Pineapple Jicama Salad with Avocado, Chilies & Lime

This is a zesty and refreshing salad in hot weather. It can be either really mouth-awakening and eye-watering or mildly pleasing, depending on the availability of ingredients and your taste for chilies. Pineapple you know; jicama you may not know—it is a delightfully crunchy vegetable from Mexico.

For the salad:
3 large leaves Romaine lettuce, sliced into strips, or whole small leaves
½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
¼ cup pickled red onion (page 86), OR ¼ red onion, cut crosswise into thin arcs
cilantro leaves
1 small pineapple (about 2 cups), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup jicama, cut into thin matchsticks, OR 1 apple, sliced
I poblano chili, cut into thin rings, OR 1 green bell pepper
12 sweet-smelling cherry tomatoes
finely diced fresh hot chili (optional)
1–2 avocados, cut into chunks

For the dressing:
juice and grated peel of 2 limes
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2–4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼–½ cup sour cream

Serves 4

Set aside the lettuce and also some of the pepper strips, onions, and cilantro leaves for garnish.

Combine the remaining salad ingredients, except for the avocado, in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, whisk together the lime juice, peel, vinegar, cilantro, and salt.

Whisk in the olive oil and then the sour cream. Adjust taste for tartness and salt.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss gently with a large rubber spatula or your hands. Then fold in the avocado chunks.

Mound the salad on a platter, rim the sides with the lettuce, and garnish with the reserved vegetables and cilantro.

Tofu Teriyaki

This casserole with bright flavors and aromas is simple to prepare, but the tofu needs to be marinated a day ahead of time. Since the dish is fairly juicy, it is excellent served over plain rice or noodles.

For the teriyaki marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup sake or white wine
½ cup sugar (OR part honey)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed
¼ cup sesame oil
1½ teaspoons dry mustard

Serves 4–6

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat to boiling, then simmer for 10 minutes.

To marinate the tofu:
2 blocks of firm tofu
teriyaki marinade

Cut the tofu blocks in half and drain the excess water from the tofu by placing it on a slanted surface, either a cutting board or one end of a baking pan.

Let the tofu drain for 20–30 minutes, then cut it in approximately 1-inch x 1-inch x 2-inch chunks.

Pour the hot marinade over the tofu and let it marinate overnight. Once the mixture has cooled, place it in the refrigerator.

For the casserole:
the marinated tofu
2 medium-large onions, cut in quarter moons
2 bell peppers, cut in strips
2 cups mushroom halves
6 medium tomatoes OR 4 large tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 scallion for garnish, thinly sliced

Sauté the onions for 1–2 minutes, then add the peppers and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan. Drain and reserve the liquid.

Sauté the mushrooms for 3–4 minutes. Remove, drain, and reserve the liquid.

To assemble the casserole:
Layer tofu, onion-peppers, tomatoes, tofu, onion-peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes.

Combine the reserved juice from the onions and peppers and mushrooms with an equal or greater amount of the teriyaki marinade and add it to the casserole. Add at least ½ cup altogether.

Bake uncovered at 350° about 45 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle on the sliced scallions to garnish and cover during the last 5 minutes of baking.