Tofu Temptation

Weird stuff in the raw, like many was unimpressed by first attempts, but persistence proved it´s well worth getting a handle on. Have never got round to giving soft (silken) tofu justice, have always gone for the firm stuff, always something new to learn, I guess.

I always stick it in the freezer first, the water makes big ice crystals, making the tofu spongier and better at soaking up flavours.

After defrosting and squeezing out the water I always chop and splatter with soya sauce and leave it to infiltrate. Tofu is intrinsically bland, really bland!

You can chop it in cubes, diamonds, triangles, thick slabs - the main thing is to make sure what you add gets to soak through.

Recently I´ve also started squeezing lemons over it, it´s summer and it feels and tastes like the right thing to do!

Grill, bake or fry...
drizzle with olive oil
add a splash of toasted sesame oil to the olive oil for a nuttier touch

Marinade Madness
Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

Coolcumber and Salmorejo Summer Soups

Two culinary revelations with style and simplicity to cool off the heatwave:

Algerian Cucumber Soup
(converts even the no-cucumber people!)
1 cucumber
4 pots of natural yoghurt (bio if you like)
1 tooth of garlic (looks more like a claw to me!)
salt, pepper
shake of any red powdered spice combo of your liking,
I used Moroccan Baharat

chop and liquidize, taste, swirl, taste, leave to chill out for a few hours in the fridge,
add iced water or cubes to texture as desired
shake over some red powder or flakes for effect

thanks to Andres "El Uruguaxo"

Cordoban Salmorejo
Lots of juicy reddy ripe tomatoes, a kilo or more
1/2 loaf Country-style bread, if it´s dry, soak it
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Vinegar
salt, pepper
1 clove of garlic
a raw egg, or for the more careful, hardboiled and chopped

chop and liquidize, taste add taste again, leave to cool off for a few hours in the fridge
sprinkle with chopped bits of what you like!

thanks to Diego "El Cordobaño"