Sesame Broccolini & Tofu

All I have to say is thank god February is over. That was one trying month and I am glad to put those 28 days in the past. On to better things, like the possibility of spring in the not-so-distant future, and simple tofu dishes.

I was out to dinner with friends last week, we got talking about food and I mentioned that everything I have been cooking (and posting) recently has been very simple. In part it has to do with life getting in the way and in part because of the season. At the end of the day when I arrive home, it is dark and cold and the blankets on my bed are calling more than the kitchen. This will change with daylight savings and increase even more when my CSA starts again this spring, but for now I am enjoying a bit of time away from my kitchen.

Sesame Broccolini & Tofu
serves 2

12-14 oz tofu, drained
2 T olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 t cumin seeds
1 t red pepper flakes
2 t sesame oil
2 t red wine vinegar
1 bunch broccolini, broken into bite-size pieces, tough stems discarded
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut tofu lengthwise into thirds. Place on an absorbent kitchen towel and cover with an additional towel. Place a heavy pan on top, and allow to sit thirty minutes to remove moisture. Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut into 3/4" cubes.

In a large container combine olive oil, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and red wine vinegar. Add tofu cubes, and carefully toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to marinate.

In a large wok or sauté pan, heat oil over high heat. Add tofu (and any remaining marinade) and cook 8-10 minutes, shaking pan every minute so tofu doesn’t stick, until golden brown on all side. Add broccolini, and cook 2-4 minutes, occasionally stirring, under tender crisp. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice, with a drizzle of sesame oil.

Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving—welcome to December! This weekend kicks off a super busy month for me, with my girlfriends are visiting Saturday night for an early holiday get-together. I am trying out a few new recipes, so there will be plenty of ideas to follow in the coming weeks, as well as holiday menus.

I wanted to start with this simple broccolini salad, which upon first glace may look unassuming. But look closer and you will see hot pink! That is the amazing color of the cranberry vinaigrette. I am thinking it would make a terrific holiday hostess gift. Perhaps in a pretty bottle, with recipe ideas attached? I know will be enjoying it many times in the winter months to come. For salad variations, I may leave out the gnocchi for a lighter fare or switch up the cheese (feta, would be nice). However, I find the almond flavor and crunch to be essential, so won’t be touching that!

Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
serves 4 as a side dish

dressing
1/2 c fresh cranberries
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
2 T water
1 T Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

salad
1bunch broccolini, long stems trimmed
2 c cooked gnocchi
1 c thinly sliced fresh spinach
1/2 c crumbled ricotta salata
1 c toasted, sliced almonds

In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth, and set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add broccolini, and cook 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Shake well, to remove all water, and transfer to a bowl. Add gnocchi, spinach, ricotta salata and almonds. Toss to combine and divide among serving plates. Top with cranberry vinaigrette and salt and pepper, to taste.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

I have embarked on the most ridiculous project—and all by accident. It started when I returned home from Alaska and was confronted with friends and family asking “How was your trip? Do you have photos?” Do I have photos? Ha! I have over 850 photos that needed to be sorted, cropped and corrected. And they will not be released in to the world until they are perfect. Perfect. But there was this nagging voice inside my head telling me that I need to get to previous photos before I even attempt these. I tried to quiet it, but nagging voices aren’t that easy to silence. Well, at least mine is not. So I looked back to see when I last printed out photos. And as it turns out, it was 2004. As in FIVE years ago. Oh lord.

So to compensate, I am keeping my cooking projects simple. And hearty. I have had this soup bookmarked for some time, but made one significant change to the recipe. I substituted tofu for cream. I wanted to mimic the texture of a thick creamy soup, and the tofu adds protein and significantly lowers the fat. It’s fuel for long nights buried in Photoshop.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
adapted from Gourmet . serves 4

1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 T olive oil
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 t cumin
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t ground mustard
2 T flour
1 c soy milk (or skim)
2 c coarsely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
6-7oz firm tofu (apx 1/2 block)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 cups water. Rinse broccoli with cold water to stop cooking, and set aside.

In a large pan, heat olive oil, over medium heat. Add potato, pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper, mustard and flour, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add reserved 3 c water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer (partially covered), until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add soy milk and Cheddar, stirring to melt.

Transfer 3 c soup to a blender, and add tofu (this may need to be done in 2 batches). Puree, until smooth. Return to pot. Add florets and cook over medium heat, until heated, 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I added about 1 t more salt).