Friday, August 20, 2010

Lemon Basil Tofu with Zucchini and Shiitake Mushroom


Mmmm... leftovers never tasted so good.  Earlier this week I found a bag of Lemon Basil at my local health food store and decided to give it a shot.  I used it for a client's weekly meals to make a simple dressing with rice vinegar and olive oil which I tossed with zucchini ribbons.  The unexpected tang of lemon, which was reminiscent of lemon verbena, was a little sharp at first, but as the dressing sat and the flavors mingled, it really mellowed out nicely.


Today I used the lemon basil to perk up a simple stirfry with tofu, zucchini, and shiitake mushroom.  I started by sauteeing some red onion in a little coconut oil.  Then I added the half moons of zucchini and slices of shiitake.  I wasn't quite sure how I would season everything, though I knew I wanted an Asian flair because of the mushrooms, so I added a bit of tamari.


Then I looked in my fridge and found a jar of Shredded Mango Chutney, which I knew was slightly sweet and slightly spicy.  This was the perfect balance to the savory flavors I already had developing in the pan.  The slightly sour kick of the lemon basil really pulled it all together.  Again, lunch in less than 15 minutes.  Yum! 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've never tried lemon basil but have seen it at farmer's markets. Your recipe will give me inspiration to try it. It looks delightful. Thanks.

Mack Shepperson said...

“... leftovers never tasted so good.” – With a capable cook like you, leftovers can be a marvelous and sumptuous dish! And the dish turned out great! The mixture of tamari and mushroom definitely adds some oriental taste to the dish. :-)

Unknown said...

Thanks, Mack. I'm glad to hear you were intrigued by the flavor profile!