I don’t say this lightly, but this dish may be the best I’ve ever had to create for Cookin’ with Congress. Yes, that includes Joe Biden’s rich cake and Amy Klobuchar’s thick tots. It combines two things I never expected to see together, like George W. Bush and Michelle Obama — tofu and spaghetti.

Chef John Hickenlooper

Democratic Governor from Colorado

As always, the recipe here is word for word from the one-time presidential hopeful and brewmaster, no alterations:

INGREDIENTS

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can diced chopped tomatoes

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, finely diced (divided)

1/2 lb tofu, chopped into 1/2” cubes

1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped into 1/2” pieces

1 onion, diced

INSTRUCTIONS

1) In a cast iron frying pan, add 2 cans tomato sauce, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp olive oil. Simmer for 1 hour.

Making sure it was cast iron was some sort of Colorado flex I assume.

2) Let tofu cubes drain over paper towel for 30 minutes. In another frying pan on medium high, add 1 tbsp of oil and the onions. Add 1 tsp of basil, 1/2 the garlic, salt and pepper.

You may have noticed that this is 1 tablespoon more than the initial ingredient list for some reason. Hope you have more at home!

3) Just before the onion is brown, add mushrooms. Add more oil if needed.

I ended up adding 1 more tablespoon of oil, so yet again…I hope you have more.

4) When mushrooms are brown but still firm, remove and place in a bowl.

These mushrooms, I must say, were not easy to remove. At 1/2” in size, the pieces blended in so well with the onions, salt, pepper and basil that it took a bit of time to fish them out. But I’m sure it will be worth the 11 minutes it took to remove them with precision.

5) In the same pan with all the juices still in, add tofu, 1 tbsp of oil, the remaining garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Sautée on medium high until brown.

It did not brown, the tofu, but I like white tofu anyway. You may have also noticed this requires one more tablespoon of oil and extra basil as well. For those counting at home, that is 400% more oil than originally called for in the recipe’s ingredient list.

6) Pour the tomato sauce into the pan with the tofu and onions and simmer for 30 minutes.

7) Add 1/4 cup of red wine if sauce is too thick. Add mushrooms just prior to serving over spaghetti or pasta.

I have to come clean: the mushrooms were not possible to remove. I feel shame, and I removed as many as I could, but it was nearly impossible.

But after I tossed the very small amount of mushrooms on top, wow, was I ever greeted with the fourth or fifth-best looking dish here at CWC! I am not lying when I tell you that every member of my household ate this dish. Even my 8-month old sous chef was enamored of this unexpected delight. The mushrooms were cooked just right, the spicing was perfect, despite the fact that the ingredient amounts were inaccurate.

Verdict:

Is John Hickenlooper an Asian-Italian fusion genius? No. It’s basically a good spaghetti with red sauce with tofu instead of meatballs but…it really is tasty. The sauce is vibrant, the dish is well-spiced and the tofu weirdly works, even if the recipe sounds like it was named by a child. “Hot Dog Pizza” or “Chicken Finger Ice Cream.” Tofu Spaghetti.