Published by mel on September 11, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Is it wrong to dress tofu in chimichurri? Maybe. But, it makes a damn good sandwich. Chimichurri is a delicious Argentinian sauce usually drizzled over freshly grilled meat, and most often over skirt steak. It’s made by blending olive oil, parsley (I like Italian Parsley myself), lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt together like you would a pesto. The bright green sauce is rich, herbal, tangy and a little spicy. Just the thing for grilled meats, and apparently just the thing for spicing up an otherwise bland piece of tofu.
As you all know, I’m by no means a vegetarian. I love my bacon, beef, pork and lamb. Seafood, too. Yum! So, it may seem surprising that I’ve also grown to love tofu. You just can’t think of it as a meat substitute. It’s no replacement for steaks and burgers, but it has its own unique flavor and texture. I love how it soaks up its marinade and develops nice, crisp grill lines. Paired with some greens and piled onto toasted pumpernickel, it made a hefty and flavorful sandwich.
My beef-jerky-loving Midwestern man ate it up and asked for seconds. Chimichurri and a grill are always a winner, and can probably turn the most rabid tofu haters into tofu lovers.
Related: Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Jicama Slaw
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Published by mel on May 6, 2008 in entree and recipe.
I’ve got warn you before you click through or scroll down to today’s recipe. The ingredient list is 23 items long. 23! I know, it’s ridiculous, but I swear the recipe isn’t as complicated as it looks. The most complicated thing about it is making sure you have enough clean bowls to work with. In fact, of those 23 ingredients listed below, 5 are repeated. Let’s do some quick math here. That makes a grand total of…18 ingredients. Ok, that’s still a lot. But it’s not as bad as it seems. Everything took 30 - 40 minutes of active time. Not that bad!
It’s no surprise that I’m making a noodle salad. We all know that I love a cold noodle salad. This is yet another variation. I think this is my new favorite, though. The cabbage, scallions and sugar snap peas add enough vegetable matter to not feel guilty about the noodles, and the spicy peas and toasted sesame dressing gives everything a rich, decadent feel.
The Nori-crusted tofu was also amazingly, surprisingly good. I’m not sure I’ll prepare tofu another way again. Even if you think the rest of the recipe is crazy - try the tofu. I’m serious. My husband raved about it. He raved about tofu. He who hails from the meat-eating Midwest. He who is obsessed with chorizo and lamb and pork and burgers. If you like Asian food, try the tofu. You will thank me.
It’s also a really well-balanced meal: vegetables, protein, good fat (peanuts), whole grains (brown rice noodles) and rich nutrients (Nori). So, without furhter ado, I present Toasted Sesame Noodle Salad with Nori-Crusted Tofu.
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Published by mel on April 17, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
After 45 minutes of prepping, cooking and plating I discovered that I’d left my camera at work. And every other camera in the house was busted, so I had to use my phone’s camera. What a hideously unappetizing photo. But, the food was too good to not post the recipe. One day when I have my camera, I’ll get around to making it again and will replace the grainy picture you see today.
I’ve been toying with the idea of lettuce wraps for a long time. At first, I was thinking of onions, cilantro, beans and lime for Mexican/taco twist, but I wasn’t really inspired. Instead, I went with the more traditional Asian inspiration. Lettuce, pickled vegetables and some protein.
They would have been tasty just like that, but I find that I have no energy for my 6am workout if I skip the carbs the night before. Would I add brown rice? Quinoa? Farro? They all seemed too heavy for the delicate lettuce. But bulgur seemed just right.
For the protein, I couldn’t decide between steak and tofu, so I used both. I marinated them (separately) in tamarind juice, shoyu, chipotle pepper and garlic cloves for a salty sweet flavor. The steak and tofu were a match made in heaven and their slight sweetness complimented the acidity in the salad. Overall, it was exactly what I wanted. Full of flavors and textures, but still light and refreshing. And that bulgur powered me through a tough pre-dawn workout, so I’m sold!
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