Veeegs: August 2006 Archives

Soy-a-phobes are constantly complaining about tofu's lack of flavor and its freaky texture--and sometimes they're right. Here's a sandwich that will make your weak-minded meat friends and your vegan cohorts coo with coagulated bean contentment.

We used baked tofu for this sandwich: You can find it in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets. It will usually come with four small, brown bricks per package, and sometimes it will be labeled as "smoked" or "savory" tofu. This type of curd is ideal for many applications because it's totally firm, it's very low in moisture and it has a slightly sweet taste unlike the sometimes-tepid flavor of its soggy brethren. Buy a pack of baked/smoked/savory/whatever tofu, make this recipe, then use the leftover tofu on your grill, in your spring rolls, stir-frys or scrambles.

Tofu and Cauliflower Sammy
2 pieces of baked tofu
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbs. green curry paste
1 leek
3 shallots
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 small bulb ginger
1/2 head of cauliflower
8 Tbs coconut milk
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
5 pieces of romaine lettuce
8 sprigs cilantro
8 leaves of basil
2 tbs. Sriracha
2 tbs. sweet chili sauce
4 pieces of bread

1. Wash the tofu in cold water and slice width-wise into thin strips. Heat 3 Tbs. oil in a skillet on medium heat and add 2 Tbs. curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the sliced tofu, crank the flame to high and sauté for 5 minutes stirring the tofu to discourage burning. When your tofu starts to show some brown, and is fully coated with curry, remove from heat and let cool on a plate.

2. Slice your leeks, shallots, ginger, garlic and cauliflower. Reheat the same pan with the remaining oil and curry paste. Add and sauté the leeks, after the curry starts to spit, keeping a lid on your pan for 5 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, shallots and ginger and sauté for an additional five minutes. When the leeks are soft--the garlic and shallots transparent--add the cauliflower and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 6 Tbs. of coconut milk and cook for three more minutes. Turn off flame.

4. In a small bowl mix the remaining 2 Tbs. of coconut milk, the sesame oil, the rice vinegar and mix with a fork. Stack your romaine, heart-side up, and pile the basil and cilantro in the newly formed 'crotch' of the lettuce. Fold the romaine over as if you were rolling a joint, and slice in the thinnest strips you can. Dress your green ribbons with the coconut-vinaigrette. Toast your bread. Spread 1 Tbs. on one piece of toast, 1 Tbs. of sweet chili sauce on the other. Stack tofu, veggies, greens and slice. This will make 2 sammies and leftovers.

Beverage: Avery Brewing Co.'s Salvation Golden Ale
Soundtrack: Dirty Three, Whatever You Love You Are

You don't have to be OK with eating something called "cabeza" just to enjoy a taco, but in L.A. it sure helps. And while most taco trucks have veggie options--potato or even just vegetarian tacos with beans, veggies and cheese are always safe--you probably won't find tofu Mexican-style anytime soon.

So, for that rare instance of drunk dining at home, whip up some of these tofu-potato tacos topped with sour cream-less herb guacamole (if you can't resist the real stuff, mix some extra cumin, cilantro and garlic with your sour cream).

Tofu Tacos
1/2 block firm tofu
2 Tbs. cumin
1 white onion, minced
6 cloves garlic
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 portobello mushroom, diced small
1 white potato, boiled and mashed
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 bunch celery tops, finely chopped
5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. Tapatio (or equivalent hot sauce)
1 Tbs. soy sauce
6 corn tortillas

Guac-a-dilla
2 avocados
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dill, chopped

1. Press your tofu by wrapping in paper towels and placing a phone book on top of it. Let sit for 10 minutes on each side and discard the tofu water. In a bowl, smash the tofu thoroughly with a fork until totally crumbled. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, sauté the cumin, onion and garlic in 3 Tbs. of olive oil on high heat. Let cook for a couple minutes and add the tofu, mushroom, onion, mashed potato, jalapeño and chopped celery tops. Stir thoroughly to keep from sticking. After about 15 minutes, the tofu crumbles should be browned and the mushroom should be well cooked. Add the hot sauce and soy sauce and place on simmer until you're ready to serve.

3. Cut and scoop the avocados into a bowl. Mash together, then whip thoroughly with the olive oil and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Throw your tortillas on a large skillet and heat until nearly crunchy. Heap the tofu filling on each tortilla and top with the dill guacamole.

Beverage: Margarita on the rocks with mint and lime wedges.
Soundtrack: Charles Mingus' Tijuana Moods

Simón Bolívar dreamt that one day the entire American continent from Mexico to Paraguay would be one country: a Latin America with no borders that was united and totally free from foreign control. While we all know that the latest and greatest champs of 'sans border' mentality hang in Washington, we thought we'd pay tribute to Senior Simón (aka The Liberator) with these two sauces from twin countries: Argentina, and Chile.

Pebre is the condiment in Chile, eaten on everything. Chimichurri is traditionally a steak sauce and usually only shows up here at a few Argentinean grills, or on the snotty menus of "super original" high-end steak houses on the Westside. Unite these two dormant bro's in your kitchen. They are for the people.

Chimichurri
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons
2 Tbs. red chili flakes
3 jalapeños
4 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice only
1 packed cup parsley
4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs. ground black pepper

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil on the lowest flame you can muster, while you zest the lemons. Add the lemon zest and the chili flakes and gently simmer. After 20 minutes--the perfect amount of time to make pebre--remove the oil from the flame and cool in your fridge.
2. Place the jalapeños on your burner one at a time over a full flame, turning occasionally to blacken every side of each pepper. When completely black, place all three peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for ten minutes. After that the skin should come off very easily. Chop one jalapeno and reserve the other two for your pebre. Skin and quarter the garlic and shallots. Place the shallots, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and blend into oblivion. Add the now cool, infused oil to the mixture in a slow, steady stream while blending continuously, to emulsify.

Pebre
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
The juice of two lemons
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 roasted jalapenos chopped (deseeded if needed)
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients in order of appearance.

Both sauces will keep well for three days refrigerated in a sealed container. They will grow more intense and amazing with each hour they sit in your fridge. Serve each sauce on toast with sliced heirloom tomatoes or as a condiment for eggs, cheese, pizza, or salad....or just eat 'em with a spoon.

Beverage: A spicy Malbec variety wine
Soundtrack: Buene Vista Social Club's self-titled

The last time we saw our friend Grace, she had gathered a number of us around a steaming wok of sautéing leeks for this veggie version of moo-shu pork. Since then, she's become "Missoula Grace" where she studies words and black bears. Whether she lugs around a wok on hiking trips or not, this recipe stuck with us.

Moo-shu Tofu with leeks
1 block extra firm tofu
3 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil
2 leeks
1 small bulb ginger, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 can bamboo shoots
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup mung bean sprouts
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup hoison sauce
6 medium-sized four toritillas

1. Press the tofu, wrapping it in paper towels and placing a phone book on top. Flip after 10 minutes and repeat. Chop it into small cubes about the size of dice.
2. In a large wok sauté the tofu cubes in canola oil on high heat. Stir every minute or two to keep from sticking. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until tofu starts to brown. Turn down to medium heat and let cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Cut your two leeks in half length-wise and rinse thoroughly to remove any dirt. Then slice in small half moons and add them to the wok along with the ginger, garlic and celery. Season to taste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Open and drain the can of bamboo shoots and throw them into the wok with the green onions, bean sprouts, soy sauce, vinegar and hoison sauce. Stir the mixture and let cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Warm your tortillas and cut them in half, leaving half circles. Face up on a plate, slather the tortilla with more hoison sauce and spoon the moo-shu mixture on top.