Anything "Milanese" style is a winner in our house - some sort of protein, pounded or sliced thin, and dredged in panko and a Dijon mixture, and fried. And of course with a simple Arugula salad served on top! Today, my good friend Teresa is coming over, and she's a vegetarian, so I'm making Tofu Milanese. It's such a pleasant surprise, a great vegetarian meal! Give it a go.
Prep the tofu: Take a 14-oz package of firm or extra firm tofu, and drain the water out. On a cutting board, slice into about 10 rectangular slices, being careful to not let them break. Spread out on the cutting board, and season with Kosher salt and fresh black pepper.
Let the dredging commence: In a small bowl, whisk together two egg whites, 3 tablespoons of dijon mustard, about 3 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, and about a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest. Now grab 3 plates - put about 1/2 cup of flour on the first plate. On the second, spread out the Dijon mix. On the third, spread about about 1 1/2 cups of panko or regular breadcrumbs. Carefully take a tofu slice, and place in the flour mix, covering both sides. Then place into the Dijon mix, covering well. And lastly, place in the panko, covering all sides. Place on a baking sheet. Once all slices are done, let these sit in the fridge for about an hour to set up.
Fry baby fry: Pour about 1/2 inch of canola/vegetable oil in a frying pan, and heat up over medium-high. Once hot, carefully fry up the slices, a few minutes on each side. Once nice and golden brown, remove to rest on a paper towel lined plate. Season with salt and pepper.
Where's the arugula? Prepare a small salad of arugula. For the dressing, whisk together the juice from the lemon, about 3 tablespoons of Dijon, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix well. Reserve a small amount of dressing, and then toss with the arugula. Serve the tofu on a platter, drizzle with the with the reserved dressing, throw the salad right on top, and there you have it!
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