Tofu cream

Tofu cream is a revelation. It’s silky and lush, clings affectionately to each strand of noodle, yet is also feather-light. Creamy noodles can be bland if left to their own devices, but this dish is lifted by the fleshy mushrooms, which are deglazed in black vinegar (or soy sauce/tamari) to bring a tart finish. This tofu cream is also a versatile recipe to add to your repertoire—add some nutritional yeast and fresh herbs to make a silky pasta sauce or blitz it up with garlic, lemon juice and herbs for a ranch-esque dip. I recommend using firm tofu, as it has more body and makes for a heartier sauce.

General

Source: Tenderheart, Hetty Lui Mc Kinnon

Ingredients

• 1¾ pounds (800 g) fresh cooked or vaccum-sealed udon noodles (or 10 oz/300 g dried)
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, white and green parts sliced and washed well
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound (450 g) assorted mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, enoki, cremini, or button, cut in half or torn
• 1 tablespoon black vinegar or soy sauce/tamari
• sea salt and black pepper
• 1 green onion, finely sliced

Tofu cream

• 1 pound (450 g) block of firm tofu, drained and roughly crumbled
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 2½ tablespoons white (shiro) miso
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• black pepper

Procedure

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the udon noodles and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the noodle cooking water. Rinse the noodles under cold water and drain again. Set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the leek, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the leek is very soft and starting to caramelize. Increase the heat to medium and add the garlic and mushrooms, along with another drizzle of olive oil, then cook, stirring every now and then, for 6–8 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and browned. Add the black vinegar or soy sauce/tamari and deglaze the pan (this extracts any bits of mushroom and leek stuck to the base of the pan). Turn off the heat and season with sea salt and black pepper.
3. To make the tofu cream, place the tofu, garlic, miso, sea salt, a few turns of black pepper and ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved water in a blender or food processor. Blend for 30–60 seconds, until very smooth. The consistency should be creamy and pourable like cream. If it’s too thick, add a touch more water.
4. Add the tofu cream to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Combine the mushroom sauce and noodles. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm, topped with the green onion.