Don't Hate On Tofu Steak

You must first try a tofu steak and then decide whether it's for hippies without taste buds or teeth. What is a tofu steak?

1. Drain a 1-pound block of tofu.
2. Slice in half to create two thin slabs.
3. Marinate if desired, and cook over the high heat source of your choice.

I like grilling it, but a good pan sear will also turn it into a new non-beast.

Having tofu in the fridge is a great thing — it doesn't spoil in a few days like meat, fish or poultry, it's low in fat, high in protein, ultra-cheap etc. and so forth. I don't need to extole the virtues of tofu to you, even if you hate it you probably know it's healthy. But you don't hate it if you've had tofu steak done right. It'll keep you from a lame dinner of boxed mac 'n cheese or decidedly gross takeout when you realize there's no protein in the fridge.

Extra-firm is the way to go here, you'll get a solid, meaty texture with little danger of falling apart. Here are some ideas:

• Soaked in Korean marinade for an hour and quickly pan-fried in sesame oil (we dig Mark Bittman's method), served with cold sesame noodles.
• Grilled over high heat and generously brushed with South Carolina-style barbecue sauce, alongside some Peruvian goat cheese-spiked potato salad or fast and easy cole slaw.
• Thickly smeared with tasty homemade pesto, covered with smoked mozzarella and broiled til brown and crispy on top, served over spaghetti with tomato sauce. Which is what you were going to make anyway, sans the incredibly delicious improvised cutlet.

Have I mentioned these options are all vegetarian or vegan? Do I hear Meatless Monday? Can you have an actual steak the next day? Of course you can. But I bet you're kind of thinking about pesto-spiked smoked tofu parm.