After watching Top Chef Las Vegas Wednesday night, we began to think about tofu in a different light.  Chef contestant Hector Santiago created a citrus ceviche with mango and cilantro mint pearls and tofu, a dish that impressed celebrity chef and judge Todd English, who called Hector’s tofu “beautiful”.  (The recipe may be found here.)  Several years ago we lived with a vegetarian who prepared tofu dishes almost nightly, and became quickly bored of the bland ingredient that parasitically relies on others for it’s flavor.  Perhaps it’s time to give tofu a second look we were musing, and who better than professional chefs to turn to for inspiration?

Today’s hilarious video features another top chef contestant, Fabio Viviani, as he prepares a seared tofu with roasted zucchini, with walnuts in a balsamic Grand Mariner reduction for Ellen Degeneres on her show.   We tried it and the layers of flavor are complex and delicious,  and we are tofu fans once again.  Even if you haven’t an interest in the recipe, watch the video for a guaranteed laugh!

Seared Tofu Carpaccio with Roasted Zucchini & Grand Marnier Toasted Almonds
Chef Fabio Viviani

INGREDIENTS:
Block of tofu
3 green zucchini
Salt (kosher) and fresh pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of toasted almonds
3 handfuls of arugula salad
Lemon
3 cloves of garlic
Mint
Balsamic vinegar
1 cup of dark or light corn syrup

Slice the tofu thin, but not too thin, marinate with a little minced garlic and mint, extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh black pepper, reduce the balsamic vinegar to 1/2 and mix with the corn syrup. Keep reducing it and then set aside and cool it down.

Slice the zucchini pretty thin and season with olive oil salt and pepper, let them cook in a hot sauté pan until they are nice and caramelized, take the zucchini out and sear the tofu until it gets a little brown on the sides

Roughly slice the almonds and let them toast in an aluminum pan, add about a tablespoon of the balsamic glaze using a squeeze bottle, flambé it with the Grand Marnier. Now you have a kind of little thick sauce with the balsamic and Grand Marnier sliced almond, season the arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the zucchini on a plate, topped with the sliced tofu and add the salad on top, drizzle with the balsamic almond sauce and serve it.

For more Top Chef Tofu recipes, check out Fritz Sonnenschmidt’s Grilled Tofu with Wilted Spinach,   and Carla Hall’s Tofu with a Pecan and Oats Crust.