Crispy Pressed Tofu with Garlic and Mint - garlic

Method

• Slice each piece of tofu crosswise into 4 (1/2-inch) thick slabs.
• Place a clean kitchen towel onto a rimmed baking sheet so that only half the towel is on the sheet.
• Put the tofu in one layer onto the towel and fold the other half of the towel over.
• Gently press the tofu several times to extract the excess water.
• Mash the garlic to a paste with the salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the mint, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic paste, and pepper flakes.
• Whisking constantly, drizzle in the olive oil.
• Toss the tofu with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate it for up to 12 hours.
• When you are ready to cook, preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes.
• Lift the tofu from the marinade, gently pat it dry with a paper towel, and place it in the pan.
• Reserve the marinade.
• Weight the tofu by placing a smaller pan with a clean bottom on top and weighting it down with a full tea kettle, a heavy can of tomatoes, or a clean brick.
• Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the tofu is well browned, about 5 more minutes.
• Flip the tofu over, put the weight back on top, and cook until the tofu is browned on the second side and cooked through, about 6 to 8 more minutes.
• Transfer the tofu to a serving platter.
• Pour the oil out of the pan, then add the reserved marinade.
• Stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan; pour over the tofu and serve.
• Calories 315; Total Fat 25 g; (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 18.5 g, Poly Fat 2.5 g) ; Protein 20 g; Carb 7.5 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 740 mg