I’m pretty sure I won’t be posting a recipe every week, but this title does have a nice ring to it so until I come up with something better, this will be the “Recipe of the Week” post. Like most foodies, we all like to experiment in the kitchen, and sometimes we’re just going to have to put the reviews on hold to share an extra special and delicious recipe. This particular recipe is really easy to make, and flavor-wise, it’s got a lot going on. It’s tangy, nutty, citrusy, it’s got some crunch to it but is also smooth and chewy. I feel like vegetarians will love it, and maybe 50% of meat-eaters will appreciate it (my open minded mom loved it; my pork-loving dad said it looked like something he’d scrape off the bottom of his shoe). But I can’t end this paragraph with that terrible parenthetical visual so let me end by saying: this recipe is GOOD!
You will need:
-1 block of firm tofu (preferably the Allentown brand with the hilarious wings on the package)
-1 bunch of kale
-1 or 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the miso glaze:
-3 tablespoons white/yellow miso paste
-1 tablespoon tamari
-1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
-1 teaspoon mirin
For the peanut crust:
-1/3 cup peanuts (you can substitute some of the peanuts with walnuts or some other healthier nut if you want; I used half peanuts, half walnuts and it came out great)
-1/4 cup sesame seeds
-2 large cloves garlic – finely grated
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
-1 teaspoon turmeric
-1 teaspoon coriander
-2 tablespoons maple syrup
-pinch of salt
The peanut crust part is adapted from the “eggplant stuffed with a sesame-peanut masala” recipe in the fantastic Indian cookbook 5 spices, 50 dishes. I threw in some walnuts and used maple syrup instead of sugar and water; I also used less salt than Ruta because the peanuts I used were roasted and salted, and I threw in some coriander for fun.
On to the cooking: you can marinate the tofu beforehand if you want, I did the night before only because I wanted the dinner to come together really quickly the next night. So anyway press the tofu in a towel for at least 10 mins to drain out some of the water. While it’s pressing, whisk together the miso, tamari, rice wine vinegar and mirin. Cut the tofu into six 1/2 inch triangles and brush with the miso glaze, on all sides. Let that marinate up to overnight if you’d like, or just continue on with the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare the peanut crust: chop, crush, or blend the nuts and sesame seeds until you have a slightly chunky mix. Move to a bowl and grate in the garlic and add in the spices, salt, and maple syrup, then mix everything together with a fork until it becomes a nice sticky mess. Slather the tops of your your marinated tofu triangles with the peanut crust and place in a glass baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.
15 or so minutes before the tofu is finished baking, wash and chop up the kale, then saute on medium to medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the kale is wilted down. Add salt and pepper and the lemon juice.
(quick note: by itself the kale will probably taste too sour, but eaten with the tofu, it’s perfect)
At this point your tofu should be nicely baked, so remove from the oven, place on top of the kale and enjoy!
-Carolyn
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LV Eggplant 