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Braised Shiitake Mushrooms

with Tofu, Thai Basil & Chilies

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Shiitake mushrooms, tofu and basil on a stone slab.
Prep Time: 
3 hours
Number of Servings: 
Serves 4
Recipe Source: 
The Chef and the Slow Cooker by Hugh Acheson ($29.99, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2017)

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp gluten-free red miso paste
  • 1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
  • 3 shallots, sliced into thin rings
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 lbs fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps left whole
  • 3 Thai (bird’s-eye) chilies, seeded and sliced into thin rings
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1⁄2 lb firm tofu, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick planks, seasoned with a pinch of salt and pressed*
  • 1⁄4 cup freshly torn Thai basil leaves

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Directions

  1. Preheat a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker on the High setting for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Pour 4 cups of water into slow cooker. Add miso, vinegar, shallots, ginger, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, whisking well to fully dissolve miso. Add mushrooms and Thai chilies, cover with lid, and cook on High for 1 hour.
  3. Add bell peppers and tofu to mushroom mixture, re-cover cooker, and cook for 1 hour more, still on High setting. To finish, add basil, mix well, season with salt to taste, and serve in a deep platter or a bowl.

Notes

  • In this dish, mushrooms braise into delectable morsels with near-meat consistency.
  • This is a simple recipe, yet it yields stunning results and makes a nice dinner when served with rice.
  • Tofu has a lot of water in it, so it’s often pressed to expel some, leaving you with a denser, chewier, more flavorful bite. To press the water out of tofu:
    1. Place a big colander in the sink and then find a plate that nestles in it tightly.
    2. Cut the tofu into large 1-inch-thick rectangles, arrange them in a single layer in the colander, and place the plate over them.
    3. Weight the plate down with a brick or cans of beans. An hour later, you’ll have pressed tofu.
    • You can also press the tofu between two heavy plates in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition Info: 
206 Calories, 13 g Protein, 34 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Fiber, 4 g Total fat (1 g sat), 646 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin B3 (niacin), B6, C, Phosphorus, ★★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Potassium, ★★ Vitamin K, Magnesium, Zinc, ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Calcium, Iron

Hugh Acheson brings a chef's mind to the slow cooker, with 100 recipes showing you how an appliance generally relegated to convenience cooking can open up many culinary doors.

Hugh celebrates America's old countertop stalwart with fresh, convenient slow cooker recipes with a chef's twist, dishes like brisket with soy, orange, ginger, and star anise, or pork shoulder braised in milk with fennel and raisins. But where it gets really fun is when Hugh shows what a slow cooker can really do, things like poaching and holding eggs at the perfect temperature for your brunch party, or for making easy duck confit, or for the simplest stocks and richest overnight ramen broth.

There's even a section of jams, preserves, and desserts, so your slow cooker can be your BFF in the kitchen morning, noon, and night.

bookshop.org

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Contributor

Hugh Acheson

A self-taught Chef, Hugh Acheson believes in the potential and necessity for every person to learn the skills to prepare wholesome, fulfilling meals from scratch at home.

Concurrently, preparing students to be autonomous, successful citizens who can navigate their cell phone contracts, avoid predatory loans, and fix it before they pitch it will empower the next generation to lead successful, healthy lives.

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