Tag: tofu

Grilled Tofu with Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

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Pressing tofu gives it a meatier texture, and when followed by chargrilled crust, well, it’s a combination that’s hard to pass up—especially when it’s slathered by a tangy homemade barbecue sauce. If you like your barbecue sauce really sweet, add additional maple syrup to taste.

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Grilled Tofu with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 heaping cups finely chopped rhubarb (about 4 large stalks)
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (350g-ish) block tofu, cut into 12 slabs, pressed of excess moisture, seasoned with salt and pepper

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a shallow saucepan with a lid. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add the rhubarb, orange juice, tomato paste, maple syrup, tamari, yellow mustard, chili powder. Mix well, cover, and simmer, about 10 minutes, until rhubarb is softened. Use a handblender to puree until smooth, or transfer the mixture or a heat-safe blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning—depending on your brand of tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos, you may want to add a pinch of salt.

Put the tofu in a shallow baking dish and cover with the sauce (you may have some leftover). Marinate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat a grill to 400F. Generously oil the barbeque grate. Put the tofu on the grate and grill for about 5 to 7 minutes (flipping it too early will cause it to stick). Transfer it to a plate, re-oil the grate, and grill on the other side for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm, either on its own or in a sandwich, with additional sauce if desired.

Celeriac, Apple, and Pear Soup with Smoked Tofu

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Celeriac, or celery root, can look intimidating, but once you get past its rough exterior, it’s home to a mild root vegetable with a hint of celery flavor. The apples, pears, and smoked tofu are the perfect complement for a warm, early fall soup. I love dunking pieces of soda bread or beer bread, which can be baked in a jiffy while simmering the soup.

Celeriac Soup

Celeriac, Apple, and Pear Soup with Smoked Tofu

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 green onions, finely chopped (just the white part)
1 (210 gram) package firm or extra-firm smoked tofu (I like this one)
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large sweet-tart apple, such as Mutsu, finely chopped
1 large Barlett or Bosc pear, finely chopped
2 medium celeriac, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound after peeling)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 to 2 cups water

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onion, tofu, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, stirring occasionally and scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a few splashes of the broth to prevent burning, if necessary. Add the apple and pear. Continue to cook until softened, about 5 more minutes.

Add the celeriac, thyme, salt, pepper, and broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat, simmering until the celeriac is tender. If you have an immersion blender, pulse the soup about 5 times, to create some puree of the ingredients and add some thickness, adding additional water if necessary. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer about 2 cups of the soup into a food processor or blender, let cool slightly, then puree until smooth. Scrape the mixture back into the pot. Mix well, adding water if necessary. Test for seasonings. Serve warm.

Crispy Potato Chips with Onion Kale Dip

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Homemade potato chips take no time at all, and offer a deep potato flavor you just can’t get from a bag. Served alongside an addictive dip, this classic duo is a sure winner for everyone.

chips and kale onion dip

Crispy Potato Chips with Onion-Kale Dip

Onion Kale Dip
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chopped kale leaves, packed
1 package (454g) medium-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons  apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Sea salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Potato Chips
2 russet potatoes, washed and sliced into paper-thin slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt

To make the dip, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and kale. Cook until the kale leaves are soft and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Put the tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, cider vinegar, onion powder, a sprinkle of salt, and a few dashes of cayenne pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the onion mixture. Process again until smooth. Taste for seasonings, adding additional salt and cayenne as needed (lots of cayenne is delicious here!). Refrigerate at least 3 hours, though the flavors will come together even more overnight.

To make the potatoes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Put the sliced potatoes in a bowl filled with water. Let soak 5 minutes. Rinse well, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly.

Toss the potato slices with the oil, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Spread the potatoes onto the prepared pan in a single layer. Bake for about 12 to 20 minutes until browned, depending on thickness (if you weren’t consistent in your slices, you might have to check, remove some from the pan, and bake others longer). Once they are all baked, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.