Who doesn’t love noodles dressed with peanut sauce? (I mean, other than the very unfortunate who suffer from peanut allergies…) Imagine such noodles accompanied by grilled fruit, greens and really really tasty tofu. This is one of those dishes that makes you crazy glad that you’re not opposed to meatless (or even vegan) dinners because those suckers who think you need an animal protein to complete a meal are so wrong.
After returning from the farmers market with a bag of baby bok choy, I did a little research for some inspiration and discovered this fun recipe on Epicurious, but I wanted to make something vegetarian and more substantial. Still, the idea of a peanut sauce sweetened with peach nectar was intriguing so I began collecting ingredients to re-fashion the recipe to my liking. I followed the instructions for the peanut sauce almost exactly, omitting the butter entirely. I substituted the shrimp with marinated tofu and pared down the rest of the ingredients to make enough for two (although, there were plenty of noodles for leftovers).
Peanut Noodles with Grilled Tofu, Peaches and Bok Choy
-Adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2008
Ingredients
For the tofu:
1/2 package extra firm tofu
2 to 3 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 T rice vinegar
1 T mirin
For the peanut sauce:
6 T smooth natural peanut butter, stirred to combine
1/3 c (packed) dark brown sugar
3 T seasoned rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 to 3 tsp hot chili paste
5 T peach nectar, divided
All the rest:
2 to 3 heads of baby bok choy, leaves separated
1 to 2 nectarines or peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
2 bundles of soba noodles, cooked and cooled
1/4 c peach nectar
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Press between two plates, the top one weighted with a can or jar. After 30 minutes, pat dry and cut into pieces. Place into a lightly oiled baking dish and put in the oven for 30 minutes, turning once. Turn the oven down to 200 and bake another 15 to 30 minutes. Whisk the marinade ingredients together. When the tofu is ready (baking will help to firm it up even more), place it into a small dish and cover with the marinade. Make sure all the pieces are covered. Refridgerate for at least 2 hours.
Make the peanut sauce by simply combining all of the ingredients and setting aside. If the sauce gets too thick, add warm water by the tablespoon to thin it out.
Place the tofu, peaches and bok choy on a grill heated to medium high. Brush everything with some of the nectar and turn, brushing the other side. Cook everything until they get those nice-looking grill marks. Meanwhile, toss the noodles with the peanut sauce, reserving a small amount for garnish. Once the nectarine, bok choy and tofu are ready, serve the noodles and top with the grilled deliciousness and a drizzle of more of the peanut sauce.
That is absolutely stunning!
Thanks so much! It was pretty tasty, too!