Greek Salad with Tofu Feta

Ingredients

For fermenting the tofu

• 4 slices extra-firm tofu, (around 440 g total weight)
• 300 g barley or rice miso

For the salad

• 2 ripe tomatoes (around 340 g total weight)
• 1 green pepper, deseeded
• 1 cucumber (around 200 g total weight)
• 100 g ripe cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium red onion, peeled
• 20 g fresh basil leaves
• 90 g oven-dried black olives, stoned
• 1 teaspoon dried Mediterranean herbs
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
• apple cider vinegar, to taste

Method

Slice the block of tofu lengthwise into four equally thick slices. Spread 75 g of miso over each slice, covering it entirely. Place the tofu slices in a glass container. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. The tofu will absorb the saltiness and taste of the miso paste. Scrape off the miso (save it to make soup) and rinse quickly under running water, if necessary.

You can ferment tofu in advance and pack it in jars, covered in olive oil, adding Mediterranean herbs, garlic, olives, dried tomatoes and chilli for an extra flavour. Use it throughout that month to make this vegan Greek salad, or serve it as an appetizer.

Cut the tomatoes and pepper into large rounds. Cut the cucumber, with the skin on, in half lengthwise and slice into wedges. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and chop the onion into thin half-moons. Roughly chop the basil, leaving a couple of leaves whole, for decoration. Put all the vegetables into a large salad bowl, add the olives, basil, dried herbs, olive oil, a pinch of salt, crushed black pepper and vinegar, to taste. Quickly toss the ingredients together, preferably with your hands.

To serve, divide among plates or shallow bowls, top with the fermented tofu cubes, and finish with a sprinkling of dried herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves and enjoy immediately!