Baby Bok Choy and Tofu with Toasted Pecans and Lime

Ingredients

• 1/2 to 3/4 block extra-firm tofu (If you can’t find extra-firm, you can use firm, or even medium)
• 4-6 baby bok choys
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 of a lime
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the tofu
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, and toast pecans 7-8 minutes, until fragrant. When they have cooled, coarsely chop them.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic, and prepare the bok choy: My preferred method of cleaning bok choy is to break off all of the leafy stalks and throw them into a large bowl filled with water. I swish them around, and use my fingers to push off any dirt caught in the white bottoms of the stalks. Then I empty the water, and spin or lightly pat dry. Don’t dry them all the way. You want some moisture on the leaves so that they will steam a little in the pan.
3. Cut off the leafy green parts of the bok choy from the white stalks. (The stalks will take longer to cook, so you will add them to the pan first.) Slice the stalks into pieces no thicker than ½ inch. As for the greens, they will reduce during cooking, so you only need to chop them in half or, at most, into thirds.
4. Then, over the sink, gently press the tofu between two small plates to get rid of excess moisture. Slice into 4-6 tofu “steaks.” Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil, oiled), and place the tofu steaks in a single layer on the sheet. Brush the top of the tofu with olive oil. (The back of a spoon also works just fine.) Season with salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until the tofu is golden on top, and maybe a little crispy around the edges, but not dried out.
5. When the tofu is about 10 minutes from completion, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and when the fragrance rises, add the stalk slices. Sauté until they are slightly soft, but still crunchy. It usually takes about 7 minutes. Pile the bok choy greens on top of the stalks, cover the pan, and turn down the heat a bit. Allow the greens to steam for 2-3 minutes, until just wilted. Remove the lid, add the 1 tablespoons soy sauce, and stir.
6. I serve this dish over brown rice. Scoop some rice onto each plate, cover with the garlicy bok choy, and lay a couple of tofu steaks over top. Squeeze some of the lime juice and sprinkle a handful of the chopped nuts over each plate. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.