BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Sesame Crunch Tofu

  • Prep Time 0:30
  • Cook Time 0:10
  • Estimated Cost $7.00
  • 15 Comments

Tofu stars in this unique dish, with a crispy sesame coating, which works over time to seal in the garlicky-gingery-soy-saucy deliciousness of the marinade. Hint: the marinade is delicious. Save any excess and use it again, either for the same recipe or on whatever meat, fish or tofu you choose.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz. extra-firm tofu $1.50
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil $3 for 10 oz.
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce Pantry
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar Pantry
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 1 small piece ginger, peeled and minced $0.50
  • 1/2 cup flour Pantry
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds $2 
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil Pantry

Recipe Serves 2

Directions

  1. Press the block of tofu in a clean dish towel to remove any excess liquid. Cut the tofu into 3-inch triangles. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger until well-incorporated. Place tofu pieces in the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 2 hours).
  3. Combine flour and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat.
  5. While oil heats, dredge marinated tofu pieces into flour-sesame seed mixture until well-covered on both sides. Place as many tofu pieces as will fit comfortably into the hot oil and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until brown and crisp. Add a little more oil if necessary as you go.
  6. Serve with greens and Asian chili sauce on the side.

Category: Meals

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Crockpot Sweet Potato-Andouille Sausage Stew

  • Prep Time 0:10
  • Cook Time 7-9 hours in slow cooker
  • 2 Comments

The lowly slow-cooker can be the BrokeAss chef de cuisine’s dearest friend. It takes cheap cuts of meat and through the miracle of slow cooking, breaks down those tough proteins from bargain cuts of meat and woody root vegetables to a silky texture—add in my friend the immersion blender, and you have real creative possibilities.

This recipe calls for Andouille sausage—I use turkey andouille not only to cut fat but because I can buy a nitrate-free brand—it marries the spicy sausage to sweet potatoes and uses a good IPA (or Bud if that is all you have in the fridge—let me just say, the darker the beer, the more flavorful the stew) as a carrier that mellows the disparate flavors into a spicy blend. A few handfuls of fresh spinach thrown in during the last 10 minutes of cooking is a nice optional touch.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, quartered and sliced $1
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into a large dice $0.50
  • 2 stalks of celery sliced $1
  • 1 pound cooked turkey (or pork) andouille sausage, sliced into rounds $6
  • 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes $0.50
  • ½ onion, diced $0.50
  • 2 minced garlic cloves Pantry
  • 1 12 oz bottle of i.p.a. or good amber beer $6 (for a 6-pack)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp cumin $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • pepper to taste Pantry

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients and put crockpot on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Sweet potatoes should be fork tender.
  2. Use an immersion blender (or puree in a blender or food processor) to blend about a third of the stew or until it is a ratio of solid-to-puree that pleases you: I like to still be able to see chunks of tender sweet potato and rounds of spicy sausage. Serve with more beer and a fun salad or some pan roasted asparagus.

Category: Meals

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DIY Bagels

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:30
  • Estimated Cost $3.50
  • 4 Comments

As I rolled out doughnuts for a recent BG post, it occurred to me that I could probably make bagels with the very versatile dough I was using. It turned out I was right. I made plain salt bagels and sesame bagels, but feel free to experiment with poppy seeds, cinnamon and raisins, onions, or whatever else you can fathom. Serve these with regular cream cheese or homemade yogurt cheese for a 100% do-it-yourself breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 recipe pizza dough  $1.50
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds $2
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil for greasing baking sheet Pantry
  • Kosher salt Pantry

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with the vegetable oil.
  2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. While water boils, prepare a floured surface for the dough. Cut the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch rope and connect the ends of the ropes so you have 8 smallish bagels.
  4. Carefully boil the bagels 2 or 3 a time for about a minute each or until they float. Transfer to a clean plate.
  5. Spread the sesame seeds on a dry plate. Dip 4 of the bagels (1 at a time) into the sesame seeds so the top is covered with seeds. Sprinkle the other half lightly with Kosher salt.
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until bagels are golden brown. Carefully turn bagels over and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 8 small bagels.

Category: Meals

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Fresh Yogurt Cheese

  • Prep Time 0:05
  • Cook Time refrigerate overnight
  • Estimated Cost $2.00
  • 4 Comments

I don’t know why more people don’t make yogurt cheese. It’s so simple and the result is so tangy and fresh-tasting. Yogurt cheese is a wonderfully versatile food—equally delicious with fresh herbs, spread on crackers and bread or drizzled with honey and fresh strawberries. It’s also a great substitute for cream cheese—whether in a cheesecake or spread on a bagel.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain yogurt (whole milk yogurt is best but light or nonfat will work) $2

Directions

  1. Place a #4 coffee filter inside a pint glass. Pull the edges up and over the rim of the glass so that the filter is suspended inside the glass. Use a rubber band to secure the edges of the filter on the outside of the glass. Fill the filter with the yogurt and cover the top with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
  2. Discard the liquid that will drain into the bottom of the glass. Scoop the resulting yogurt cheese into a bowl and use however desired.
  3. Makes about 1 1/2 cups yogurt cheese.

Category: Meals

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Green Lasagna

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 0:45
  • Estimated Cost $15.00
  • 1 Comment

This is a nice change from a traditional red sauce lasagna. Creamy yet light ricotta blends with the basil and garlic to form sort of a nouveau pesto. Be sure to use plenty of salt so the flavor of the basil really shines.

Ingredients

  • 1 16-oz package wonton wrappers or no-boil lasagna noodles $2
  • 2 cups packed basil leaves $1
  • olive oil Pantry
  • 4 cloves garlic Pantry
  • 1 15-oz container ricotta cheese $3
  • 2 uncooked Italian sausage links (regular or veggie), chopped $5
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped $1
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese $2
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, cleaned $1
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large rectangular pan with a little olive oil and set aside.
  2. In a food processor or blender, combine ricotta, basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Puree until smooth.
  3. Saute the onions over medium heat until light brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Spoon a little of the ricotta sauce into the bottom of the pan. top with an even layer of noodles. Spoon on more sauce and half of the spinach. Top with noodles, another layer of sauce and the onions and sausage. Top with noodles, more sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Top with noodles, sauce and the remaining spinach. Top with one more layer of noodles, the remaining sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  5. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for the remaining 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Category: Meals

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