serves 4
Baked marinated lemon-pepper tofu is available in natural food stores. If unavailable, you can make your own or omit the tofu entirely for a lovely and elegant green bean salad. Gomasio is a blend of toasted sesame seeds and sea salt and is available in natural food stores.
12 ounces green beans, trimmed
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons tamari
Juice of 1 lemon
3 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salad greens, for serving
8 ounces baked lemon-pepper tofu, cut
into ¼-inch strips
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Toasted sesame seeds (page 21) or
gomasio, for garnish
Steam the green beans until just tender, about 8 minutes. Run under cold water to preserve the color and stop the cooking process. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the tahini, garlic, sesame oil, mirin, tamari, and lemon juice. Whisk to blend. In a large bowl, combine the cooked green beans, the scallions, and parsley with enough of the tahini sauce to coat the vegetables. Toss gently to coat the beans.
On a round platter lined with salad greens, arrange the green beans and tofu strips in a circular pattern. Mound the tomatoes in the center of the circle created by the beans and tofu. Drizzle the remaining sauce over all and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
