Sauteed Tofu with Garlic and Cilantro

This Sautéed Tofu w/Garlic & Cilantro dish goes along great with cut #10 on the KitCHEN MuSIC album, "All The Things You Are," written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein 3rd, one of the most melodic of the tunes from the Great American Songbook. The full recipe and directions are below.



This version was sung live in the recording studio while accompanying myself on my spanish guitar.

I created this dish In honor of Michio and Aveline Kushi, founders of Erewhon natural foods grocery. Also, here's a shout out to my gorgeous friend Rebecca, an awesome vegetarian cook. Big Sister Lee suggests singing along with KiTCHEN MuSIC while drinking a glass of wine and cooking in your kitchen :-)

Sauteed Tofu with Garlic and Cilantro

INGREDIENTS
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons
• Green Beans, fresh, ends removed, 2 handfuls
• Red Onion, 1/2 large, sliced into rings
• Shallot, 1, chopped fine
• Grape Tomatoes
• Water as needed to prevent burning
• Kosher Salt (2 pinches)
• Garlic, 3 cloves, Minced
• Extra Firm Tofu, 16 ounces (1 package,) cut into large cubes
• Kosher Salt (3 additional pinches)
• Cilantro, fresh leaves, shredded, 1/4 handful
• 2 cups of brown, jasmine or basmati rice, cooked

PREP TIME: 10 minutes. Cook time: 14 minutes. Tools: Chef's knife for chopping, tongs, large sauté pan
Serves 4

DIRECTIONS
1. Have all ingredients prepared and ready to go before turning on the stove.

2. Start by heating your large sautée pan over medium heat.

3. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil, tilting to cover the bottom of the pan.

4. When the oil is hot (look for it to become more liquid, less viscous, and just about to smoke,) turn the heat up to medium high and add the green beans.

5. Using tongs or some other safe implement, move the green beans around in the pan to keep all sides in contact with the hot surface and to prevent burning. Do NOT flip the beans into the air in the pan. The hot olive oil may spill out and burn the crap out of you. When the beans turn bright green and their skin starts to blister...

6. Add the sliced red onion rings and the finely chopped shallots. Using tongs, move these things briskly around the pan to keep them from burning, exposing all sides to the heat.

7. Add the grape tomatoes. Keep everything moving over medium high heat.

8. As the shallots begin to turn translucent, add two pinches (or more) of coarse ground kosher salt. Add a splash of water, if necessary, to keep the shallots from burning.

9. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the minced garlic to a pool of water. Sautée/steam the garlic. The kitchen should be smelling great at this point!

10. Turn the heat back up to medium high and add the cubes of Tofu. Keep everything moving.

11. Add three additional pinches of kosher salt.

12. Turn the heat down to medium low, add one of the acid liquids below (lime juice or lemon juice or white wine or vinegar,) cover the pan tightly and simmer for 5 minutes.

13. Uncover the pan and shred the fresh, aromatic cilantro leaves directly over the cooking food. Stir. Your kitchen should smell like heaven right about now!

14. Taste the dish, and add more salt, or acid liquid or hot sauce or fish sauce to taste, stirring to incorporate. Go easy on these items, adding no more than a pinch/teaspoon at a time until you see if you like it, capeesh?

Serve immediately over steamed rice: Brown, Jasmine or Basmati. You could also serve this dish over linguini or spaghetti, in which case you might try adding grated parmesan cheese and/or a bit more olive oil.

OPTIONS
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste, added before simmering
Hot sauce, to taste, added before simmering
Fish Sauce (nuoc mam), to taste, added before simmering
Juice of 1/2 medium Lemon or Lime, squeezed over pan just before simmering

OR

White Wine (Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay): 1/2 cup, added just before simmering.
OR

Apple Cider Vinegar or White Wine vinegar, 1 or 2 tablespoons, drizzled over pan just before simmering. Watch out -- a little vinegar goes a long way!

ENJOY! - Roberto
©2009 Celestial Media, Inc.