Tofu Émincé with Crème Fraîche and Morels

Place the morels in a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Wrap the tofu blocks in a clean kitchen towel, set a heavy pan on top, and press firmly. Mince the shallots and garlic. Measure out the wine, crème fraîche, double cream, and Dijon mustard.

Leave the morels to soak for 30 minutes. Morels are toxic raw or undercooked, so this soak is only the first stage — they must still be thoroughly cooked later. Simultaneously, press the tofu under the weighted pan for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator).

Lift the morels from their soaking liquor, squeeze gently, and halve any large ones lengthwise. Strain the soaking liquor through a fine sieve lined with a piece of kitchen paper; reserve 150ml of the liquor and discard the rest. Cut the pressed tofu into 1cm strips if not already done.

Heat 2 tbsp of the clarified butter in a wide, heavy-based skillet over high heat until it begins to shimmer and just smoke. Add the tofu strips in a single layer without crowding — work in two batches if needed. Sear for 3-4 minutes undisturbed until each side is deep golden and releases cleanly from the pan, then turn and sear the reverse side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season lightly with salt.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp clarified butter to the same pan. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the rehydrated morels to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until any residual moisture has evaporated and the morels are lightly gilded — this thorough cooking is essential, as morels remain toxic if only lightly warmed.

Pour in the white wine and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes until the pan is nearly dry and the sharp alcohol smell has gone.

Pour in the reserved morel soaking liquor and reduce over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until reduced by half and slightly syrupy.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the crème fraîche and double cream and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon; do not boil hard or the cream will split.

Stir in the Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper.

Return the seared tofu strips to the pan and nestle them into the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes to warm through and allow the tofu to absorb the sauce.

Remove from the heat, scatter generously with flat-leaf parsley, and serve immediately over freshly cooked tagliatelle or spätzle.