Chef James Richards
Proudfoot and Bird, Hotel Fort Des Moines,
Des Moines, Iowa
Wood Grilled Petit Shoulder Tender:
2 pounds Petite Shoulder Tender
Trim away excess fat & silver skin. Season liberally with
All Spice BBQ Rub (below). Grill 2-3 minutes on each side. Let rest before slicing. Slice and present next to tofu.
All Spice BBQ Rub:
2 parts of your favorite BBQ rub to 1 part freshly ground allspice.
Griddled Firm Tofu:
Water-packed Firm tofu- 6 slices about 3/8 inch thick.
Slice firm tofu into 5 rectangle portions. Place between paper towels; press for 1 hour. Season lightly with equal parts Lola’s hot sauce & soy sauce. In a non-stick pan, over medium high heat, add tofu; caramelize the tofu heavily on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Place in serving dish ; add beef, hot & sour broth and shaved vegetables. Garnish with available greens such as pea shoots, cilantro or parsley.
Hot & Sour Broth:
1 tablespoon soybean oil
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon jalapenos, chopped
½ cup mushroom stems, chopped
½ cup mirin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups beef stock
1 teaspoon Lola’s hot sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2-inch lemon grass stem
In a non-stick medium fry pan, add oil; heat, Add garlic through mushrooms, caramelize until heavily browned. Deglaze with mirin and brown sugar. Add beef stock; bring to a simmer. Add in hot sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce & rice wine vinegar. Let simmer for at 1 hour. Right before service steep in fresh lemon grass. Strain through cheese cloth to remove any impurities.
Shaved Vegetables for Garnish:
Peeled & julienne carrots, shaved shiitake mushrooms, shelled edamame & shaved radish. Toss with a bit of oil & salt and pepper. Place on top of grilled tofu next to sliced beef.
Serve from a serving dish or make individual broth bowls.
Yield: approximately 6 servings