Nashville Style Hot Tofu Sliders Food

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN MEATBALL SLIDERS

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the ground chicken, hot sauce, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic in a bowl. Gently mix with your hands.
• Divide the meatball mixture into 12 portions, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs using wet hands (meat sticks to dry hands).
• Push a piece of cheese into each meatball and pinch to seal.
• Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer the pan to the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
• For the sauce: While the meatballs are cooking, combine the butter, hot sauce, honey and brown sugar in a small saucepot over high heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook until the mixture comes together, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, mix in the garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir until smooth.
• Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
• For the sliders: Add a pickle chip to each bun, then set a meatball on top. Skewer with a toothpick. Serve warm.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT TOFU SLIDERS

Steps:

• Make the hot butter: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
• Make the tofu: With a hand on top of the tofu, cut parallel to the cutting board so that you have two equal rectangles. Quarter each of those rectangles, so you have eight pieces. Arrange sliced tofu on a paper towel-lined plate and top with another layer of paper towels; press to remove excess water.
• Place milk and rice flour in 2 separate shallow bowls. In a medium bowl whisk all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder, and season with salt; add seltzer and gently whisk just to combine. Do not overmix; a few lumps in the batter are OK.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium to 375 degrees. Working with 4 pieces of tofu at a time, dredge in milk, then in the rice flour, pressing all sides of tofu into the rice flour. (The tofu should be completely coated with flour.) Dip in the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and add to oil. Fry undisturbed until batter sets, about 2 minutes. Continue to fry, turning gently, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes longer, adjusting heat as necessary to stay close to 375 degrees. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and season with salt. Repeat dredging and frying with the remaining tofu.
• Spread mayonnaise on the insides of buns. (If using sliced bread, cut into quarters for slider-size portions.) Arrange lettuce on bottom buns. Gently turn each piece of tofu in the hot butter to evenly coat, then place on top of lettuce. Drizzle with more hot butter, top with pickles and finish with bun tops. Serve warm.