Forced Creativity -- Roast Vegetables, Grilled Tofu and a Poached Egg Over Greens

Meal Monday

Sometimes it seems as if it's always almost dinnertime. As in, OMG, it's almost dinnertime already and I haven't thought about it/shopped/defrosted/prepared ANYTHING. Oops. 

But necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and I usually find my most creative meals come about when I have to put something together using whatever I happen to have in the house.

Tonight, as I peered into the refrigerator looking for inspiration, my eyes lighted upon some leftover pizza (wholly uninspiring), some baby spinach and spring greens salad mix (take that out), a package of tofu (pull that), two eggs left in the carton (what the heck), prosciutto (yum) and some asparagus and mushrooms that weren't getting any younger (pull those too). The pantry provided some olive oil and a packaged spice mix grabbed impulsively one time while I waited at the butcher's counter. You know the ones -- they stare at you while you stare at the chickens and assorted meats behind the glass. Every once in a while you toss one into the cart, Mary Tyler Moore style.

True to (ad hoc) form, I think the meal I threw together tonight outpaced many that were much more rehearsed.

Try this at home and use whatever roastable vegetables and spice mix you happen to have around:

Roast Vegetables, Grilled Tofu and Poached Egg over Greens

One bunch fresh asparagus

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms

prosciutto

mixed baby greens

One block firm tofu

BBQ or Cajun or Creole spice mix

olive oil

salt and pepper

eggs

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash and trim vegetables, place in roasting pan and toss with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until done.

3. Wash baby greens and dress with a balsamic vinaigrette.

4. Cut tofu into thin slices and lay the slices between paper towels, weighted with a few plates to squeeze out the water.

5. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat tofu slices in spice mix and drizzle with a little olive oil. Grill tofu, turning occasionally until done, about 8 minutes.

6. Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil.

7. While water is boiling, put baby greens onto plates and take out roast vegetables. 

8. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around a few stalks of asparagus on each plate.

9.When tofu is ready, lay slices on plate, on top of greens.

10. When water is at a rapid boil, crack eggs into the pan and poach them -- about two minutes until yolk and whites are firm.

11. Remove eggs, one at a time from the water and place on top of the asparagus.

12. Serve immediately.