ADOBONG SITAW AT TOFU

My mom would make adobo almost every week when I was growing up. I grew accustomed to the powerful flavors of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, and black pepper. When I started dating my now fiancé, bringing him home to dishes my mom made was challenging due to his vegetarian diet. Hell-bent on a quest to help him experience Filipino cuisine, I developed this vegan-friendly recipe that takes half the time of a meat-based adobo and switches up how you think of ingredients like tofu and onion.

• 15 oz extra firm tofu, drained

• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided

• ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce/tamari/shoyu

• ½ cup white/rice/cane vinegar

• 2 tsp black peppercorns, freshly cracked

• 1 tsp light brown sugar

• 3 dried bay leaves

• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp neutral oil, divided

• 1 yellow onion, cut into ½ inch thick wedges with the root end trimmed and intact

• 6 oz green beans, chopped into 2 inch pieces

• 6 oz baby bok choy, cored and leaves separated

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias (garnish)

Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place on a cooling rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Weigh down with a heavy object (another baking sheet topped with a couple of heavy cans works well). Allow to drain for at least 15 minutes, up to 1 hour.

Combine garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar, then add the bay leaves and set aside.

Unwrap tofu and use your hands to break it up into roughly 2 inch pieces. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu in an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottom, 3-5 minutes. Use tongs to turn the tofu and cook for an additional 3 -5 minutes until well browned. Transfer the crisped tofu to the bowl with the soy sauce mixture and set aside.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil. Add the onion and green beans. Cook, undisturbed, until the onions begin to brown and the green beans char in spots, 3-5 minutes. 

Add the tofu and soy sauce mixture. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up any browned solids from the bottom of the pan. Add the bok choy, toss to coat, and cook until the liquid reduces by half, 3-5 minutes.

Serve immediately with white rice and top with scallions for garnish.

SPICED LAMB BURGER WITH TAHINI TZATZIKI

Being challenged to a burger-off is not something I take lightly. Doing a classic felt too easy, so bold was the only option. Opting for lamb, a polarizing but intensely flavorful meat, required proper framing: generously salting the formed patties just before applying direct heat; a deeply browned crust from undisturbed searing; a reliably clean tzatziki spiked with nutty tahini to ground the tang; red onions quick-pickled in sweetened champagne vinegar cut through the richness; and a show-stopping ½" slab of feta cheese (you heard me) melted directly onto the patty. All components of this dish can be prepped a day in advance, as long as no salt makes its way into the meat (which runs the risk of making the burgers springy, like kebabs). This recipe's great year-round, especially in meatball form around the holidays. If you're making this recipe when grilling is less convenient, swap the plain yogurt in the tzatziki out for some smoked yogurt to get that fumé. 

For the burgers

Makes 6 burgers

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated

• 1 tsp aleppo pepper

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp clove

• 1 lb ground lamb

• 1 egg, well beaten

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

• ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped

• Kosher salt

• black pepper, freshly ground

• 6 slices feta cheese, ½" thick

• 2 oz baby arugula

• 6 martin's potato sandwich rolls, split and toasted

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine olive oil, scallion whites, garlic, and dry spices. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and set aside. Alternatively, set a small skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. When shimmering, add the scallion whites, garlic, and dry spices. Cook until aromatic. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.

Once oil is cool enough to touch, add the panko breadcrumbs and egg. Whisk until well combined. Add the ground lamb, scallion greens and mint. Using your hands, blend the mixture until combined, but not packed or overworked.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide lamb mixture onto parchment into 6 portions. Gently pat into thin, 4-inch-round patties and transfer to the prepared sheet.

Generously season one side of patties with salt, then place on grill with the seasoned side down. Grill until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Season patties with salt, flip, then top with feta. Grill the patties to desired doneness (about 4 minutes for medium). Transfer patties to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Alternatively, set a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add patties in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until well seared, about 4 minutes. Season, flip, and top with feta cheese. Add ¼ cup water to the skillet and cover. Cook until moisture evaporates and cheese has begun to melt, about 3 minutes. Repeat as needed.

Build the burger with arugula, burger, tahini tzatziki, and quick-pickled onions. 

For the Tahini Tzatziki

• 2 persian cucumbers, ¼" dice

• ½ tsp salt

• 1½ cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp white vinegar

• 2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

• 2 tsp fresh mint, finely chopped

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, add the cucumber and salt, then toss until coated evenly. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer set in a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes to drain

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and white vinegar. Add the strained cucumbers, dill, mint, and cayenne pepper to the yogurt mixture. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.

For the Quick-pickled onions

• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar

• 1 tsp cane sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully dissolved. Add the red onion and toss to coat evenly in the vinegar mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.

MAC AND CHEESE

Mac and cheese is a quintessential comfort food with showstopping capabilities and great expectations. Every scoop of pasta should be coated in molten dairy, followed by melted cheese stretching pan to plate.

The texture of the sauce, however, is a dealbreaker for me. Melting cheese into a roux-thickened sauce is a game of temperature management. Heat too aggressively and your sauce will break, turning simultaneously gritty and greasy. By stirring shredded cheddar- the most iconic choice for mac and cheese- into the bechamel in stages, you lower the risk of overheating the cheese as it melts. Just take your time and don't hesitate to remove the pan from heat occasionally. Sound like life advice? It is.

As for the stretches, there’s but one answer: add more cheese. This cheese melts in the heat of the oven and provides the ooey-gooey ooze that should make you moan a bit. You can really use whatever extra melt-friendly cheese you have on hand, but mozzarella is a reliable choice for graceful stretches.

The pasta is acting as a vehicle for the prized sauce, so it's important you so go for shapes with nooks and crannies big enough to scoop up some of the melted cheese and deliver the goods. Though not the titular macaroni, my go-tos are shells or pipe rigate.

Buttering up the baking dish helps get that corner-piece level of baked cheese flavor all over the bottom. Yes, there's more than half a stick of butter in this recipe but let's be honest: you're looking at a mac and cheese recipe so was "healthy" really your goal?

Serves 6-8

• 6 tbsp butter + more for greasing

• 4 slices sourdough bread, torn into ½" pieces

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts parts separated

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped

• 1 medium yellow onion, ¼" dice

• 3 tbsp flour

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

• 1 pound medium pasta shells

• 4 ounces smoked mozzarella, torn into shreds

Preheat oven to 375°F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Bust out your trusty cast iron pan or 9×9 baking dish and grease with up to 1 tbsp butter. Set aside.

Bring 1 gallon water to a boil and 3 tbsp salt. Meanwhile, add sourdough bread to a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. When butter bubbles, add scallion whites, 2 tsp garlic, thyme, ½ tsp salt. Sauté until scallion whites are translucent but not browned. Transfer to the bowl with bread and toss to coat evenly. Set sourdough croutons aside.

Return the medium saucepan to medium-high heat and add 4 tbsp butter. When butter bubbles, add the onion and remaining garlic. Cook until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir until all the flour has absorbed the butter. Cook roux for 3 minutes. Slowly pour milk into the roux while whisking continuously. Continue cooking, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tsp salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper. Stir in ½ cup sharp cheddar until mostly melted. Repeat 3 more times, reserving 2 cups for later. Cover and set cheese sauce aside.

Follow box instructions to cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and stir until well combined. Transfer half of the mac and cheese to the prepared cast iron skillet/baking dish. Scatter the smoked mozzarella and remaining sharp cheddar in an even layer over the mac and cheese, then top with the remaining mac and cheese. Using a rubber spatula, scrape out any remaining sauce and gently stir into the mac and cheese. Top with sourdough croutons and bake until croutons begin to brown and cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges, 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve piping lava hot.

Original recipe posted 02/01/2013