SPICY GRILLED TOFU SKEWERS WITH QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLES

CHILI PORK & EGG BURGERS

This is not a traditional ground-meat-patty-ona-bun kind of burger, but it is meat and it’s on a bun and it has all of the good burger garnish, plus there’s a fried egg, so let’s just be rebels and call it a burger. You’ll definitely call it delish. Add a side salad and call it dinner.

⁄ recipe Chili-Rubbed Pork Loin Roast

⁄ cup (60 mL) mayonnaise, divided

4 onion buns or brioche hamburger buns, split 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

4 eggs

Ancho chili powder

Salt

1 cup (250 mL) baby greens or 4 so lettuce leaves

4 to 8 slices tomato

2 dill pickles, sliced, or ⁄ cup (60 mL) pickled hot pepper rings (or both)

Thinly slice pork roast across the grain and set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the mayonnaise on the cut sides of the buns.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add buns with the mayonnaise-side down, in batches as necessary, and fry, pressing lightly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a cutting board and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm.

Return skillet to medium heat, add pork slices, overlapping as necessary. Heat pork, turning once, for 1 for 2 minutes until warmed and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add butter to the skillet and melt, swirling to coat. Crack each egg into the pan and sprinkle with ancho powder and salt to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and fry just until browned around the edges and yolk starts to set, or to desired doneness, flipping for over-easy or overhard if you like. Remove from heat.

Spread remaining mayonnaise on grilled buns. Build burgers, piling with greens, tomato slices, pork, pickles and fried egg.

Serves 4 So long, bland tofu, gochujang is in town to spice things up. Gochu-what? It’s an intense, spicy Korean chili paste and you can find it at an Asian grocery store or well-stocked supermarket. Devoted tofu lovers will adore this zingy version, while those who think they don’t like tofu won’t remember why they didn’t like it. The tangy quick-pickled vegetables add the perfect freshness and crunch.

3 pkgs (each 350 g) extra-firm tofu 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated ginger

⁄ cup (80 mL) gochujang chili paste ⁄ cup (60 mL) natural rice vinegar ⁄ cup (60 mL) canola oil

12 bamboo skewers (preferably flat), each 10 inches (25 cm) long Additional canola oil

QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLES

1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar

⁄ tsp (1 mL) salt

⁄ cup (125 mL) natural rice vinegar

⁄ English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 red radishes, thinly sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Place 1 block of tofu on cutting board with one long narrow edge down. Cut lengthwise into 2 slabs, each about ⁄ inch (2 cm) thick. Place each slab with the broad-side down and cut into 8 squares. Repeat with 2 remaining blocks of tofu to make 48 squares total. Pat tofu pieces dry.

In a shallow dish, whisk together ginger, gochujang, rice vinegar and oil. Add tofu cubes and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or for up to 1 day.

Soak skewers in shallow dish of water for at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook, then drain.

For the quick-pickled vegetables, whisk together sugar, salt and vinegar in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumber, radishes and carrots and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, until wilted, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high.

Thread 4 tofu pieces onto each skewer, letting plenty of marinade cling to tofu.

Oil grill well. Grill skewers, turning and brushing liberally with sauce le in dish, for 5 minutes per side or until well browned and hot in the centre. The tofu will stick and break if you try to turn it too soon so check if it will loosen before attempting to flip it over.

Reserve 4 skewers of tofu for Spicy Tofu Nut Burgers (recipe next page) and 4 for Spicy Tofu Bibimbap (recipe next page) or Quick Ideas (page 89).

Serve hot tofu skewers with quick-pickled vegetables.

Let leftover tofu cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Serves 4 with leftovers for 2 recipes