momofuku's cherry tomato salad 1.0

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momofuku\'s cherry tomato salad 1.0
ingredients
all
12 oz silken tofu
drained
2 pints mixed cherry tomatoes
about 1.25-1.5 pounds
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tbsp usukuchi soy sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
or other neutral oil
Maldon salt
or kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
6 leaves shiso
stacked, rolled, then cut razor thin lengthwise (chiffonade)
cookware
This recipe is a fun take on the classic tomato and mozzarella salad. A combination of peeled whole and unpeeled halves of cherry tomatoes create a texture contrast. Silken tofu takes the place of mozzarella, and a shower of razor-thin shiso threads replace the basil. The dressing looks like it could be balsamic vinaigrette, but it's actually made up of usukuchi soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and a hint of sesame oil. Each component is different, but absolutely delicious!
1
Cut the tofu into 8 rounds.Start by cutting the tofu in half with your knife parallel to the cutting board. From each half, punch out at least 2 tofu circles with the small ring mold. Cut each of these circles into thinner circles by cutting it crosswise in half. Reserve.
2
Blanch and peel about 2/3 of the tomatoes. Start by bringing a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Prep an ice batch nearby. Score a tiny "x" on the bottom of each tomato to be blanched, then drop them into the hot water in batches. Blanch for about 10 seconds, then transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath for a few minutes. Peel the blanched tomatoes and cool them in a bowl in the fridge.
3
Cut the remaining tomatoes in half at the equator.
4
Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and grapeseed oil in a large mixing bowl. Add all the tomatoes and toss to coat.
5
To assemble, set 2 rounds of tofu in each shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt.
6
Top the tofu with the seasoned tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Garnish generously with shiso.
source: David Chang's Momofuku
notes
When preparing this salad for children, we like to cut the tofu into various shapes with stainless vegetable cutters to create some visual interest for the kids.