Ma Po ToFu Má Pó Dòufu (麻婆豆腐) -- this is the authentic “Pockmarked Woman's Duofu”

This is a very old dish from the Szechwan Provence of China. The recipe comes from my Chinese Recipe Book. We have been enjoying it for about 35 years, mostly at home. It’s a relatively easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Tofu (Bean curd), firm
7 ounces Ground Pork
2 scallions or one Shallot
1 tsp. Szechwan pepper,*

SPICES (combine):

2-3 cloves garlic
1 slice ginger
1 Tbs. black beans, fermented *
1-1/2 tsp. Szechwan chili sauce *
1 red chili pepper, dry, chopped *

SAUCE:

1 Tbs. cornstarch
1-1/2 Tbs. soy sauce, double black *
1 Tbs. Rice Wine (Unsalted) or sherry (NOT COOKING SHERRY!)
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cup chicken stock (low sodium)

PREPARATION:

Cut the bean curd into 1/2" cubes and put them in a pan of hot water to soak until needed.
Clean the scallions, removing any old green stems and shred.
Clean the garlic and ginger and mince both. Chop the black beans
Spices; combine the black beans, garlic, ginger, and Szechwan chili sauce in a small bowl
Chop the chili pepper (more Szechwan chili sauce may be substituted). Set aside.
Sauce; combine the soy sauce, sherry, salt, sugar, stock, and cornstarch in a bowl and mix well, set aside.
Roast and crush the Szechwan Pepper corns **

COOKING

Heat the wok over high heat; add 2 or 3 Tbs. peanut oil and heat just 'till smoke. Add the ground meat and S/F, breaking the beef apart with the shovel (the meat should be in tiny chunks), until it is just gray. Add the scallions and S/F for 1 min. Add the Spice mix and again S/F for 1 min. Re-mix the Sauce and add it to the wok, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to bring it just to a slow bubbling and simmer for 1 min.

Drain the bean curd while the sauce is simmering and add it to the wok; again reduce the heat to allow the contents of the wok to just simmer very slowly. Simmer for at least 15 min. while you prepare an accompanying dish. The longer (within reason) that it simmers, the more the sauce flavor penetrates the bean curd.
Scoop out of the wok to a deep dish and serve. Roasted and crushed Szechwan pepper** sprinkled.

* Can be purchased in a Chinese Market

Fermented Black beans are sold in a cellophane bag usually salted. Szechwan chili sauce comes in a black labeled can about the size of tuna fish. Double Black Soy sauce is labeled just that. Szechwan pepper are corns just like black pepper corns. Dried red peppers also come in a cellophane bag. The whole lot should cost $5 or less.

** It isn’t necessary, but it adds a numbing sensation to the dish. Roasting Szechwan pepper corns is nothing more then heating them in a dry wok for a short time ‘till they start to turn dark. Crush them in the wok with the back of a spoon or use a mortar. You just want to crack them open to get the power inside. Strain thru a fine tea strainer saving the fine powder that comes through, discarding the rest.

Scallops in Garlic/Red Pepper Sauce

Here is an interesting combination featuring three of my favorites, Scallops, sweet Red Peppers and Angel Hair Spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ to 1 pound fresh or frozen scallops (Sea or Bay)
¼ pound Angel Hair spaghetti

1 Sweet Red Pepper

1 large clove garlic

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes *

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp parsley

White wine

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

PREPARATION:

Wash the scallops; if using large sea scallops, slice through the diameter into 3/8” discs. Wash the red pepper and cut it into ½” squares. Wash the parsley and shake off the water; cut from the stem and chop 1 tsp. Peel and chop the garlic do not use a press.

COOKING:

First Cook Angel Hair, drain, rinse and put it on a serving platter, cover with a foil tent to keep it warm.

Heat a skillet medium hot, add the oil and let it heat. Sauté the garlic and pepper flakes until the garlic just starts to turn light brown. Add the scallops, red peppers and chopped parsley. Sauté until scallops become firm and opaque. A splash of white wind adds just a bit of flavor.

Serve the scallops and peppers over Angel Hair; Pour any remaining sauce over and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Garnish with parsley.

*See Tips

Sausage Steeped in Beer with Wine infused Red Peppers

This recipe does not fall under the 1– ½ hour category, BUT it’s worth the effort

INGREDIENTS:

26” long 12oz. French bread loaf “Baguette”*
1 pound Italian Sweet sausage links (Anything BUT Johnsonville brand)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Large Sweet red bell peppers
1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle of beer
2 X 1/3 cup of burgundy wine

PREPARATION:

Wash the sausages & straighten. Clean the Peppers, remove the white rib and cut into ¼ -3/8” Julian strips. Cut the hard ends from the Baguette and cut into 5” sections; then cut lengthwise, but not through to form a bun just about the length of the sausages.

COOKING:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium (3-4) heat. Cook sausage until browned on all sides (I turn them about every 5 min. or so) for 30 min. slice the sausages lengthwise down the center in the pan do not cut thru! Just so you can open them. Remove sausage from pan pour any juice back in the pan. Place the sausages in a slow cooker or crock pot** and pour in a can of beer to cover.

Pour 1/3 cup of red wine into the pan deglaze, scraping any blackened bits from the bottom. Place the red peppers in the pan. Let them simmer for about 10 min. Then turn continue simmering (3-3 ½) until peppers are tender turning frequently for another 20 min. don’t let them burn.
Transfer the peppers and sauce into a container. Deglaze the frying pan with 1/3 cup of wine; scraping the bits loose, adding it to the peppers. Place the container in the pan with the steeping sausages to keep warm! Cover and simmer until sausage is cooked through (2 to 3 hours or longer).

Start the steamer at 300deg and reduce to 275deg after about ½ to ¾ of an hour.
Place the cut Baguette buns in the accompanying steamer and steam for about 15 to 20 min. before serving.

SERVING:
Remove a bun from the steamer, open it and place a sausage in it, spreading open the sausage. Scoop out a ladle of the juice (off the bottom avoiding the fat) and ladle it over the sausage and bun followed by peppers placed along the split in the sausage. Place in a wax paper lined basket and serve the best Sausage ‘n Pepper sandwich you ever had!

* In our area, I call the Safe Way stores bakery the day before and ask that they stretch the Baguette to the full length of the pan which results in a loaf about 26” long. Their Baguette are about 12 oz. avoid the 1 Lb. variety as they are too dowey.

** I use a contraption I built to hold everything in one place.

Roasted Turnips with Shallots and Garlic

Well folks, I don’t know if you ever liked turnips or not, BUT you will have to try these and I guarantee you will say “WOW” they are wonderful! Give them a try.


INGREDIENTS:

¾ pound White Purple topped turnips

6 – 8 small cloves garlic

2 shallots

1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme, or ½ tsp dried rosemary or dried thyme
ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

Wash, peel and cut the turnips into 1 1/4-inch pieces. Peel the shallots, cut in half lengthwise. If using fresh herbs, wash, shake off water, and strip the leaves from the herbs then chop, other wise crush the dry herbs. Peel the garlic, if large cloves cut in half.

Add the oil and herbs to a large bowl and mix well. Add the turnips and toss to coat. Add the shallots and toss again. Put the mixture (excluding garlic) into a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer without crowding.

Pre Heat oven to 375 deg.

ROASTING:

Put the pan in preheated oven and roast, stirring the vegetables after 15 min. After another 15 min, remove from the oven and stir again, add the garlic cloves. Raise heat to 425 deg. continue roasting until tender and evenly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with pepper, garnish with Rosemary sprigs and serve hot.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Southern Comfort Glazed Carrots

Here’s a “Blast from the past”. We’ve been making carrots this way for years. The recipe comes from a Southern Comfort flyer from the 1960’s


INGREDENTS:

20 oz. carrots (Fresh, not “baby”)
¾ cup of Lt. Brown Sugar
¼ Lb. butter
¼ cup Southern Comfort liquor

PREPARATION:
Wash and peel the carrots and crinkle cut. Mix with the other ingredients in a sauce pan.

COOKING:

Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove the cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley or rosemary. Serve hot

Here's the Crinkle cutter.

Ike’s Famous “Chicago Classic” Deep Dish Uno's Pizza

Well here it is as promised. Ike Sewell created the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza in 1943. This is my interpretation of it and is as true to the original Uno's pizza as you can get. It is not a “Build your own Pizza” as the balance to achieve the correct flavor is delicate.


PIZZA DOUGH:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Package of Active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp sugar
½ Cup of milk
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
½ cup &  ¼ cup of warm water

In a pan heat the 1 Tbsp of butter until it melts, add ½ cup of milk, add ½ cup hot water and heat. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp Sugar ½ tsp salt. Stir to combine.

In a large bowl dissolve 1 pkg. dry yeast in ¼ cup of warm water. Pour in the previously prepared mixture into the bowl. Stir in 1-1/2 cups flour. Mix vigorously (Beat) for 1 min with a spoon. Add another 1-1/2 cups of flour and mix well.
Toss dough on floured bread board and knead for 5 min.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1-1/2 hours. Punch down. Knead again for 1 to 2 min let rise again for another 1-1/2 hrs.

I have found that removing the sausage from the skin and frying to a golden brown first, removes a lot of grease and shortens the need for extended cooking time. I also recommend the use of Hot Italian sausage BUT NOT MADE BYJohnsonville they have put in more fat and changed the spices.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Hot Italian pork sausage ( Anything BUT Johnsonville brand)
1 ea  28 oz. Can of peeled, crushed plum tomatoes
1 lb. Whole Mozzarella cheese (Fresh if you can find it)
1 Tbsp fresh basil (1 tsp. dried )
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)
extra virgin olive oil - as needed
Yellow corn meal - as needed

PREPARATION:

Remove the sausage from the casing and crumble. Add to a frying pan and fry till golden brow. Pour off the oil and set sausage aside. Thinly slice the Mozzarella. Finely chop the fresh herbs.

Place the tomatoes in a sauce pan, add the herbs and mix well. Simmer very slowly while you prepare the dough . (At least one hour).

ASSEMBLY:

I use a 12” Iron frying pan with the handle cut off. It’s very close to UNO’s (Not cast Iron). Most any 3” deep frying pan will do. No rack in the pan.

Using your fingers, coat the pan with the olive oil sides and bottom. Then sprinkle a coating of yellow corn meal to lightly cover the pan, spinning the pan and shaking the corn meal at the same time (Sides to). Spread the dough out, place it in the pizza pan and stretch it up the sides of the pan. Using your fingers coat the dough with olive oil. Then spread about 2/3 of the Mozzarella over the dough. The cooked-crumbled sausage comes next, spread to cover the cheese. Spread the sauce over the Sausage. Top with the remainder of the Mozzarella.

COOKING:

Place the pan on the lowest rack in the lowest position of the oven. Crank up the heat to 475 to 500 deg. And bake for 10 min. Move the pan to the center of the oven and reduce the heat to 350 deg. (Don’t wait for the oven to cool) just bake for 20-25 min. ‘till the crust starts to brown on the edges.

Let set for 5 min. Cut and serve.