About eight years ago I spent a summer in Alaska living in a tent.  It was a 7 mile walk to the closest town (Wasilla), and the only company I had was the mosquitoes and the occasional moose that would wander through my camp.  I would strap on my internal frame backpack, walk into town, fill it with groceries, and if I was lucky, I’d hitch a ride back out to where I was camped.

Money was tight, and so my meals were simple affairs.  At least three times a week I would eat — you guessed it — baked beans.  Mixed with some rice, and served with a couple of raw carrots on the side, I had a fairly well balanced, easy meal that was entirely acceptable to me while I was out in the wilderness.  Whatever I didn’t finish in the evening I would reheat in the morning for a filling breakfast, sprinkled with a bit of additional sugar and cinnamon — believe it or not, at the time I found it delicious.

So you might think that after subsisting on baked beans and rice for a summer I would never want to touch another baked bean in my life.  Not so!  Well, sort of — after that summer I was pretty much done with canned baked beans;  I started a quest to find a delicious, not too complicated homemade baked beans recipe.

This one is an amalgamation of many different recipes I’ve tried, combining the best parts of my trials.  First of all, this recipe is straight-forward and simple;  second, it tastes great!  it’s a little spicy and has a touch of sweetness, but not too much;  the sauce has a nice consistency (not gummy, not soupy), and most of all, you can actually taste the beans.

Anyhow, these beans are great on their own or served on top a piece of toasted rye bread (mmmm……).  And of course, you can always mix baked beans with rice :)

Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans
serves 2-3

2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces*
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 – 3/4 c.)
1 T. tomato paste
1/3 c. water
3 T. brown sugar
1.5 T. Worcestershire sauce
1.5 T. prepared yellow mustard
1 t. Tobasco sauce
1 15oz can organic pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute bacon in a medium-large skillet until crisp.  Drain on a paper towel.  Pour off all but about 1/2 T. of the bacon grease (I save bacon drippings in a jar in the refrigerator — it’s wonderful to cook with and eliminates the problem of what to do with it).  Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft.

Add tomato paste, water, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, mustard and tobasco.  Stir to mix well.  Add pinto beans and reserved bacon then stir until evenly mixed.

Transfer mixture to a small oven-proof casserole dish (about 2-1/2 c. capacity is a perfect size), or into individual ramekins.  Baked for 20 minutes, until mixture is bubbly.  Remove from oven, stir, and enjoy!

*Note: Try to find ethically sourced meat products (i.e. local, organic, pasture-raised).  Many farmer’s markets are starting to have meat purveyors — check there or at your local organic grocery store

Homemade Tofu

14 oz. dried soy beans, soaked overnight in water
water
2 t. gypsum (used in beer and wine making — check your local asian market or home-brew store for this ingredient)

Special Equipment: tofu mold (can use milk carton), blender or food processor, cheese cloth, thermometer

Dried Soy Beans

1) Prepare tofu mold:

Method 1: Rinse a 2 quart milk container. Lay the container on its side, and using scissors or a knife, cut out one side of the container. Reserve the cut side, as you’ll use it to press tofu later. Cut and fold the top/spout and secure with duct tape so that it lays flat and container looks like a mini shoe box, minus the top. Poke holes on at least three sides of the container so that water can drain out of it as you are pressing the tofu. Secure the shape of the container by making a rectangle out of chopsticks, skewers, or some other stick-like things, securing the corners with rubber bands or twist ties. Place the rectangle around the milk carton, and adjust until it’s the right size. Secure the whole thing with duct tape (I swear, making the mold is the hardest part!!!)

Method 2: Buy a proper tofu mold

Method 3: Improvise something!

Tofu Mold from 2 qt milk container, minus securing chopsticks or skewers

2) Drain soaked soy beans. Pour beans into a blender or food processor and add enough water to just cover. Puree until you’ve achieved a smooth consistency. (You may need to do this in batches)

Soaked Soy Beans

About to Puree Soy Beans

3) Measure the amount of puree that you have and take note of it. Spoon the puree into a large, heavy-bottomed pan, and add an equal amount of water (I used a 5 qt. dutch oven and it was *barely* big enough)

4) Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat so that mixture is at a slow boil, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top.

Mixture before skimming

Mixture after skimming

5) Meanwhile, mix the gypsum with a small amount of water in a small cup or bowl until it dissolves. Line a large sieve or colander with a double layer of cheesecloth. Place colander over a large bowl. Pour mixture into colander and allow to drain for 3-4 minutes. The liquid is the soy milk (just like you get from the container!!), and the solids are called okara and are used in various Japanese dishes. Remove strainer with okara and either discard or save for later use.

6) Insert thermometer into soy milk. When the mixture has cooled to 155 degrees, add gypsum mixture. If liquid has cooled beyond this point, place soy milk in a pot and heat until it reaches 155 degrees, remove from heat, then add gypsum. Within 1 or 2 minutes you will see curds starting to form. Allow mixture to stand undisturbed for about 25-30 minutes.

Tofu Curds

7) Line mold with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour mixture into mold. Place reserved carton side on top, and gently press with your hands for two or three minutes to drain some of the liquid. Once a good amount of liquid has drained off, squarely place carton side on top of tofu and evenly weight with 5-10 lbs — I used a 5 lb bag of grain plus two cans of food. For medium firm tofu, press for about 15 minutes. For firm tofu, weight for 20-25 minutes or longer. The firmness of your tofu is entirely determined at this stage by the amount you weight it with, and for how long. If you’re unsure, simply remove weights every now and again and press tofu with your finger to check on it. When it has reached the desired consistency, carefully remove tofu from mold and store in a container of water. Use within 3-4 days. Enjoy!

Pressing Tofu

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I can’t say for sure what possessed me to decide to make homemade tofu. Most likely it’s because I’ve heard tofu called both ‘one of the most natural and healthful’ as well as ‘one of the most processed and adulterated’ foods in the vegetarian (or in my case, ethically omnivorous) diet. This dichotomous description made me want to make it from scratch and to see for myself what it actually entails to make the wobbly cream bean curd that I eat at least two or three times a week.

Making tofu from scratch is a fairly involved endeavor, but worth it if you have the urge to know where your food comes from and how it’s made. Summed up, the steps are: 1) find a place that sells soy beans (not that easy! try your local asian market), 2) soak the beans overnight, 3) puree the soaked beans with water, 4) cook the puree, 5) drain the mixture to separate the mixture into soy milk and okara (the solids), 6) add a coagulant and wait, and finally 7) pour into a mold, press, and drain the tofu. It’s possible to start with soy milk and eliminate steps 1 through 5, but for the true ‘Make it From Scratch’ experience, this won’t do.

On of the highlights of making your own tofu is that you can make it as silken or firm as you desire. I like my tofu a wobbly medium — just dense enough that I can cut it into cubes and it will keep its shape, but no more… I think it should jiggle a little bit when I touch it :). Extra firm tofu rarely makes it into my kitchen as I find it far too dry; if that is the only type of tofu a tofu-newbie tries, I can see how she would come away with a bad taste in her mouth — however, a piece of moist, perfectly wobbly medium tofu can be something to write home about.

My favorite way to cook tofu is extremely simple: heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, cut tofu into 1 1/2 inch cubes, add to dry pan, and cook for about 4-5 minutes until a nice golden crust develops. Loosen tofu from skillet and flip onto a different side. Cook for 3-4 more minutes until a nice crust develops on this side. Turn tofu one more time onto a different side and cook until it develops a crust. I find that 3 out of 6 sides is a good number, though 2 or 4 or 5 or 6 is fine too — I usually base this on what else I’ve got cooking and whether it’s ready or not!

So, you might be wondering, how does homemade tofu compare to store-bought tofu? Well, homemade tofu is pretty darned good, but is a fair amount of effort. My farmer’s market is lucky enough to have vendors who sell homemade tofu for the very reasonable price of ~$2-3/lb, which is just as good as homemade tofu and far less effort. All-natural organic tofu stacks up pretty well too — not as good as homemade or farmer’s market tofu since it has inevitably been sitting around for longer, but it’s still tasty nonetheless. I have tried quite a few brands and really like Wildwood Organics tofu, as well as Hodo Soy (I think this is only available around the Bay Area — this is the bulk tofu at the Rainbow Grocery if anyone is an SF Rainbow shopper). Lots of Asian groceries carry freshly made tofu for ridiculously cheap prices too — i.e. 6 or 7 blocks for $1 — since they’re selling them fresh, I assume that no other strange additives have gone into the mix. Many tofus have lots of chemical preservatives and additives, and these I avoid like the plague — make sure to check the label before you buy!

Anyways, if you do decide to be adventurous and make tofu at home, I’d love to hear about your experience! Also, what are your favorite recipes or ways to prepare tofu?

Georgia Boiled Peanuts

~ 1 qt ‘green’ peanuts, in their shells *
1.5 T sea salt
10 c water + more as necessary
1 packet shrimp and crab boil seasoning mix (optional) (alternatively you can add a mixture of herbs like mustard seeds, cayenne, and bay leaves, or simply a sliced jalapeno for a little heat)

Rinse peanuts in cold water to remove any dirt and debris.

Combine peanuts, salt, water, and crab boil (if using) in a large heavy stock pot and bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered for 3 hours or until peanuts reach desired done-ness (the texture should be similar to a cooked pea or lentil). Check the water level periodically and add more as necessary so the pan doesn’t scorch. Drain, peel, and enjoy!

* Green peanuts are freshly dug peanuts that have not been dried or roasted. They are often available at farmer’s markets, as well as Asian and other ethnic supermarkets

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Perhaps if I’d grown up in the South I would have heard of boiled peanuts sooner than my 27th year of existence. But alas, I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where the boiled peanut seldom makes appearances. Raw peanuts too were a novelty to me until I started frequenting the Alemany Farmer’s Market in San Francisco, which I accredit with introducing me to all sorts of wild and wacky produce not readily available in a regular supermarket–buddha’s hand, cardoon, jerusalem artichokes, taro, meyer lemons, raw peanuts, and much more.

This morning at the farmer’s market I came upon a large card table covered with a loud yellow-checkered cloth and a two foot high mountain of raw peanuts (raw peanuts are often referred to as boiling peanuts or ‘green’ peanuts–due in no part to their actual brown color). I could tell these peanuts had been freshly dug from the ground, as little clumps of still moist dirt clung to the hairs and fibers emanating from the peanuts shells. I had seen green peanuts before at the Farmer’s Market many times, but I’d always reluctantly passed them by, having absolutely no idea what to do with them.

Today, a group of little old ladies was standing around the table, gingerly grabbing handful after handful of the peanuts like it was going out of style. For some reason that I can’t figure out, this was enough motivation for me to go for it and try green peanuts today. I grabbed a few good handfuls, paid my $1.65, and wandered off into the market wondering what in the world I was going to do with my purchase.

When I got home I did a little research and settled on ‘Georgia Boiled Peanuts’ — one, because I have very fond memories of Macon, Georgia; two, because a simple, slightly salty snack sounds scrumptious; and three, because there really weren’t any other suggestions as to what to do with raw peanuts! If you know of any good preparations, I’d love to hear about it!

The preparation couldn’t be simpler: wash peanuts, combine ingredients in a big pot, boil, wait.

When the peanuts were done simmering I peeled one and popped the nut into my mouth, not knowing what to expect. It was… a little funky — the texture was similar to a cooked bean or lentil. The taste was great though, slightly salty, but not overly (like regular roasted shell-on peanuts), with the earthy peanut taste I was hoping for. I peeled a second one and popped it into my mouth, and I could tell the taste was growing on me. I peeled a third and a fourth and a fifth, and before I knew it I had eaten about twenty! Be careful–they are addictive!