Dinner:
Tofu [Duck] A La Jojo*
(from Jean-Georges Vongerichten)
Basmati Rice (refried w/ spice mixture from above)
Braised Leeks
(straight outta Julia Child's Art of French Cooking Vol. 1)
Dessert
Pound Cake
(last bit, really)
Coffee
* back to Jean-Georges again, working on this recipe again. I love his use of spices -- I mean this calls for Mace (the ouside skin of the nutmeg), and I had some! ;)
The trick isn't with the sauce -- Maple Syrup and [Honey] Rice Syrup! -- but in getting a crispy outside
to the tofu, like the duck would have (yeah, I know, #5). But, I think I finally got it together using Yuba sheets (the thin skin-like residue from making tofu in big vats).
I pan-fried the tofu cutlets with the spice mixture as usual, then wrapped them like a spring-roll
in a yuba sheet and sealed it along the edges with a cornstarch slurry. I then pan fried it again, seam
side down first and got a great crackly texture on the outside and a nice moist tofu inside.
Little things like this make the 2 hours spent cooking worth it ;)