RECIPES
A few favourites from friends of the farm!
DANIEL’S EASY SHIITAKE-TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
Ingredients:
25g dried Ways Mills shiitake mushrooms
3 cans (796 mL) no salt diced tomatoes
3 cans (156 mL) tomato paste
¼ cup dried oregano
2 large green or yellow bell peppers
1 small onion
3 tbsp chopped garlic (3-4 large cloves)
3 tsp sambal oelek
3 tbsp olive oil
150 g (1 – 1½ cups) graded “old” cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and add chopped peppers, onion, and garlic; cook until starting to go soft.
2. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste; stir and simmer ~ 5 minutes
3. Add dried shiitake, oregano, sambal oelek, salt, and pepper; simmer for ~5 minutes
4. Add grated cheese, and mix until the cheese is completely melted
5. Simmer for 30-60 minutes, stirring frequently.
This pasta sauce goes well with all types of pasta noodles and freezes well. For an extra comfort food meal, mix the pasta sauce with cooked (al dente) penne or similar noodles, place in casserole dish, cover with parmesan cheese, dot with butter and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Note: you can add meat to the sauce if you desire.
TINA’S MAPO TOFU
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
380g soft tofu
4 tbsp vegetable oil
100 g fresh (or 20 g dried rehydrated in hot water with soy sauce) shiitake mushrooms
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sake
2 tbsp douban jiang
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp chili powder
Broth:
1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water
Topping:
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp finely sliced green onion (scallions)
Steamed rice to serve
Instructions:
1. Heat the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Then use a mortar and pestle to grind to a fine powder. Set aside for later.
2. Cut the drained tofu into bite-sized cubes. Heat a saucepan of water over high heat. When the water is at a gentle simmer (don’t rapidly boil the water or the tofu might break up), add a generous couple of pinches of salt. Then carefully add the tofu pieces. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes then turn the heat off and allow the tofu to steep in the hot, salty water.
3. Finely dice mushrooms so that they take on the size of ground beef/pork. Marinate mushrooms in 2 tsp of soy sauce and 2 tsp sake, and add a pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorn. Set aside for 10 minutes.
4. In a wok or large frying pan over high heat, add the vegetable oil. Then add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the douban jiang and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Then stir through the garlic, ginger and chili powder. Stir-fry for half a minute. Then add the broth ingredients: chicken stock, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about a quarter and is starting to thicken. Stir through the cornstarch mixture. Now add the rest of the Sichuan peppercorn powder. Taste and season with extra salt or soy sauce if needed.
5. Now use a slotted spoon to drain the tofu and add it to the pork mixture. Drizzle over the sesame oil and gently toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with steamed rice.