Wednesday, October 24, 2007

a tofu recipe

I've been letting reality come between food and the blogosphere. So just because I don't blog frequently doesn't mean I'm not cooking. Also, due to lack of feeling great, I'm reinstating my "wellness" life stlye. Here was a quick tofu dish to get things started.

MY Wellness: diet of whole grains (nothing too refined/processed), fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, and more tofu than usual to supplement fatty meats. No high fructose corn syrup (this has been surprisingly easy for me...thanks Trader Joe's). More yogurt and less bacon for breakfast. Menus created, not ordered from.



TOFU WITH SPICY GARLIC WHITE WINE SAUCE
::extra firm tofu
::sliced mushrooms
::olive oil
::chili oil (can be skipped for less heat)
::1 clove garlic
::1/2 chopped habeñero pepper (really spicy=can be skipped)
::white wine
::cream
*proportions of these ingredients don't matter too much. Just mix and match to hunger.
- Sauté tofu and mushrooms in oils over medium-high heat until starting to brown.
- Add habeñero and garlic (maybe some shallots or onions would be nice too)
- Splash of white wine and cook for a minute.
- Add a little cream and stir before serving.
- Season with salt/pepper (and consider topping with fresh basil and tomato)

This was awesome. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut with tofu. Soy, ginger, basil, and sesame are good after all, but this Italian spin carried a much deeper flavor. It's a really quick dish, and can be expanded so easily for friends. And remember: WHITE WINE is one of the best ingredients to have in your pantry to effortlessly boost meal appeal. It's fragrant, it's delicious; just great. And maybe you don't have cream on hand, so consider a little butter and some milk to supplement. And don't go crazy with spices. Just because Italian is on your mind, don't go adding dried basil, thyme, oregano, garlic, and onion powder. Cook with a few, fresh ingredient. Be able to taste the dish, as well as individual ingredients, and you will appreciate both more.

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