Broiled Miso-Chile Tofu with Asparagus

Lynn Dugan - MyPlate2Yours

The umami flavor miso brings to a recipe is a delicious combination of salty, sweet, and earthy. I truly appreciate this fermented ingredient but sadly underutilize it in my kitchen. White miso or Shiro, is fermented less that the others- Yellow or Red Miso- which makes it lightest and sweetest. Thanks to NYT cooking, a version of this recipe popped on my feed. I've tweaked the original to simplify the steps. In MyPlate2Yours style, this vegan recipe can be made in less than 30 minutes using only a sheet pan. If you want to serve it over rice, start cooking the rice first for a perfectly synchronized finish. Enjoy!

Broiled Miso-Chile Tofu with Asparagus (serves 2-3)

1 block firm tofu, drained

1 pound asparagus, trimmed (and cut in half lengthwise, if greater then ½-inch diameter)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 scallions, sliced for garnish

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Miso-Chile Sauce

2 tablespoons white miso

1 tablespoon white wine or cooking sherry

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 garlic cloves

¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Dry with paper towel.

Prepare Miso-Chili Sauce by whisking first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Add garlic and red pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven broiler and position rack 6 inches from heat source.

Prepare broiler pan with foil. Place tofu and asparagus on pan. Toss gently with 2 tablespoons oil. Spread pan contents into single layer. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Place pan under broiler, about 4 minutes until brown spots on tofu appear. Flip tofu and asparagus and repeat with second side. Remove from oven.

Whisk the Miso-Chile sauce once again before pouring it over the tofu and asparagus. Gently toss and return pan to broiler until the sauce bubbles and browns, just about a minute.

Serve on a platter and garnish with scallions and sesame. Enjoy!