Curd is the word at tofu cook-off

Tag : Instant Ginger

You know tofu's going mainstream when high-profile chefs like Michael Romano and Wylie Dufresne get involved in a cook-off involving the creamy bean curd. AtTuesday's Around the World Tofu Cook-Off (sponsored by tofu maker House Foods ), Michael Romano, executive chef/partner at Union Square Café,was a judge and Wylie Dufresne, chef at WD50, was the winner.Dufresne took home $5,000 after judges voted him the victor for hismiso soup with instant tofu noodles and warm tofu custard withcaramelized banana.
All the chefs were singing the praises of the soy food at thecooking event, held at the Astor Center downtown, and these days, there's a lot to sing about: tofu'scheaper than meat, and a whole lot lower in fat and cholesterol.
"I cook with it a lot," says Erik Battes , chef at Perry Street. "Its acceptance into the mainstream foodsupply is not that strong yet, but I love it. It's like a blankslate: you can add whatever you want, and it's really versatile."
He and the other two runners-up ( Edward Higgins of Insieme and Akinobu Suzuki of Sakagura) each received $500 apiece for their efforts, and theaudience feasted on dishes like tofu panna cotta and tofu encarrozza (similar to that Italian classic: mozzarella en carrozza).
The judging panel included health food chef Peter Berley , and the live event was hosted by WOR Radio "Food Talk"personality Mike Colameco . Chefs got 25 minutes each to create a savory and a sweet dish.