cooked a new recipe today.

[Catherine]

No, not new, but it is in fashion apparently. Which is a good thing if you like it. What's not to like...

Indeed, except that because it is now fashionable the price has leapt up.

[EmWilk]

I started off with the intention to make this sweet potato gratin from river cottage veg everyday https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... ttingstall

Then I remembered I had a butternut squash so thought I'd use that instead of sweet potatoes.
Then the peanut butter, garlic and chilli made me think Asian style so I used coconut milk instead of cream, added fresh coriander and lime and went from there.

Very nice too! Was quite rich and wouldn't have liked to eat it on its own but with a garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander, soy sauce and lime marinated steak and similarly dressed broccoli and green beans, it was a superb combo

[Herbidacious]

I have made the Hugh F-W original. I thought I made it on holiday, but looking at the ingredients, probably not! (Unless I improvised with the cream and took peanut butter with me, and can one get sweet potatoes in deepest darkest Normandy?)

Yes the original was very rich too, and we did eat it on its own! I liked it. Thank you for reminding me about it.

[Herbidacious]

Partly in the interests of experimenting to increase my protein intake, and partly in the interests of just experimenting, I just made tofu satay from the Tofuture web site. I have to say a tofu press is a bit of a game changer on the tofu front. Husband said it was delicious. He may have been exaggerating a bit, but it was definitely rather nice.

[scullion]

i used to make tofu from scratch a few decades ago but gave it up due to the coating it would leave on the inside of the pan i used - a concretion that needed to be chipped off with a knife and which took hours. it was also before soya milk was readily available so i had to soak and grind the raw beans to get to that stage first.
i was so glad when tofu became readily available at a local chinese supermarket in truro (now long gone) and later in packets in main supermarkets.
i remember i concocted a press with plastic boxes that fitted into each other and drilled holes in the bottom one, weighing it down with tins or weights in the top box.
i've just checked the site - did you actually make the tofu or press a bought block?

the recipes on the site look interesting.

[Herbidacious]

Well maybe not cooked, although it did involve toasting tea... I made this last night,

https://food52.com/recipes/71243-vegeta ... e-no-bacon

not sure how bacony it is, but it is indeed delicious.

[TeresaFoodie]

That looks very interesting Herb. Although never a bacon fan, and didn't like Lapsong Shoe-pong first time I tried it as a drinkable tea (felt like my nose hairs were burning out along with my sinuses!) I could see this working and something I might be tempted to try, and either love or hate!

[Zosherooney]

We drink T with a pinch of LS in every day so have this ingredient, might have a go when I am next feeling industrious... Thanks for the link Herb.

[karadekoolaid]

Looks delightful, Herb! I drink tea with Lapsang Shoeshop every day. Lovely little smoky number!

[Zosherooney]

Em, that recipe looks good too, I have BNS in the fridge so a good way to use some. Thanks !

[Herbidacious]

I don't think it falls into the Marmite (i.e. love or hate) category, Tezza. It's just very tasty but has not oddity to it that would make you go fall at one end of the liking spectrum or the other but nowhere in between. The tea just gives it a smokiness. I don't like tea full stop, but I may summon up the courage to try some of the Lapsong S, seeming as I now have some. Downside of the recipe is sourcing the grape jelly. (I actually wrote 'saucing' then...) If I make it again may use maple syrup and see if this makes a significant difference. Actually I have a suspicion that it's all an emperor's new clothes sort of thing (sort of...) and that the soy sauce and garlic are doing most of the work here. A bit of liquid smoke and maple syrup might do just as well as subs.
I made the same thing minus the mayo to marinade some pressed tofu yesterday. Will cook it later. It has potential I think

Talking of which, Scullion sorry I didn't answer your question. I bought a press made by Tofuture (or tofu torture, as we call it).

Tesco and no Sainsbury's stock a brand called Tofoo co. This is much nicer than the Cauldron brand. I know that sounds like a contradiction in terms (i.e. it's too bland to be nicer than anything) but it's true imo! But it is still tofu at the end of the day

[smitch]

I really dislike Cauldron tofu. The rats like it though, they eat it plain straight from the packet. Little weirdos

For ourselves, I either buy Taifun from Ocado or the veggie shop near my office, or Tofu King from the Chinese supermarket. Their spicy tofu is fab, my husband loves it.

[TeresaFoodie]

I have only eaten Cauldron tofu as far as I know. I do really like the marinated one and can eat straight from the packet or in a sandwich with salad cream. As well as in stir fries of course.

I have tried pressing regular tofu then marinating but it just seems to fall apart on cooking no matter how I try to make it keep it's shape.

[Catherine]

I have only eaten Cauldron tofu as far as I know. I do really like the marinated one and can eat straight from the packet or in a sandwich with salad cream. As well as in stir fries of course.

You need a wing yip. The selection of tofu is huge

[PatsyMFagan]

Not Wing Yip, but there is a Chinese supermarket in Union Street Tessa ...

[Herbidacious]

I have tried pressing regular tofu then marinating but it just seems to fall apart on cooking no matter how I try to make it keep it's shape.

I've not had that problem, Tezza, but I do usually cube it. I forgot to cook my marinating tofu last night. I was planning on roasting it in slices in the over. It's a bit past it's best before date now... hopefully the Liquid Aminos is used will be preserving it?!

[TeresaFoodie]

Maybe I should try roasting it in future. It is probably the stir frying that is breaking it down.

[smitch]

Maybe I should try roasting it in future. It is probably the stir frying that is breaking it down.

Cauldron tofu is much softer than other brands. If you have a Chinese supermarket nearby try looking in there. It's also way cheaper than Tescos etc.

[TeresaFoodie]

I will have a look smitch, thanks for that tip. I used to have a wonderful Chinese store in Bedford, need to explore Luton, they must have one somewhere!

[Herbidacious]

I although I usually use/press Cauldron... if you've pressed it the softness won't be an issue.

My roasted tofu turned out ok. It initially looked dark grey/blackish though from the tea in the marinade. I gather black food is in vogue though

[Kacey]

I don't mind Cauldron Foods tofu but when I do use this brand I always freeze it first. Thaw it and press out all the liquid gently and it'll be firmer.

By the way, rather than buy the expensive marinated version, make your own - freeze it, thaw it, cube it and fry in 1/2 tsp sesame oil, tip it onto some kitchen roll then fry again in another 1/2 tsp, add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, fry again till crispy.

I don't usually bother to go beyond the 1st frying these days if I'm using it in a recipe.

[Herbidacious]

There are so many ways to marinade it. I have never attained the texture of the bought marinaded stuff though. Tezza I too can just snack on this until the packet's gone.

[PatsyMFagan]

I will have a look smitch, thanks for that tip. I used to have a wonderful Chinese store in Bedford, need to explore Luton, they must have one somewhere!

did you see my post ? You posted immediately afterwards .............

[TeresaFoodie]

Sorry Pat, I did miss your post. Next time I am in the town centre I will look into finding that. Thanks.

[scullion]

that's a branch of the one i've used just outside sandy (beds). the sandy one is massive - a hangar of a building and jam packed with so much stuff.
you'll spend a long time in there if it's as big as the sandy one.

[TeresaFoodie]

I used to live not far from the Sandy one and had to resist going in there too often as I would usually overspend and come away with a lot more than I went in for. Lovely shop though.

[Herbidacious]

I made the Smitten Kitchen cheat's (?) version of the courgette tian/gratin. Very nice. I think if... when I make it again, I might add some fresh herbs. Rosemary or thyme.

[scullion]

yes, i thought that something was missing, too. i was going for a bit of oregano next time. i think also the multicolour peppercorns would go better than straight pepper - and half a mushroom stock cube rather than just the plain water.

ps why i wrote pepper corms is beyond me.

[Herbidacious]

I think maybe stock instead of milk too. It needed a bit more unami. And boy, she wasn't wrong about the requirement for generous seasoning!

That said, it was still very nice. I shall have more courgettes to use up quite soon, I think.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

My lates cookery book I bought was Sabrina Ghayour "Feasts". . I cooked her lamb kofte sausage roll today and wasn't a success. The lamb mince was far too sloppy. It was mixed with tomato puree and two beaten eggs, so leaked out the pastry and gave me a soggy bottom !! It could have done with more spices too, as flavourings were parsley, garlic and chilli flakes. A shame as I've tried a few recipes of hers before and they've been very nice

[MagicMarmite]

Oh that's a shame, was it at least edible?
It sounds like it would be delicious

[Prettykiwicrazy]

No unfortunately it was far too wet and sloppy. I might make an adaptation without the eggs, some more spices and maybe some dried fruit added in, as I think the ideas nice