*Any good stir fry vegetable (or combo of stir fry vegetables) would be good here - red peppers, sweat peas, mushrooms, broccoli, etc.

Whisk garlic through sea salt in a small bow. Add rice milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition until the sauce reached desired consistency.

Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Stir fry tofu until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and continue to stir fry until wilted. 

Remove from heat. Add sauce and mix through. Serve over hot rice.

This will be my last post for the next week or so, as JR, Romeo, and I continue our vacation. I'm going to do something I havent' done in a really long time - stay offline. I'll be back in the kitch late next week - hopefully with inspiration from the coastal towns and great vacation meals we're sure to enjoy over the next week. I'm thinking after a week of eating out, I'll be itching to get back to stirring and cooking. See you next week!

tofu, sweet pea & portobello stir fry

It's the weekend, so I'm back to cooking (yay!). I've had two days of my favorite types of weekend mornings - sitting in the sun on our porch with a cup of coffee, cooking magazines, and cookbooks. Pouring through recipes gives me ideas for new things to try.

Often seeing recipes reminds me of an ingredient or a preparation method and then my mind wanders, thinking about what I have in my kitchen at the moment and what flavors I'm in the mood for. The rice noodle salad that I'll be posting right after this was initially sparked by a recipe for spring rolls from one of my cookbooks. Seeing the recipe made me think of the spring rolls JR and I had with our friends Todd and Rachel from Typhoon in Palo Alto. I don't have rice paper on hand (and was unable to find it in the grocery), so made a salad version with rice noodles.

Once I settled on the salad, I needed something to accompany it. We had sweet peas on hand from the last CSA delivery. I love the combo of peas and mushrooms, so picked up a portobello while at the grocery. I realized nothing on the menu thus far included protein, so decided to include some tofu as well. Here's how it went:

Tofu, Sweet Pea & Portobello Stir Fry

Serves 2

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

6 oz. tofu, drained and cut into squares

2 handfuls of sweet peas, trimmed and sliced in half diagonally

1 portobello mushroom, sliced and then cut into 1-2" pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. tamari

3 Tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. chinese chili paste

1/2 tsp. lime juice

sesame seeds

Mix sauce ingredients (garlic through lime juice) in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat coconut oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add tofu. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Add peas to the wok; stir and cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms to the wok, stir and cook 2 minutes. 

Add sauce to wok. Stir and cook until sauce begins to thicken (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!

orange tofu & peanut kale

Ah, weekend. Today was a fantastic day - the perfect combination of lazy and productive. I woke up late (lazy). We took the pup to the dogpark (productive). I thought about going for a run, but then didn't (lazy). JR and I went to Common Ground in Palo Alto and got equipment for my soon-to-be container garden (productive). I decided I'd wait until tomorrow to do the actual planting (lazy). I started playing in the kitchen at 6pm (productive).

What's on the menu tonight? Orange tofu and peanut kale, served over red jasmine rice. Yum!

Orange Tofu

Serves 4

12 oz. firm tofu

1 c. orange juice (I juiced blood oranges from the CSA)

1/3 c. tamari

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/4 c. olive oil

3 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. chili paste

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 green onions

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

Place the tofu block on its side and slice into 4 pieces (they will be thin). Turn the block so it's resting on the largest side. Cut an 'x' across the block, so that you are left with 16 triangles. Keeping the block together, set the tofu on a plate, covering with a paper towel and heavy skillet. Allow to sit this way for 30 minutes to press out excess water.

Meanwhile, make marinade by whisking together the remaining items (except green onions and cilantro).

Arrange the tofu in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour marinade over tofu. Top with green onions and cilantro. Allow tofu to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Bake tofu in 350 degree oven about 1 hour, until it is golden and most of the marinade is absorbed.

Peanut Kale

Serves 2

For sauce:

Note - this will yield about twice as much sauce as needed for the kale. You can either cut the following quantities in half, or have leftover sauce for another meal (it will keep in the fridge for up to a week).

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/3 c. lite coconut milk

3 Tbsp. tamari

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. agave nectar

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled & sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 c. cilantro

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

sea salt

olive oil

1 bunch kale, stems removed & chopped

1 handful of peanuts, chopped

For sauce: add all ingredients to food processor. Process until smooth.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add kale, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, until dark green. Add peanut sauce and cook until heated through. Top with chopped peanuts.

spicy bok choy soup

The following recipe was made using the homemade veggie stock that I posted on Wednesday. My stock this time included leeks (in place of onion), carrots, celery, kale stems, and spinach.

Once you've got the stock on hand (either homemade or store bought), this is a simple and flavorful recipe. Enjoy!

Spicy Bok Choy Soup

Serves 4

olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

8 oz. firm tofu, minced

5 c. veggie stock

1 Tbsp. tamari

1 tsp. chili paste

bok choy, chopped, with ribs separated from leaves

handful of rice noodles (optional)

toasted sesame oil

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and tofu. Cook, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes, until mixture begins to brown. Add vegetable stock, tamari, chili paste, and bok choy ribs. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add bok choy leaves and rice noodles. Simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until noodles are soft. Ladle into bowls, finishing with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

1 pot coconut curry

"Something curry" was the request from JR for what he wanted to eat for dinner last night (ok, really it was two nights ago, but his initial request was bumped in favor of Rustic Cabbage Soup). So I took a quick scan of the fridge and pantry last night and decided that I could pull a curry dish off, and try out a new combination of ingredients all at the same time. Here's what I did:

1 Pot Coconut Curry

Serves 4

1 c. lentils, rinsed and sorted

4 c. vegetable stock

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. cumin

pinch of salt

1 c. coconut milk (regular, not light)

1 bunch dino kale, chopped

12 oz. firm tofu, chopped

Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add the lentils and stock, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add spices and coconut milk to pot, stir well. Cover and continue to simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chopped kale to the pot. Don't mix it in, but rather let it sit on top of the lentils and cover the pot to allow the kale to steam for 5 minutes. Add the tofu to the pot. Mix well and continue to cook until heated through.

I served the curry over purple jasmine rice, which was a really pretty color combination.

Note: JR thought it could use a little more spice (though to put it into perspective, it's only when his nose starts to sweat that he thinks it's the "right" amount of spice). The curry powder I currently have on hand is mild. Next time, I may try mixing it up with a spicier blend. Let me know what you think!

i heart kale

Kale is one of those foods that I didn't really realize existed prior to moving to California. Though my mother swears she grew it in the garden when I was little, I have no memories of it (perhaps it was during that period when the only vegetables I would eat were frozen peas?).

Even in California, my first couple encounters with kale were not good. Too much salt and overcooking rendered the veggie unappetizing. It wasn't until the leafy greens started showing up in our CSA box and I began experimenting with it in our kitchen that I fell in love.

Kale is a winter vegetable and member of the brassica family (which also includes cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts). The Complete Guide to Nutritional Health lists curly kale as one of the immune system super foods. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that guard against bacterial and viral infection, heart disease, and cancer.

Oh, and did I mention that (when not doused in salt and overcooked) it tastes fantastic? Kale typically comes in two varieties - curly kale and dino kale. I like both, but tend to favor one or the other for certain recipes (curly kale in the Garlicky Kale recipe, dino kale in African Stew - see below).

To be perfectly honest, my love isn't limited strictly to kale - I enjoy almost equally the other greens that can be substituted in most recipes - collard greens (also part of the brassica family) and the various types of chard (the golden chard that came in our CSA box a couple of weeks ago was perhaps the most beautiful vegetable I've ever seen). For example, any of the above will work in the Greek and Greens Omelette.

The following is one of my favorite kale recipes. As mentioned, I typically use dino kale. The flavor combination sounds strange, I know, but trust me - it works. Let me know what you think!

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

1 c. chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 bunch greens

2 c. undrained crushed pineapple

1/2 c. peanut butter

1-2 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

optional: 6 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares

Saute onions and garlic in saucepan 10 minutes until lightly browned. Slice greens into 1 inch slices (removing tough center stems). Add pineapple and juice to onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in greens and simmer 5 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, hot sauce, cilantro, and tofu. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve over couscous.