Sauteed Tofu With Bitter Greens Recipes

WICKED GARLIC TOFU SAUTE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, garlic, and about half of the oyster sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned but not burning. Remove from the skillet to a bowl, and set aside.
• Add the frozen vegetables to the same skillet and cook vegetables according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for the water, and seasoning with the remaining oyster sauce. When vegetables are cooked, mix the tofu garlic mixture back into the pan, and heat through. Serve plain or over rice.

SHEET-PAN COLLARD GREENS AND CRISPY TOFU WITH NITER KIBBEH

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; spread out panko evenly on baking sheet. Toast, stirring once, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer panko to a plate; reserve baking sheet (leave oven on).
• Season tofu with ½ tsp. salt and arrange in a single layer on a work surface lined with a kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Fold towel over tofu, set a small rimmed baking sheet or cutting board on top and weigh down with a couple of cans or a heavy pan. Let sit 20 minutes to drain.
• Place garlic, ginger, and large sliced onion on reserved baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and 1 Tbsp. niter kibbeh and toss to coat. Roast, undisturbed, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rinse collard greens in a large bowl or sink filled with cold water and gently agitate. Lift from water (don't pour through a colander or you may redistribute sandy water all over greens) and repeat with fresh water. Remove greens from water.
• Remove baking sheet with roasted onion mixture from oven and arrange greens in a single layer over roasted vegetables (no need to pat dry). Return vegetables to oven and roast 10 minutes.
• Whisk tapioca flour, paprika, 1 tsp. coriander, ¼ tsp. cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt in a shallow bowl to combine. Beat egg whites in another shallow bowl until very thick and foamy (just shy of soft peaks). Set plate of toasted panko next to bowls.
• Unwrap tofu and transfer to a cutting board; halve each slab diagonally into triangles to make 12 pieces total. Working one at a time, dredge tofu in tapioca mixture, shaking off any excess, then dip in egg whites and shake off excess. Coat in panko, gently pressing to adhere. Place tofu on a large plate.
• Remove vegetables from oven (greens should be wilted and lightly charred around the edges at this point). Sprinkle with 1½ tsp. salt; stir gently and push vegetables toward center of baking sheet. Fold a short end of foil over to the opposite end of baking sheet and crimp edges together to make a sealed packet.
• Place tofu pieces on unlined side of baking sheet. Bake, turning tofu halfway through, 20 minutes. (Greens and onion should be very tender and tofu should be warmed through and the outside should be crisped.)
• Meanwhile, separate remaining small sliced onion into strips and place in an even layer in a small shallow bowl. Combine vinegar, sugar, a pinch of cayenne, and remaining ½ tsp. coriander, and remaining ½ tsp. salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until just simmering, about 1 minute. (or heat in a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high). Pour over onion, making sure it is submerged. Let sit 20 minutes. Drain onion, reserving brine for drizzling if desired.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and open foil packet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. niter kibbeh over greens; gently toss to distribute. Divide greens among plates; place 3 tofu pieces on each plate and drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. niter kibbeh. Scatter pickled onion over and drizzle with brine if using.

BROILED TERIYAKI TOFU WITH BITTER GREENS, CHILI, AND SCALLION OIL

Steps:

• Heat the broiler and place a rack as close as possible to the flame. Put the tofu pieces on a plate and rub with all over with the teriyaki sauce.
• Add the vegetable oil, one of the pieces of ginger, half the scallions and the garlic cloves to a small saucepan. Heat to a lively simmer, then turn off the heat and allow the oil to steep for 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt, then add the broccoli, blanch for 2 minutes, then drain well and shock under cold running water to stop the cooking. Chop into 1-inch lengths and set aside.
• Heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium heat-add the remaining piece of ginger, the soy sauce and half the sesame oil, and simmer on very low heat.
• Place the tofu pieces in an ovenproof skillet or on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until beginning to caramelize all over, about 4 minutes per side.
• While the tofu is broiling, pick the piece of ginger out of the scallion oil and discard. Heat ½ of the scallion oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the chopped broccoli, the red pepper, the onion and the remaining sesame oil and sauté until warmed through.
• To serve, place a mound of the broccoli in the center of a bowl. Place a piece of broiled tofu over the greens. Ladle some chicken stock around the greens, then add a few spoonfuls of the scallion oil. Repeat with a second bowl, top both bowls with the remaining scallions, and serve.

GRILLED TOFU AND SAUTEED ASIAN GREENS

Steps:

• Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices. Arrange in 1 layer on a triple layer of paper towels and top with another triple layer of towels. Weight with a shallow baking pan or baking sheet and let stand 2 minutes. Repeat weighting with dry paper towels 2 more times.
• Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, Tabasco, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a glass pie plate. Add tofu slices in 1 layer and marinate, turning over every couple of minutes, 8 minutes total.
• Heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Lift tofu from marinade with a slotted spatula (reserve marinade) and grill, turning over once carefully with spatula, until grill marks appear and tofu is heated through, 4 to 6 minutes total.
• While tofu grills, heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté greens, tossing with tongs, until beginning to wilt. Add reserved marinade and sauté, tossing, until greens are just wilted, about 1 minute. Lift greens from skillet with tongs, letting excess marinade drip off, and divide between 2 plates.
• Serve greens with tofu slices.

SAUTéED TOFU

Steps:

• Here's a preparation I've been making for years. It's in my earlier book, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, as an actual recipe, but it can just as easily be improvised. Slice, blot dry, and dice a 16-ounce tub of extra-firm tofu. Gently heat a tablespoon or so each of soy sauce, olive oil, and maple syrup or agave nectar in a wide skillet. Before they get too hot, add the tofu. Stir quickly to coat, then sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the tofu turns golden and crisp. Season with additional soy sauce to taste. If you like, add some grated ginger and/or sliced scallions to this preparation.