Cornmeal Crusted Tofu with Roasted Fig and Shallot Compote

I was recently at a restaurant and I ordered some cornmeal crusted tofu.  Now, I guess I never would have thought to crust tofu with cornmeal, but why not?  Maybe it was going to be similar to cornmeal crusted catfish...so I was optomistic about it and excited about trying it!  When it came however, the sauces that accompanied it were delicious, but there were far too many of them...about 4 different kinds, and the tofu itself was far outshined.  It was flavorless, and was almost like it had been baked, without any oil at all being that it was rather anemic looking.  So...I decided that I needed to come up with a delicious cornmeal crusted tofu of my own, where the tofu tasted good, was crispy and browned, and had a single delicious sauce that would compliment it.  What I came up with was a method that is the same as the way I prepare cornmeal crusted fish! Dipping it in egg, then a crunchy cornmeal coating then frying it up on the stove.  Now, mind you if you wanted this to be a bit more healthy, you could spray the tofu with a good coating of olive oil spray and bake it with the same affect, but it is not as rich this way. Once I had the tofu figured out, I wanted a sauce to compliment it, and what I decided on was a fig and shallot compote.  I roasted the figs and shallots until they were all soft and carmelized, then pureed them with some sweet and tangy elements that all made for a flavorful sauce.  It was a delicious accompaniment to the crispy tofu, and one did not overpower the other.  I served this with some simple roasted green beans.  I was very pleased with the dish as a whole, and the way it came together.   It was much more satisfying than the other cornmeal crusted tofu I had recently come across.  It was perfectly crisp on the outside, nicely browned, and I would have much rather eaten this than any cornmeal crusted catfish!  The compote was wonderful as well!  Sweet but tangy, and almost caramelly undertones!  If you would like a new way to prepare tofu, this is it, unusual, but sure is good!

Cornmeal Crusted Tofu with Roasted Fig and Shallot Compote

Serves 2

Compote:

10 figs, halved

5 small shallots, halved

olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp orange juice

sea salt to taste

3 cups green and wax beans, trimmed

olive oil

sea salt
Tofu:
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp soy milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried thyme

freshly ground pepper
8 oz firm tofu, cut into 6 triangles
olive oil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, line 2 baking sheets with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.   Toss figs and shallots with just enough olive oil to lightly coat, and spread out onto one of the baking sheets.  Roast until soft, about 15-20 minutes, then puree (along with any juices that may have accumulated on the pan) in a food processor with the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, orange juice, and sea salt.  Add a little water if the mixture seems too thick.  It should be a saucy consistency, but not too runny. Meanwhile, toss green beans with olive oil, and spread out onto second baking sheet.  Roast in the oven until tender and starting to brown, about 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste when removed from the oven.  Meanwhile, in a medium dish, combine egg and soy milk.  In another dish, combine cornmeal, flour, sea salt, garlic powder, thyme, pepper.  Dip tofu in the egg, and let the excess run off, then place in the cornmeal, and toss to coat.  Set aside on a plate while you repeat with the remaining tofu.  In a large saucepan, pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and place over medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add the tofu, and cook until lightly brown on the first side, about 3 minutes.  Then flip and repeat with the second side, about 2-3 minutes more.  If sides are not getting browned, you may need to flip onto the sides for them to get some color.  When tofu is done cooking, to serve, rewarm fig mixture.  Divide the tofu between 2 plates, as well as green beans. Spoon the fig compote over the tofu, or beside it and serve!

Basil Garlic Scallion Bread with Sun Dried Tomato Butter

Yesterday I stopped at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, and ended up buying a bunch of basil because it smelled so wonderful!  I also picked up the most beautiful fresh scallions I have ever come across as well as some garlic!  Now, although this sounds like the beginnings of a pesto of some sort, I got the idea into my head to make a bread using these wonderful herbs and alliums!  I pureed them in olive oil, and mixed them into a wheat bread base.  It made for a lovely pale green dough that smelled wonderful while baking!  While I was waiting for it to cool enough to slice, I thought a nice compound butter would be beautiful with it...sundried tomato!  The pale reddish tint to the butter was a nice contrast to the pale green bread!  But even better were the two flavors!  The basil bread would be wonderful on it's own, toasted or made into a sandwich, but it was awesome with the sundried tomato butter!  If you have loads of basil, this is your bread!  But better hurry, summer is almost over!

Basil Garlic Scallion Bread
makes 1 loaf

1cup fresh organic basil, packed

6 garlic cloves, peeled

6 scallions, roughly chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 Tbsp honey

1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) rapid rise yeast

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups bread flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

In a food processor, combine basil, garlic, scallions and olive oil, process until smooth, and set aside.  Combine water, honey, and yeast in a bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir in basil mixture and salt, then the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is not sticky but is still soft.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 10 minutes until it is elastic and smooth.  Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place to rise.  Let sit until doubled in bulk, about an hour, then punch down, form into a loaf and place in a 9x5 inch loaf pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover and let rise  until almost doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack set at the middle position.  When bread has risen, place in the oven and let bake for 40-50 minutes, or until it is golden and temps out at 190 degrees internal temperature when a thermometer is inserted.  Let cool in pans until cool enough to handle, then turn out onto a rack to cool. 

Sundried Tomato Butter

Makes about 3/4 cup butter

6 large oil packed sun dried tomatoes

1 stick butter, softened

Combine tomatoes and butter in a food processor and process until well blended.  Store in the fridge.

Zucchini Lasagna with Roasted Tomato Garlic Sauce

I had an overabundance of zucchinis and tomatoes on my counter that I have gotten from family members and friends, and I wanted to do something tasty with them.  A dish my Mom used to make when I was young came to mind, a layered dish of zucchini and parmesan cheese in pasta sauce.  It was so good and comforting when I was young...I never questioned the amount of vegetables I was eating even though I wasn't a big vegetable fan when I was 5.  So, I guess I was a bit inspired by that dish when I came up with this dish...but it ended up being more "Amy style", because there was no jarred pasta sauce.  I roasted the tomatoes with some garlic, and threw in a bit of basil and balsamic vinegar, and I cut my zucchini like lasagna noodles and roasted it before assembling the casserole.  I also added a bit of breadcrumbs and mozzarella to make this dish more substantial for in between the zucchini layers.  This wouldn't be the type for the peak of summer when it is hot, but it was perfect for a late summer early September dinner!  Filling, homey, comforting and delicious!  Like lasagna, but lighter...this is why I call it lasagna even though technically it isn't because it has no noodles.  I didn't miss the noodles though... the roasted vegetables were packed with flavor, and the cheese gave the dish a nice savory salty flavor.  It was wonderful, and perfect with a nice glass of red wine!  Try this out while you have garden fresh zucchini and tomatoes, it is easy to make!

Zucchini Lasagna with Roasted Tomato Garlic Sauce

Serves 2

Sauce:

2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh basil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

a few pinches of red pepper flakes

1 tsp sea salt or to taste

freshly ground pepper

3 medium zucchini, cut 1/4 inch thick lengthwise (like lasagna noodles)

1 cup toasted bread crumbs
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, divided
parmigiano reggiano for serving

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Place the tomatoes and garlic on 1 pan, and lay out the zucchini on the other pan.  drizzle both with a little olive oil.  Roast  the tomatoes for about 20-30 minutes, until starting to char, on the top rack of the oven, and roast the zucchini on the bottom rack, until just starting to get tender, about 20 minutes then remove from oven.  When veggies are done roasting, puree tomatoes and garlic with basil, balsamic, red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper until smooth, and set aside.  Meanwhile, mix together breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup parmesan.  To assemble, take a 4x8 inch loaf pan and line it with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Spoon a little of the sauce into the bottom of the pan.  Top with 1/4 of the zucchini slices, and a third of the breadcrumb mixture, then spoon a little sauce over.  Top with 1/3 of the remaining zucchini slices, then 1/2 the remaining breadcrumbs then a little more sauce.  Top with half the remaining zucchini, then the rest of the breadcrumbs, then a little more sauce.  Top with the remaining zucchini, then the rest of the sauce, and the reserved cheese.  Cover with foil and place in the oven on a middle rack. bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until cheese is bubbling and lasagna is hot all the way through.   Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with additional parmesan. 

Roasted Summer Vegetables Panagrattato

I had bought a bunch of cauliflower and beans, simply because they were so pretty...the cauliflower was the purple and orange variety, and the beans were purple, green and yellow.  I also had some romanesco.  I was trying to think of a way to eat it other than just simply raw, and roasting is what I felt like doing.  I love how it intensifies the flavors of they are crispy right out of the oven! But I didn't just want plain roasted vegetables, I decided to dress them with a bit of olive oil and lemon, and top them off with a nice crunchy bread crumb topping laced with pine nuts and garlic.  There is nothing like topping something off with breadcrumbs and the satisfying crunch you get! This all ended up being a wonderful and delicious way to prepare the veggies, and you could also use other veggies if you wanted! 

Roasted Summer Vegetables Panagrattato

Serves 3

Veggies:

olive oil

3 cups cauliflower, or romanesco

3 cups green and wax beans

juice of one lemon

sea salt to taste

Crumbs:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 cup panko bread crumbs

3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp pine nuts
1/2 tsp sea salt
zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp fresh basil, cut chiffonade

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Toss cauliflower with just enough oil to coat, and spread out on one sheet, then do the same with the beans on the other.  Place in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden and toasty (rotating pans a few times to ensure they both get browned. Meanwhile, to make crumbs, to a medium non-stick skillet, on medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Then and add chili flakes, bread crumbs, and garlic and pine nuts. Saute until bread crumbs are toasted and golden remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp sea salt, and lemon zest and stir to combine. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and set aside while veggies finish roasting. To serve, transfer veggies to a serving dish, and sprinkle bread crumbs over. Top with basil.

Ground Cherries

My Mom had told me about a summer fruit called ground cherries that she used to enjoy at her grandmother's house when she was young.  They grew in her yard, and she used to pick them and make jelly out of them in the summer.  I had never seen them before, and didn't know what they looked like, until I came across some last week in the produce department.  They looked like mini chinese paper lanterns, pale pinkish brown colored...I was intrigued, since they were locally grown, and I am always up for trying new fruits and veggies!  So I had to buy some, thinking I would find a great use for them!  I tasted one, and it was like a very sweet tomato almost mild pineapple flavor that filled my mouth.  I decided that I would make a salad using them to preserve their freshness.  I had bought some butter lettuce and wonderful sweet candy onions that were also locally grown, and I thought they would be nice in the salad with the cherries.  I threw in some toasted pecans and goat gouda for some richness and dressed the salad in a tangy Apple Cider honey mustard vinaigrette.  It was all very delicious once it was all married together.  The sweet cherries worked well in this salad against the tart vinaigrette.  The basil and onions provided a savory note to the whole thing, and the toasted flavor of the walnuts and buttery richness of the cheese all provided a satisfying summer meal.  Lots of flavor, and meeting my every need in what I was craving... a fresh and light dinner along with some local Lady Slipper rose wine from Northern Vineyards.  This would be perfect on a warm summer night out on the patio!

Butter Lettuce and Ground Cherry Salad with Sweet Candy Onions, Goat Gouda, and Toasted Pecans

Serves 2

Dressing:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp course grain honey mustard

sea salt to taste

Salad:

1 head butter lettuce

1/4 cup sliced sweet candy onion

1 cup ground cherries

1/4 cup toasted pecans

1 1/2 oz goat gounda, sliced thinly or broken into pieces

8 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together dressing in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, onions, ground cherries, and pecans.  Toss with dressing until well coated, then divide between 2 plates.  Scatter gouda and basil atop salads, and sprinkle over a few good grinds of fresh pepper.  Enjoy!

Vanilla Almond Granola

Vanilla and almond are two of the most heavenly flavors when paired together...when I think of this combo spritz cookies and my Grandma's buttercream frosting come to mind.  It is comforting to smell the aroma of vanilla almond!  So I decided that I wanted to make some granola with these two flavors...a sort of non-traditional comfort food.  Why not call it a comfort food?  In my mind it is...sweet and salty and crunchy, all the things I crave! I gave it extra vanilla in the form of vanilla bean powder, and included almond extract along with the almonds to make it extra almondy.  This comfort granola I was making needed some other elements as well, so I added some coconut to make it especially heavenly and some walnuts for crunch!  I thought some dried fruit would be nice in this as well so I added my favorite dried fruits dates and cherries...better than candy!  I used honey as a sweetener this time, because honey is comforting to me as well!  After it was all mixed, and baked off...the granola turned out to be complete comfort food!  Heavenly and delicious, all the things I crave!  And the almond vanilla coconut smell whafting through the house made it all even better!  While it was cooling I made a large dent in the pile of granola...it was so good I kept going back for more!  You will too if you decide to try making it! 

Vanilla Almond Granola

Makes about 14 cups of delicious granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups walnuts

2 cups whole almonds
1 cup golden flax seeds
2 cups large flake coconut
3/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp maple sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla bean powder*
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp almond extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups dried dates, halved
2 cups dried cherries

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 and set rack at the medium position. In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, and coconut, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, honey, maple sugar, sea salt, almond and vanilla extracts until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Stir in dates and cherries, and enjoy!

*grind extra vanilla bean pods the next time you use the seeds to make vanilla bean powder.

Crispy Eggplant with Basil Aioli

I love to eat eggplant while it is in season in the summer months...especially japanese eggplant!  So I picked up a few while I was in the produce department knowing that I would find a tasty use for them!  Last night I decided that they would be nice coated in something crispy since that is what I was craving.  So I coated them in a panko nutritional yeast mixture that ended up being rememnicent of eggplant parmesan coating but vegan.  The eggplant coins were really quite delicious on their own, but I made a basil "aioli" with some vegannaise to go alongside!  It all ended up being a fabulous small plate!  Try this out while eggplant is in season...no frying involved!

Crispy Eggplant with Basil Aioli
Serves 2

Crispy Eggplant:
2 japanese eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
3 Tbsp vegannaise
1 1/2 cups panko
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil

Aioli:
1/2 cup vegannaise
1/4 cup fresh basil

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp dijon mustard
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. place eggplant in a bowl with 3 Tbsp vegannaise and toss to coat.  Combine panko, yeast, sea salt, pepper and olive oil in a medium bowl,  and mix well.  Take an eggplant slice, place in the panko mixture, and toss to coat.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining slices, place in the oven with the rack on the middle position and bake about 15 minutes until browned and the eggplant is tender.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Meanwhile, to make aioli, combine 1/2 cup vegannaise, basil, garlic clove, mustard, and sea salt and pepper in a food processor and process until well blended.  Serve eggplant with basil aioli.