Miso Glazed Tofu Steaks With Beansprout Salad Egg Strands Food

MISO-GLAZED TOFU STEAKS WITH BEANSPROUT SALAD & EGG STRANDS

Steps:

• Prepare the beansprout salad. Put the beansprouts in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 2 mins, then drain well and leave to cool, tossing with your hand from time to time to speed up the cooling. Combine with the pepper, radishes and spring onion.
• To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients except the oil until the sugar dissolves. Trickle in the oil slowly while whisking to emulsify. Stir the dressing through the beansprout mixture and chill until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the tofu, wrap the whole block in kitchen paper, and press gently to absorb excess moisture. Unwrap and cut in half across the middle, then in half again diagonally, to create four triangles. If using 2 packs, you will end up with 8 smaller triangles.
• To prepare the tofu glaze, place the miso paste in a cup and add 2 tbsp of boiling water. Whisk with a fork until completely smooth. Pour into a pan that the tofu will fit into in a single layer. Add the mirin and soy sauce, stir and bring to the boil. Add the tofu to the sauce and simmer for 15 mins, turning the tofu carefully halfway through.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Carefully lift the tofu from the sauce and place on the tray. Cook in the oven for 15 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the tofu in to keep warm. Meanwhile, to thicken the glaze, raise the heat to a medium boil, stir occasionally,until syrupy. Set aside.
• To make the egg strands, beat together the eggs and mirin with 2 tbsp cold water and a large pinch of salt until well mixed, but not frothy. Heat a medium non-stick pan over a low-medium heat and add the oil, spreading it over the surface with a spatula. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, forming a very thin omelette. Cook for about 4-5 mins until the top is dry and the bottom is set but not too brown. Carefully remove from the pan (no need to flip) and place on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, adding a touch more oil if the pan seems dry. Stack the omelettes on top of each other and cool. Don't worry if they rip or buckle, but do stack them up as flat as possible. Once cool enough to handle, roll them up carefully into a tight sausage and slice thinly with a sharp knife.
• Remove the tofu from the oven and spoon a bit of glaze over the top of each piece, spreading with the back of a spoon. (If the glaze has cooled completely and is too thick, reheat slightly until spoonable). Reserve any remaining glaze to finish.
• To assemble, arrange the beansprout salad on a plate. Place the tofu steaks on top of the salad and scatter with the egg strands, peanuts and pea shoots. Finish with a drizzle of the glaze.

RICE BOWL WITH OVEN-BAKED MISO TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pat each slice of tofu dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cayenne, honey or agave nectar, lime juice, miso, mirin, and oils. Pour into a dish that can accommodate all of the tofu slices in a single layer (such as a baking dish). Place the tofu slices in the marinade and turn them over. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes, turning once or twice. Transfer to the baking sheet. Add the peppers to the dish with the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly, then place on the baking sheet in a single layer.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the peppers once with tongs, until the edges of the tofu are just beginning to color and the marinade sets on the surface, and the peppers are sizzling and beginning to color on the edges. Remove from the heat.
• If desired, heat the kimchi in a small pan or saucepan. Spoon rice into 4 wide bowls or onto plates. Top with kimchi, tofu, and peppers. If desired, douse the rice with some of the remaining marinade from the tofu, and serve.

BROILED TOFU WITH MISO (TOFU DENGAKU)

Steps:

• Pat tofu dry with paper towels, then wrap in fresh paper towels and put in a microwave-safe dish (see cooks' note, below). Microwave at high power 30 seconds. Pour off any liquid and wrap tofu in fresh paper towels. Microwave 1 or 2 more times for 30 seconds each time, pouring off any liquid, until tofu feels firmer.
• Preheat broiler.
• Stir together miso, sugar, and sake in a small saucepan. (If miso mixture is very thick, stir in 1 tablespoon water.) Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until bubbling, glossy, and the consistency of ketchup, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Cut tofu in half horizontally and arrange, cut sides up, on a cutting board. Cut each half into 6 squares (pieces might not be perfectly square).
• Arrange tofu on a foil-lined broiler pan, cut sides up, and broil about 2 inches from heat until a crust just forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread crusted side of each square with about 3/4 teaspoon miso mixture. Broil until tops are just bubbling and starting to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Skewer each square with 1 two-pronged pick or 2 parallel straight picks. Sprinkle with seeds.

MISO-GLAZED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and cut off the stem and calyx. Using the tip of a paring knife, cut an incision down the middle of each half, making sure not to cut through the skin, but cutting down to it. Salt the eggplant lightly and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with sesame oil.
• Blot the eggplants with paper towels and place, cut side down, on the baking sheets. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is beginning to shrivel and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the eggplants over, and preheat the broiler.
• To make the glaze, combine the mirin and sake in the smallest saucepan you have and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, taking care not to boil off much of the liquid, then turn the heat to low and stir in the miso and the sugar. Whisk over medium-low heat without letting the mixture boil, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sesame oil.
• Brush the eggplants with the miso glaze, using up all of the glaze. Place under the broiler, about 2 inches from the heat, and broil for about 1 minute, until the glaze begins to bubble and looks shiny. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool if desired or serve hot. To serve, cut the eggplant halves on the diagonal into 1- to 1-1/2-inch slices.

BAKED MISO-GLAZED TOFU WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• To make the miso glaze, combine mirin and sake or stock in the smallest saucepan you have and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, taking care not to boil off much of the liquid, then turn the heat to low and stir in miso and sugar. Whisk over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
• If mushrooms have thick long stems, cut stems in half and then into 1/2-inch pieces. Separate all of the clumps of mushrooms into individual mushrooms. You can use the bottom of the clump. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Heat a wok or wide heavy skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates in a second. Add 1 tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil and mushrooms and sear without moving for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until they begin to sweat. Turn heat to medium and add garlic. Stir-fry 30 seconds, then add salt to taste and stir-fry until mushrooms are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and stir-fry until it is no longer visible in the pan. Add 3 tablespoons of miso glaze, stir together and remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Transfer remaining glaze to a wide bowl and whisk in remaining sesame oil, cayenne, remaining grapeseed or peanut oil and soy sauce. Cut tofu into 8 to 10 slices and pat dry with paper towels. Dip each slice into miso glaze, making sure to coat both sides. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, until edges are just beginning to color.
• Gently reheat mushrooms. Place a couple of slices of tofu on each plate, top with the mushrooms and serve.