Melt in your mouth eggplant with tofu

Need to use your EGGPLANT and GARLIC ? Try this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

This is absolutely my favorite way to eat eggplant - it ends up with the best texture, and it's so easy to do.

Ingredients:

• 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu

• Neutral oil for roasting (I use safflower)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 3/4 to 1 pound eggplant

• osher salt

• 3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (the higher amount is slightly more rich)

• 1 heaped cup thinly sliced shallots or 1 medium white or red onion, thinly sliced

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce1

• tablespoon granulated or brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon crushed or very coarsely ground black pepper, and more to taste

• Rice, for serving

• Chile-garlic sauce, crispy chili oil, or sriracha for serving

Directions

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

• Drain tofu and place on a few layers of paper towel with more over it; set aside for 5 minutes, or until needed.

• Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over your largest baking sheet and place it on the oven to get very hot while you get everything else ready.

• Trim eggplant and cut eggplant into 1-inch pieces.

• In a large bowl toss with 1 tablespoon oil and a few pinches of salt.

• Remove hot pan from oven and spread eggplant over half to 2/3 the pan.

• Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.

• Toss gently in empty bowl with cornstarch and a couple pinches of salt until coated. Spread on empty part of baking sheet.

• Roast tofu and eggplant in oven for 20 minutes to start. After 20 minutes, use your thinnest spatula to gently separate the tofu from the pan and flip to crisp and brown on the other side, about another 10 minutes. Do the same with the eggplant. At 30 minutes, the tofu should be crisp and browned and the eggplant should be roasted and tender. If needed, cook it for 5 more minutes.

• While tofu and eggplant roasts, prepare the sauce. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once butter melts, add shallots, garlic, and ginger. Reduce heat slightly and cook, stirring here and there, until everything is tender, about 11 to 14 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper and cook, simmering, for 3 minutes more. Add roasted tofu and eggplant to pan and stir to coat with sauce; cook for one to two minutes minute together. Serve over or with rice; add extra heat as needed.
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BOK CHOY and CILANTRO - Sheet Pan Bok Choy with Tofu and Ramen

Need to use your BOK CHOY and CILANTRO? Try this Sheet Pan Bok Choy with Tofu and Ramen

While this recipe was written for baby bok choy, I've made it with larger choys no problem. It's delicious, super easy, and once you know the basics, pretty easy to riff on. Who would have thought instant ramen noodles could turn out so well!

Ingredients 

FOR THE NOODLES

• 3 blocks instant ramen noodles (about 9 ounces), flavor packets discarded

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil2tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)1

• (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

• 3 baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced vertically into 4 pieces

• Handful of cilantro leaves

FOR THE MARINADE

• 2 tablespoons hoisin

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees and place one rack on the top and one on the bottom.

2. Fill a kettle or medium pot with water (about 8 cups) and bring to a boil.

3. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Set aside the bowl to use in Step 5.

4. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and sesame seeds.

5. Place the noodles on a sheet pan. Add the sesame oil, 1 tablespoon neutral oil, soy sauce and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to combine, then evenly spread out the noodles.

6. Dip each tofu slice into the marinade, coating both sides, then add them to the sheet pan, pushing the noodles aside so that the tofu touches the pan and doesn’t just sit on top of the noodles.

7. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reserve excess marinade.

8. Place the baby bok choy into the reserved bowl, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and toss to coat.

9. Remove the sheet pan from the oven (the noodles should be crisp on the bottom and at the edges) and add the bok choy to the pan. Return the sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and bake for 4 to 7 minutes until the greens are vibrant with crispy edges, and the top of the noodles are crispy.

10. Drizzle with the remaining marinade, top with cilantro leaves and serve.

Roasted Carrots Harissa Creme Fraiche

Need to use your CARROTS and CILANTRO?

Try one of our member’s favorite carrot recipe from eSerious Eats.

Kenji Lopez-Alt did piece on serious eats about the best way to roast carrots and recommends par-cooking them in salted water until barely tender, and then roasting them (at 375 for ~40 minutes) - I've found this is a great way to get super tender, flavorful carrots, whatever you're planning to do, but can definitely recommend his suggestion to toss them in harissa and oil before roasting, and then dress with creme fraiche and cilantro (or yogurt!):

Ingredients

2 pounds (900g) medium carrots, ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch segments

Kosher salt

1/4 cup (60ml) crème fraîche

2 tablespoons (30ml) harissa paste (see notes)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 375°F. Place carrots in a large pot, cover with water, and season heavily with salt. Heat over high heat until boiling. Reduce to a simmer and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to dry for 5 minutes. Set aside. Season crème fraîche with salt to taste and refrigerate until ready to use.Combine harissa, cumin, black pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt. Transfer half of mixture to small bowl and set aside. Add carrots to remaining mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Roast until caramelized, about 40 minutes, turning once or twice during roasting. Transfer carrots to a large bowl and toss with cilantro.Spread crème fraîche on serving platter. Top with carrots and drizzle with remaining harissa mixture. Serve immediately.

Herby Potato Salad

Another way to use all the potatoes and chilies!

Herby Potato Salad using ingredients from the CSA

For those looking for a tangy, herby alternative to a mayo-based potato salad, this might be your jam. This potato side is nice slightly warm, at room temperature, or cold right out of the fridge.

Ingredients

• CSA potatoes

• Herb Sauce (all to taste): Any tender herbs you have on hand (parsley, cilantro, dill)

• Red wine vinegar

• Olive oil

• A squeeze of lemon juice

• Red chili

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tbs Dijon mustard

Recipe:

• In a large pot, cover your (gorgeous) CSA potatoes with water, season with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

• Reduce heat to medium and cook potatoes until you can easily pierce them with a fork (about 25 minutes).

• Remove potatoes from the pot, and transfer them to a large bowl to cool.

• While potatoes cook, prep your green sauce. This herby, chimichurri-like green sauce can basically be a mix of whatever you have on hand. In a blender, I usually whir up parsley and cilantro, a splash of red wine vinegar, 2ish tbs of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, s&p, and either red pepper flakes or a fresh chili. Sometimes I add fresh garlic, or any other fancy vinegar I might have on hand — it’s up to you!

• When potatoes are cool enough to touch, break them into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Add dijon mustard and a few dollops of your herb sauce to the bowl of potatoes, and mix. Sprinkle with a handful of fresh herbs and freshly ground pepper.

Tortilla española

To use all your potatoes, consider making tortilla española!

This very simple recipe is a favorite in Spain. Serve it with a crusty bread and a salad or any side dish of your choosing!

Photo credit: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled

• 1 small onion1 cup olive oil6 extra-large or 7 large eggs

• Salt and pepper

Recipe

• Slice potatoes and onions very thin, either by hand or with a mandoline

• Heat oil in a skillet until it is very hot (about 3 minutes); add potatoes and onions and cook over medium-low for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart

• Drain potatoes and onions in a colander, saving the oil in a bowl underneath.

• Season with salt and pepperBeat eggs in a separate bowl; add a few pinches of salt and pepper.

• Add the potatoes and onions to the eggs. If you have 10 minutes, let the mixture soak.

• Add 2 tablespoons of the oil back to the skillet over medium-high.

• Pour the egg/potato/onion mixture into the pan and reduce heat to medium-low.

• Mix everything around for a minute or so and then let the tortilla cook until the bottom is golden and the top is wet, but not runny

• Now it's time to flip! Take a dinner plate or a cutting board, put it on top of the skillet, and invert. Using a spatula, gently nudge the tortilla back into the pan with the previously cooked side up.Cook the tortilla for another 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and serve!

  Full recipe from Smitten Kitchen: https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/tortilla-de-patatas