One of the upsides to being empty nesters is being able to travel to new locations in order to visit your children. I truly am positive about having grown-up children. While I could lament that my kids live far away, I’d rather be excited about their new adventures and my good fortune to be able to travel to where they are.
So, with that monologue finished, I’ll tell you about my latest journey. I spent a weekend in Alabama in late September. My oldest is in helicopter flight training school there, which was a good reason to head there. It also added another state to my list of places visited.
After spending time visiting his work and home, we headed to Montgomery for the weekend. With more things to do, it seemed like a good location for a 48-hour trip. The good news is that our instinct was correct- Montgomery was a great city.
We arrived early evening on Friday and got settled in the home we were renting. Conveniently, the owner left all sorts of information, including a note that a terrific Mexican restaurant was less than a quarter mile away. Can you say, let’s start walking?
This restaurant had a wait, so we headed to the bar behind it for excellent drinks. If you’re in Montgomery, you definitely should go to Leroy, just for a drink and not because you’re waiting for a table. After about an hour, our table was ready, and we walked over to El Rey Burrito Lounge.
We were fairly hungry at this point and started with chips, guac, and three salsas. All were delicious. However, I was a bit full after this, so decided to order a salad. A most interesting salad caught my eye: Ancho BBQ and Jicama Salad. As I began my typical request for dressing on the side, the server explained that the chicken was tossed with barbecue sauce, and then the entire salad was combined in a pan, coating everything with that sauce. It sounded interesting; I needed to try it, dressing and all.
This salad at El Rey was so delicious, I decided that I needed to try and make my own version at home. Of course, being my version, I made a couple changes. I replaced the jicama with carrot. I also swapped out the chicken for tofu. The result was another interesting and delicious salad that is best served warm and with its dressing on it, not on the side.
If you’re looking for a new way to try salad, this is definitely it.
Warm Barbecue Salad
Ingredients
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu*
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage
- ⅓ cup vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup barbecue sauce + extra for serving
- 1-⅓ cups diced onion
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 4 scallions minced
Instructions
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Before you start this recipe, you want to remove as much moisture as possible from the tofu. Directions are in the notes below.
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Place shredded cabbage in a medium-sized bowl.
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Combine vinegar and sugar in a glass measuring cup.
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Microwave vinegar mixture on high for 30 seconds; then stir until sugar is dissolved.
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Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage, mixing well.
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Cover and refrigerate cabbage.
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Dice drained tofu, and mix with barbecue sauce in a small bowl.
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Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
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Coat nonstick frying pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
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Add diced onion, and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender.
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Add carrots, cabbage, and tofu, and sauté until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.
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To serve: divide among 3-4 plates and top with minced scallions and additional barbecue sauce, if desired.
Notes
*If using tofu, several hours before you will be cooking, follow these steps:
Wrap tofu in a clean towel.
Set wrapped tofu on a rimmed baking sheet.
Place either a baking sheet with a 5-10 pound weight or a cast iron pan on top of the tofu
Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
Remove weights and unwrap tofu that is now ready to absorb lots of flavor!
