Savory Orange-Roasted Tofu and Asparagus

Up until I made this recipe, my entire life experience with miso consisted of two dishes: miso soup, and my father's oatmeal.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my Dad puts miso in his oatmeal.

Usually he accompanies this addition with the comment "Hey Katie! What does THIS remind you of?" while ceremoniously displaying a spoonful of brown gook.

As you can imagine, the obvious correlation he drew between miso and...other things I won't name here...didn't exactly turn me into an 8 year old miso fan. In fact, I've spent my whole life avoiding miso and assuming it tastes like some gross cousin to peanut butter. Recently however I've been trying to branch out of my normal food rut, and when I saw this recipe in my favorite cookbook I had to try it.

You guys. This recipe. Is sooooooo delicious. Thank goodness I was just cooking for myself, because after taking a minor break when my better senses said, "Katie stop putting food in your mouth!!" I returned to finish the whole thing in one night.

Miso is a bit expensive to buy upfront, but you don't use much at a time, and just a tablespoon has considerable nutritional benefits (what's up vitamin b12!). If you are also a little afraid of miso I think this is probably a great training wheels dish - the sweet of the orange juice perfectly counteracts the more salty qualities of the miso, and the tofu just soooooaks up all the goodness! Yummmmmmmm

-Recipe after the jump-



Savory Orange-Roasted Tofu and Asparagus

1 14-oz package of extra firm water packed tofu, drained
2 tbsp red miso, divided
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
1/4 C orange juice
1/4 tsp salt

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray
2) Cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and pat dry.
3) Whisk 1 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 2 tsp oil in a large bowl until smooth.  Add the tofu and gently toss to coat
4) Spread the tofu in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast for 15 minutes.
5) Gently toss asparagus with the tofu and return o the oven and roast until the tofu is golden brown and the asparagus is tender (8-10 minutes more)
6) Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 2 tsp oil, basil, orange zest, orange juice, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.  Toss the roasted tofu and asparagus with the sauce and serve.