sparkle kitchen: bbq tofu
In Part Two of How to be Super: The Violet Crown, “The Restaurant”, Dante goes to his birthday dinner with his mom and grandpa at “The Switch Station”, a barbecue joint. After they try a bit of everything, his grandpa gives him a present – enrollment in a summer camp for kids who like to make maps, like Dante.
But, as his grandpa tells him about the camp, Dante notices a knowing sparkle in his eye. Does this camp have something to do with The Violet Crown?
While it's not typical barbecue joint fare, barbecue tofu is a delicious nibble to set out as an appetizer at a party or during the peckish hour before dinner.
You can marinate the tofu in just about anything, but for the recipe below I've chosen something special — the “secret” barbecue sauce my dad and I used to make when I was a kid. It starts with store-bought barbecue sauce, but — as my dad used to say with a knowing sparkle in his eye — the secret add-in's are what make it special.
While the tofu will absorb more flavor if you can marinate it overnight, a few hours will be fine, too, if you're pressed for time. Whatever you do, don't rush the cooking process, though. If you want this tofu to be truly amazing, you must give it time to develop a crispy—even slightly blackened—outer crust as it cooks.
Like the mysteries of The Violet Crown, some secrets (or secret sauces) must be developed slowly!
Barbecue Tofu
Ingredients
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 peaches, cut into small chunks
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup water
14.5 ounces firm tofu
In a large saucepan, stir together everything except the tofu. Put the pan on the stove over medium heat for about ten minutes, or until the peaches start to get tender. Stir frequently to keep it from burning. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then use an immersion blender to break down the peaches.
Slice the tofu into 1 inch slabs, then layer it in a small baking dish. Slather on the barbecue sauce, put the dish in the fridge, and allow the tofu to marinate overnight.
When you're ready to cook, heat a large griddle over medium heat. While the pan is warming, cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes. (This makes more surface area for crisping.)
Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer on the griddle, and allow them to cook for about 4 minutes a side—long enough to crisp up and get some blackened color.
Once the tofu is crispy all over, pile it onto a plate and serve it with extra barbecue sauce on the side for dipping.
About the Author
Meryl Carver-Allmond
The Sparkle Kitchen Series is created by Meryl Carver-Allmond.
Meryl lives in a hundred-year-old house near the prairie with her sweet husband, two preschoolers, one puppy, one gecko, and about ten chickens. While she's been writing since she could pick up a pen, in recent years she's discovered the joy of photography, too. She feels lucky to be able to combine those skills, along with a third passion — showing people that cooking for themselves can be healthy and fun — in her Sparkle Kitchen posts.
