February 24, 2012: Summer Dreaming

Even ‘tho I was inspired to make this recipe in the heart of Winter, as soon as I started it, I realized that Miso and Sake Soaked Tofu  is a cold dish and such,  would make a wonderful addition to a Summer lunch.

Take block of firm tofu and put on a slant board with weight on top for about 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes.[I don't have a clean, dry weight of an appropriate weight, so I usually use a pan of H2O. One Note: tofu makes a very poor foundation, please do this IN the sink!] When drained of H2O add to miso/sake baste.

Miso-Sake Baste: Add 1 Tblsp. Mirin to 3 Tblsp. Sake and 3-4Tblsp. Miso [I would prefer Red Miso for this dish, but I only had Black Miso, which makes a baste that looks like chocolate sauce!] Whisk well.

Add baste to tofu. There is a couple of techniques you may use to baste: you may wrap tofu and baste in cellophane and place on a plate; or you may wrap in cheesecloth. I prefer a tight Tupperware container that I can slosh the baste around in every once and while. Baste tofu overnight in fridge. Blot baste off with paper towel and slice before serving.

This is so  good, I wolfed down a block of tofu in less than a day. As the miso/sake mixture is just fine, I’m off to get a new block of tofu for another go around. I figure I can can get through at least three blocks of tofu from this one batch of baste.

Clean white tofu with a tangy edge. Perfect with a crisp salad, a pale ale or an iced sake on a summer day. Although delicious in Winter, I can’t wait until enjoying this dish in full Summer glory!