I was recently cleaning out my cabinets and discovered a treasure buried deep down underneath my twenty (and a half) cake pans…. my electric George Foreman grill!  I rescued it from my sister last summer when she was holding a garage sale. I don’t think it is actually made by George Foreman.. err, his brand name, but it works mighty nice.  Its extra big with a temperature control. Very fancy.

These types of grills are cheap and  easy to come by (I bought  our previous model at the drugstore for 7 dollars).  They also make the best tofu ever. Seriously, I could eat my weight in tofu grilled on one of these things.  Prior to seeing the magic these humble grills could perform on well drained tofu, I wasn’t a big fan of cooking it myself.  Mostly a scramble here and there.  But with the grill… anything is possible.

I have been happily serving my family various versions of grilled tofu almost every night since the grill’s re-discovery.  This recipe is my favorite so far.  Basil infused olive oil lends a spectacular flavor to this crispy and chewy tofu.  Served along a melange of red peppers, mushrooms, and okra this tofu becomes part of a wonderfully fragrant and tasty meal.

Basil Grilled Tofu with Okra, Red Peppers and Portabellas

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups medium sized okra, rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 large portabella mushroom cap, chopped
• olive oil
• sea salt
• balsamic vinegar
• 1 package of extra firm tofu, very well drained
• 5 tbsp chopped basil

Directions:

The night before:

Combine 2 tbsp finely minced basil with 1/4 cup olive oil and a dash of salt.  Cover and let sit in fridge overnight.

1 hour before serving your meal:

Drain your tofu well, I did two rounds with a kitchen towel.  I can’t wait to get my hands on a tofuXpress ….

30 minutes before your meal:

In large frying pan, combine okra, mushrooms, red peppers, green onion and 3 tbsp (or more) of chopped basil.  Saute  over medium heat with about a tbsp of flavored oil until red peppers are tender.   Salt to taste.

While veggies are still cooking, get out your George Foreman Grill.  Slice tofu about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, depending on your preference and grilling surface space.  Place tofu directly on grill and drizzle with more flavored olive oil and a dash or two of salt.  Top with minced basil.  Let cook until golden brown, flipping once if necessary to get both sides evenly browned and crispy.

Drizzle your plate with a little balsamic vinegar and infused olive oil and place tofu and veggies together on a plate.  Combine the veggies with the tofu for ultimate basil-y deliciousness.

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