I actually prefer silken tofu to other varieties but it can be a little tricky to cook as it falls apart easily so I’ve selected extra-firm tofu for this recipe. Still, for texture and mouthfeel silken is always my first choice give it a try once you’ve had some experience with tofu. In case you haven’t read any of the other recipes and come straight to this one, I need to tell you that I’m very comfortable with cooking vegetables in the microwave, particularly greens. One of my food heroes, Harold McGee, wrote in his book Keys to Good Cooking: ‘Microwaving is a very efficient and rapid way to cook small portions of vegetables and preserves their vitamins and flavour better than boiling or steaming.’ It’s also a wonderful way to retain the vibrant colour of cooked greens. I recommend tossing them with some water and oil or butter to prevent them from drying out.
Ingredients
- 400 g extra-firm tofu (preferably packed in water)
- 2 bunches broccolini, bases trimmed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- Sea salt flakes
- 1 tablespoon pickled ginger with 1 teaspoon of the pickling juices
- 100 g smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
- Watercress sprigs or other herbs, to serve
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano leaves
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- To make the marinade, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Drain and rinse the tofu, then pat dry. Cut the block crossways into eight 1 cm thick slices and place in a shallow dish. Add the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.
- Place the broccolini in a microwave-safe container. Add a dash of water and cover with a lid. Cook on high for 1 1/2 minutes, then drain. Alternatively, cook the broccolini in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes or until just tender but still firm to the bite, then drain.
- Drain the tofu from the marinade and pat dry on paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook the tofu for 1 minute on each side or until golden, then remove from the pan. Drain all but 1 tablespoon olive oil from the pan. Add the drained broccolini, season with salt and toss until coated in the oil and heated through. Add the pickled ginger and the pickling juice.
- To serve, scatter the broccolini over a large serving plate. Top with the tofu and any pan juices, then scatter with the smoked almonds and watercress sprigs or fresh herbs. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve immediately.
