Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant

Cooking with Jane, Recipes, ,

The eggplant this year from Root Radical has been the high point of our summer, gotta say. We’ve generally been barbequeing it and eating it by the fistful, but we’ve been wanting to try this recipe from smitten kitchen for awhile and this week was the week! It’s not quite yet soup season, but we’re getting there, and it was cool enough this week to imagine roasting things, so let’s go for it. (Photos are from smitten kitchen! We didn’t get any of our own yet! :O)

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Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant

Ingredients

  • 1 package extra-firm tofu
  • Neutral oil for roasting
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3/4 to 1 pound eggplant (basically one hefty or two medium)
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter the higher amount is slightly more rich
  • 1 thinly sliced onion
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon crushed or very coarsely ground black pepper and more to taste
  • Rice for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

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

  3. 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.

  4. Trim eggplant and cut eggplant into 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl toss with 1 tablespoon oil and a few pinches of salt.

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

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. While tofu and eggplant roasts, prepare the sauce. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once butter melts, add onions, garlic, and ginger.

  10. 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.

  11. Add roasted tofu and eggplant to pan and stir to coat with sauce; cook for one to two minutes minute together. Serve with rice, and chili crisp and/or hot sauce if that's your style!