Simple and few ingredients are what make this dish stand out. Calabria is a coastal region in Italy which has a rugged geography where fishing is their bread and butter and where farming is difficult due to an expanse of mountains. Because of agricultural challenges, residents have developed a simple cooking style that makes best use of sparse – but good – food resources.
Essentially all you’re doing is pan-frying (I used a cast iron pan) potatoes and red/yellow peppers for a really long time in a healthy amount of oil (I used sunflower oil for its health properties and ability to cook at relatively high heat compared to olive oil). Somehow, cooking alchemy takes place during the frying process and the sweetness of the peppers melds with the creamy potatoes and you end up with an excellent, easy side dish.
Over the last month, my husband and I have been caught up in what feels like the never-ending process of moving house. But after the stacks of boxes began to diminish, I was able to find a work-appropriate pair of shoes, and the cat came out from behind the dryer, we suddenly realized that it was still summer and we now have the ultimate cooking tool for summer: a deck with a bbq. Our past house had no outdoor space at all so grilling has become a huge novelty. Conveniently, Vegetarian Food for Friends has an entire section devoted to outdoor grills.
The marinated tofu recipe looked easy and cheap – perfect for this month. I easily mixed up the marinade sauce in the morning, it was a fragrant mixture that included a great deal of ginger and sesame – yum. The amount of spice is up to you and for me that means a new experience each time since I don’t tend to measure spice. This recipe called for serrano chile but I was lazy and just used red pepper flakes. The tofu was left marinating throughout the day. By the time I got home from work and grabbed the tofu from the fridge, the marinade has seeped into all pores of the tofu, turning it a rich dark colour. I grilled it on a medium-high bbq for about 5 minutes per side, and was finished. It was delicious. Even my dad, a self-professed tofu hater may have considered eating this meal.
