I love me some leafy greens. The flowering brassica I received from La Nay Ferme a few days ago was wonderful. A little bitter, which is good, and full of flavor. It’s hard to believe this former picky eater could be so in love with leafy greens, but here I am.
On Monday I ran over to my favorite Asian market with two of my three kids in tow to get some tofu. (It’s the best price!) And I slowly got sucked into all the new items they had on the shelves. They just moved from a teeny, tiny location to a much better, more spacious location a mile or so down the road. By the time we left, I had my tofu and toasted sesame oil, but we also had coconut juice, Hi-Chews, and a few other treats.
My son kept asking if certain treats were “on the list.” But I think he was the most excited for the tofu we ate for lunch yesterday. We haven’t had any for awhile, so it was the real treat.
Both sauces–the marinade and the final sauce–are very flavorful. Tofu needs a lot of flavor, as I’m sure you know. We ate this with a little sticky rice. It was very filling. Next time I’ll use twice the amount of greens.
If you can’t find flowering brassica or raab, substitute kale, collards, or even chard. Any green that is hearty will do. Even broccoli leaves–did you know you can eat those and they’re wonderful? And they’re basically the same as raab. Eat those greens!
Marinated Tofu with Quick Sauteed Flowering Brassica
original recipe
Ingredients:
For tofu:
1 package firm tofu (about 14 oz.), pressed to remove excess liquid, and cut into 24 cubes
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (I used GF)
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp. agave nectar
1/4-1/2 tsp. sambal oelek
1″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
a little canola oil, for frying
For flowering brassica:
a little canola oil, for sauteeing
1 bunch flowering brassica (or broccoli raab), washed well and cut into bite-size pieces, tough stems removed
1 tsp. white miso
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. low-sodium tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), or soy sauce
sliced green onions, for sprinkling
toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Instructions:
For tofu:
Place tofu in a shallow baking dish, such as a glass 8″ square baking pan. Whisk remaining ingredients, except for canola oil, together and pour over the tofu. Cover and let marinate in fridge for several hours, turning the tofu over in the marinade half way through.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the tofu (careful, it might splatter if there’s too much oil in the pan) and adjust heat to medium. Cook tofu for a few minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while preparing the flowering brassica.
For flowering brassica:
In a small bowl, stir miso, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and tamari. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat a smaller skillet over high heat and add a little oil. When oil is very hot, add the greens. Cook, turning the greens over in the pan with tongs constantly, until just barely tender and bright green. Remove immediately from pan to a serving platter. Add the tofu and pour the reserved sauce over the top. Sprinkle liberally with the toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm.
Makes enough for 2 as a main dish.
