Hot Honey Tofu for Two

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
This vegetarian twist on the famous Nashville hot chicken is much quicker, and similarly tasty. The key to getting the tofu nice and crispy is to resist the urge to move it around while it cooks. Allow it to form a crust before flipping, then let it cook undisturbed again until the other side is browned. Drizzle the finished tofu with homemade hot honey and serve with a refreshing salad. To make this a vegan dish, replace the honey with agave syrup.
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Yield: 2 servings Level: Easy

Ingredients

  • One 14-ounce block firm tofu, drained
  • 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs 
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder 
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped 
  • 1 clove garlic, grated 
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce  
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 3 cups baby arugula (about 3 ounces) 
  • 2 small heads endive (about 6 ounces), core removed and roughly chopped  

My Private Notes

Hot Honey Tofu for Two

Directions

Wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and place on top of a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu and let sit for 10 minutes to release as much moisture as possible. Unwrap the tofu and slice horizontally, like a bagel, so you have 2 even pieces.

Meanwhile, stir together the breadcrumbs, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper in a pie dish or shallow bowl. Set aside.  

Whisk together the shallots, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the honey, 1 teaspoon of the hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Add the arugula and endive and toss to evenly coat. Set aside. 

Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons honey, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Press the tofu into the breadcrumb mixture and coat all sides. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Flip the tofu with a metal spatula and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to serving plates, drizzle with the hot honey, season with salt and serve with the salad.