Fresh Tart

This is a quickie lunch or dinner idea, very basic but satisfying and packed with flavor.  Remember when I first posted Mark Bittman-via-Jean-George's ginger fried rice and commented that I'd be riffing on the delicious theme for years to come?  Well here's one riff.  I was so taken with the crave-worthy combination of leeks sauteed with rice, topped with an egg, and finished with nothing but sesame oil and soy sauce, that I couldn't wait to apply the concept to other simple ingredients.

Here I used silken tofu, which has a very scrambled egg quality to it, soft and pillowy with a mild flavor.  I love it, even plain.  Lightly stir-fried with a leeks and soy sauce, and finished with a drizzle of sesame oil, it's completely delicious over buckwheat soba noodles.  You could finish it with the crispy garlic and ginger that so delightfully tops the ginger fried rice, but I didn't even spend that much time on this dish.  This is a really basic, ready in 10 minutes kind of meal.  Eat it in your work clothes, still standing, starving for something warm, pleasantly salty, and comforting.  The fact that it's nutritious is a nice bonus.

On a weekend note: check out the Easy Cream Scones recipe I posted on the Minnesota Monthly/Dara & Co. blog this week.  Nice for Sunday morning, right?  Coffee, paper, warm scones?  See what you think.

Silken Tofu with Soba Noodles
Serves 2

4 oz. soba noodles (or other pasta)
1/2 lb. silken tofu
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oil
1 leek, white and green parts only, sliced thin
toasted sesame oil

Optional garnishes:
chopped scallions
toasted sesame seeds

Set a large pot of salted water on to boil.  When the water boils, add soba noodles and cook according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add the oil and leeks and saute until leeks are softened, about 5 minutes.  While the leeks saute, mash tofu in a medium bowl.  Add soy sauce and mash/stir to combine.  Add the tofu to the softened leeks and gently stir-fry until warmed through. Drain the soba noodles and divide into two bowls.  Top with the tofu.  Drizzle a little sesame oil over the tofu and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

A quick perusal of today's NYTimes Dining & Wine section (um, clearly a favorite exercise of mine) reveals that "Pesto is Back in Circulation" and that tofu is "Out of the Wok."  Really?  Maybe we already knew that (albeit completely accidentally) here at the moderate epicurean, given the pesto-en-soup garnish below and the tofu tacos below that.  And, actually, the chocolate pudding below that (not made with tofu, but in the vein of healthy, comforting, chocolate creaminess).

Evan Sung for The New York Times

Check out both articles - the "pesto" versions look fantastically delicious (and remind me of a "what is the definition of pesto?" debate a group of us had on vacation in Vermont, which included bringing the chef in from the kitchen to settle the matter...can't remember the outcome...lots of wine...), especially atop a crusty pork chop.  And the tofu pudding - Whole Foods does a mighty tasty version, btw - looks silky and rich, not to mention crazy-easy.

Recipes here (pesto) and here (pudding).

I love tofu.  Love the creamy texture and the slightly sweet, mild taste.  And of course love how beautifully it soaks up whatever lovely flavors you decide to surround it with.  I particularly like spicy firm tofu - it's all about the contrast of heat with the chewy-silkiness of sauteed tofu with the crunch of veggies and peanuts.  I crave it.

My go-to version is extremely clean and simple - no sauce, but lots of flavor.  I start with paper thin slices of jalapeno, thicker slices of sweet onion, a thinly-sliced clove of garlic, a tablespoon of crushed peanuts, and 3/4-inch cubes of firm tofu, pressed dry on a few paper towels (for one person, half a package).  I heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a nonstick pan (wok works great, no surprise), add the garlic and jalapeno, and saute for a few minutes.  I loosely push the pepper and garlic off to the side and add the tofu, leaving it untouched for 3-4 minutes so that it browns a bit.  I turn the pieces and allow them to brown on a second side.  At some point I add a generous sprinkle of salt.  In goes the onion for a brief saute (I like it crunchy).  Finish with peanuts. (Good with sauteed cabbage as well - add the cabbage after sauteeing the jalapenos and garlic, stir around until wilted, plate the cabbage, then saute the tofu and onions.  Add the cabbage back in, toss it all together, season with salt and pepper, enjoy.)

And here's a fantastic-looking NYTimes recipe, similar idea but with more complex flavors - Crispy Tofu with Shiitakes and Chorizo.  Can't wait to try it, rarrr. In fact, there's a whole tofu recipe section on the site, check it out.

Happy First Day of Spring!  (Freezing rain here, ha, hopefully sunshine where you are!)