shredded Kale & Cranberry Salad with Crispy Tofu
PREP: 30 min | COOK: 5 min | SERVINGS: 2
INGREDIENTS
SALAD
1 block extra-firm tofu
1 head curly kale
1 cup mixed fresh herbs, chopped (I like to use mint, basil, and cilantro)
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 seedless cucumber, sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped peanuts
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons corn starch
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING
¼ cup olive oil
Juice and zest of an orange
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing: combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium until combined. Store in a mason jar for up to a week.
Press the tofu: Remove your tofu from the packaging, pat dry with paper towels, then slice into 1-inch portions. Lay them out on a paper-towel-lined plate or baking sheet, then top them with two more layers of paper towels.
Place your heaviest pan on top of it to weigh it down as much as possible. Cast iron is great here. Alternately, you can top it with a place and a couple of heavy cans to weigh it down. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep the kale: Strip the kale leaves off the tough ribs, then stack up those leaves and slice them into ribbons.
Put the kale in a big salad bowl and drizzle with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Use both hands to vigorously massage the kale for about a minute until it shrinks in size and becomes silky sweet and bright green.
Add 1 cup of hot water to a bowl, then add your cranberries. Let them sit for at least 15 minutes to get plump and juicy.
Cook your tofu: After being pressed for 30 minutes, it's dry and ready for searing. At this point, I like to cut the tofu into cubes for more of a "crouton" like shape.
Heat up 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Place tofu in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon oil, tamari, and cornstarch. Add to the pan and let it sear on one side until golden. Carefully release the tofu from the pan, then cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Drizzle a little dressing over the tofu in the pan, stir to coat, then remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the salad: To the kale, add herbs, green onions, cucumber, cranberries, peanuts, and tofu. Drizzle liberally with dressing, add kosher salt and pepper to taste, then toss it all together until everything is coated with dressing.