Crispy Tofu and Broccoli with Sesame-Peanut Pesto

Name: Crispy Tofu and Broccoli with Sesame-Peanut Pesto
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb Broccoli (1 pound broccoli); 3 tbsp Olive Oil (3 tablespoons olive oil); 0 pieces Table Salt (salt and pepper to taste); 3 tbsp Soy Sauce (1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari + 2 tablespoons soy sauce); 1 tbsp Cornstarch (1 tablespoon cornstarch); 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds (1 tablespoon toasted (or not) sesame seeds); ¼ cup Peanut (1/4 cup peanuts, roasted (salted are fine)); 1 ½ tsp Ginger (1.5 tsp minced fresh ginger); 1 piece Garlic (1 small garlic clove); 2 tbsp Sesame Oil (2 tablespoons sesame oil); 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar (1 tablespoon rice vinegar); ¼ tsp Granulated Sugar (1/4 teaspoon sugar or other sweetener); 3 pieces Scallion (3 scallions, thinly sliced); 0 pieces Chili Garlic Sauce (chili-garlic or other hot sauce)

Crispy Tofu and Broccoli with Sesame-Peanut Pesto (Italian)

Italian

Servings2

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Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy Free
Pescatarian
Egg Free

Steps

1Prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu, and place it on a few paper towels; place a few more towels over it. Place a heavy object—like a big frying pan—over the tofu, and let it rest for 10 minutes (and up to 30 , if you have the time) to press out the excess liquid. (I like to do this on a cooling rack set over a pan, see photos below).
2Heat the oven to 400ºF. Line one rimmed sheet pan with parchment (for the tofu); leave another one bare (for the broccoli).
3Prepare the broccoli: Trim and chop the broccoli into florets. Don’t discard the stems (they are so good!): peel off the tough outer skin and knots, then cut the stems into 1/2-inch rounds. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the bare sheet pan, swirl it to coat, scatter the broccoli over top, drizzle with another tablespoon of oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat with your hands. Spread into an even layer.
4Remove the tofu from the towels, and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, gently toss the tofu with the remaining tablespoon of oil, the soy sauce, and the cornstarch until evenly coated. Spread out on the parchment-line sheet pan.
5Cook the tofu and broccoli: Place both sheet pans in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then toss the pieces around for even coloring and roast another 10 minutes. At this point, the tofu is usually done, which is to say golden at the edges and lightly crisp. Remove the pan from the oven. If necessary, roast the broccoli for another 10 minutes to get an extra char on it.
6Meanwhile make the pesto: Pulse all of the ingredients together in a food processor until ground. Adjust the flavors to taste. If the sauce is super thick, you can thin it with some water.
7To finish: In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and tofu, and toss with some of the sauce. Garnish with the scallions. Serve extra sauce and hot sauce, if using, on the side.