Lee Ann Wong Grilled Tofu with Asparagus and Nori Vinaigrette (Recipe)

Lee Ann Wong, supervising culinary producer for Bravo's Top Chef, pairs a European vegetable with Asian flavors, tossing asparagus in sesame oil, roasting it and serving it with grilled marinated tofu.  Healthy recipes like this helped Wong lose more than 50 pounds.

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons white miso paste

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon tahini paste

1 tablespoon agave syrup (see Note)

2 teaspoons mirin

1/8 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 4 blocks

Vegetable oil

Three 7-by-8-inch sheets of toasted nori (seaweed), cut into strips

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sambal oelek or other Asian chile paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound medium asparagus

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 large scallion, thinly sliced

4 servings - Total: 50min

Steps

1.  Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium baking dish, whisk 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the miso and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the soy sauce with the tahini paste, agave syrup, mirin and Chinese five-spice powder until smooth. Add the tofu and turn to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, in a blender, combine 1/4 cup of vegetable oil with the nori, water, honey, lemon juice, sambal oelek and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of miso paste and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Puree until smooth and season lightly with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the vinaigrette.

3.  On a baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the sesame oil; season with salt, black pepper and the red pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, until tender and browned.

4.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, toast the sesame seeds over moderate heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 1 minute. Let cool.

5.  Light a grill and brush with vegetable oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade and grill over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and heated through, 6 minutes. Cut each block into 3 slices.

6.  Spoon some of the nori vinaigrette onto plates. Top with the asparagus and tofu. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, cilantro and scallion and serve.

*  Grown in the stony soil of France's Vouvry region, Chenin Blanc often tastes a bit smoky and a bit like green tea, which helps it pair beautifully with lighter grilled foods like this tofu.  Consider the 2008 Jean Claude and Christopher Pichot or search out the 2008 Doamaine de la Taille aux Loups Les Caburoches.