Tofu

Lord, was I craving tofu. Tofu, of all things!

• 500g package of firm tofu
• garlic scapes
• two small bok choy, about 1 kg
• garlic and ginger, minced
• sesame seeds
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• steamed rice

I pulled this one together without following any recipes, and it tasted quite well. 

Wrap the tofu block in paper towels and place it on a plate. Put another plate on top and a heavy can on top. This is to squeeze as much water as possible from the tofu.

Trim the ends of the garlic scapes and chop them into 5 cm lengths. Later (as I was munching on these!), I realized that these things are like asparagus in that there is a point at which they will become fibrous and tough. Next time, I'll use the same method as I use for asparagus: see where they naturally snap and assume that from there on the vegetable is too tough to stir fry.

Cut the ends on the bok choy, separate and wash the leaves and cut them in half lengthwise. Quickly blanch them in boiling salted water, drain and reserve. Heat the wok, add garlic and ginger, fry until golden. Add the blanched bok choy and stir fry. Season with soy sauce to taste and remove from heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and coat with a tablespoon of sesame oil. Ready.

Cut the block of tofu in half transversely, then into 5cm lengths crosswise and in half lengthwise. 

Wipe the wok clean. Heat it, add oil. Place the tofu chunks in the wok to fry undisturbed until it forms a crust. Flip to the other side and repeat. Once the tofu is golden, reserve. Add a bit more oil if necessary, fry some garlic and ginger until fragrant and then add the garlic scapes. Stir fry. Put the lid on and allow the vegetables to steam. Once the scapes are cooked - slightly wilted but still crunchy - return the tofu to the wok and incorporate. Season with soy sauce to taste and place on a serving platter.

Eat with steamed rice and jasmine green tea.

Harvest (Moon)

Pesto

This worked:

• 85 g of basil leaves
• 30 g pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• 60 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 150 ml olive oil
• (coarse) salt to taste

I've used a granite mortar and pestle that was too small for this quantity of pesto, but things worked out in the end. Start by grinding the garlic clove with a bit of salt into a smooth paste. Then add the basil leaves a handful at a time and grind them into a paste as well. Do not pound, use the sides of the mortar. I had to add the basil leaves in two stages. There is a bit of a discussion about how you dry the leaves once you wash them. This was not a issue in my case, as the basil came from a plant I have in my balcony. Then, add the pine nuts and grind them into the paste. The cheese should be half pecorino half parmigiano, but this is what I had on hand. Incorporate that into the paste. Lastly, the olive oil. This quantity of oil may be reduced, 100 ml should be enough. Add salt to taste and mix well.

What strikes me in this preparation is the balance. None of the components stands out. And this is a good thing.

PS: Most recipes will call for much more garlic. I have a problem with raw garlic and only used one.

Fermented hot sauce

Food fermentation is an utterly fascinating topic; the book by Sandor Katz ---The Art of Fermentation---, and the author himself are a reflection of that fact.

If you like spicy stuff, you haven't got a single excuse not to try this. Find some hot peppers, preferably organic, cut them open, get rid of the stems and of most of the seeds, pack them inside a glass jar along with a few skinless garlic cloves which you have previously crushed. Cover with slightly salted water - preferably seat salt - and make sure all solids are completely submerged in the brine. Cover the jar but keep in mind that some gas will be released as a consequence of the natural fermentation process: if the seal is airtight, the jar might explode.

I let the peppers ferment between September 15 and September 29. Then, I've separated the solids from the brine, reserved the brine, and used an immersion blended to patiently obtain a puree. I've added some of the brine to ease the process. Then, I've sieved the puree, using a silicone spatula to separated the sauce from the skins and seeds, which were discarded.

The jar with the sauce has been sitting in the fridge and I've used its contents whenever possible. The color is absolutely beautiful, almost unnatural. The sauce is spicy, but no unbearably so. Commercial hot sauces have this vinegary aspect which is tiresome. This sauce has some acidity --- again, a byproduct of fermentation --- but not overwhelming. 

All and all, a very enjoyable hot sauce, brighter than anything I've tasted. The peppers I have used are probably malagueta chilies, but it's never easy to identify these things if they are not grown from certified seeds. There where a couple mature Poblano peppers thrown in as well. The brine is still in a glass jar inside the fridge, and I am sure that I'll come up with a few ways of using its contents....