summer barbecue

what/

300 g semi-firm tofu*

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water**

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp thyme or oregano

1 pinch ground black pepper

* this marinade recipe works the same for around 500 g sliced zucchini or aubergine

** this time I also marinated some watermelon, just left out the water from the marinade recipe because watermelon is already really watery and I wanted it to soak up more flavour. It worked out great this way.

how/

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Cut the tofu into 7 mm thick slices, put them in a dish and cover with marinade. Let it sit like that for at least an hour at room temperature (if you can leave it for a couple of hours or longer - even better). Do the same with zucchinis, aubergines and mushrooms. Those are some of the best vegetable options for a grill because of their texture and consistency, but you can use other vegetables if you prefer.

If you are using watermelon as well, in my opinion it will work out better with a slightly unripe one than with a fully ripe one - the fruity flavour will be less intense, and it will not be falling apart once you put it on the grill. Just make sure you leave out the water from the marinade recipe, as we want as much of that umami flavour from soy sauce as possible. It will blend nicely with the sweetness of the watermelon. Depending of the size of the slices, the watermelon will need around 30-45 minutes in the marinade.

When your tofu and veg have soaked up enough flavour, strain the liquid and grill them over a low fire. You can save what is left from the marinade in the fridge and use it in other dishes, such as soups or stir fry's.

I paired this summer lunch with a glass of amazing Northern Dalmatian red wine Babić from Testament Winery and it was a perfect match!