Raw Food Thursday: Taco Salad

Raw Food Thursday 6/25

Taco Salad

The bowls were made using the same recipe as the red bell pepper tortillas. The differences were in the size of the tortilla -- about 10" across, much like the chimichangas and the use of a mold to shape the tortilla.

After the initial dehydration at 105F the tortillas were placed inside the mold and dehydrated for 2 hours further which set the shape. They were gently removed from the mold, which was flipped over, and then the tortilla was draped over the inverted mold and dehydrated for another 2 hours. This allowed the other side and base to dry evenly as well making for a crispy bowl.



The filling was red leaf lettuce, tomato, walnut taco filling (from RAWvolution), avocado, carrot and cashew cheese (on top). The greens were dressed in a lime and olive oil vinaigrette.

Tags: raw food wednesday, raw food, raw, taco, red bell pepper, walnuts, lettuce, tomato, cashew, carrot, avocado, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Pesto, Artichoke Dip, Garlic Bread, Olives, Red Leaf Salad with Black Mission Figs

Dinner 6/24

Pesto

Red Leaf Salad with Black Mission Figs

Artichoke Dip

Garlic Bread

Olives

Liz had the day off, so we went to Cleveland to pick up supplies from Tink Holl (1735 E. 36th St.) and Gallucci's (6610 Euclid Ave.). We got back into town late, so Raw Food Wednesday will be pushed back until tomorrow.

Tonight's meal is based around some of the items we picked up from Gallucci's -- the ciabatta bread (garlic bread), the artichoke hearts (artichoke dip), olives and pasta (pesto). And a as a bonus, we were able to eat out on the deck.




The basil for the pesto (basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast) came from our garden (coming along nicely) and was paired with a lovely salad of Red Leaf lettuce with some perfectly ripe Black Mission Figs. Truly, summer on a plate.




Artichoke Dip: a combo of artichoke hearts, diced red bell peppers, vegenaise, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. It's baked in an au gratin dish at 400F for 20 minutes.



...and the olives were very tasty as well.

Tags: artichokes, ciabatta, cleveland, olives, basil, pesto, garlic, pasta, pine nuts, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Rice Paper Packets: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dinner 6/20

Seitan, Onion and Teese

Tea-Smoked Tofu, Mushroom and Pineapple

Braised Spinach with Toasted Sesame Seeds

We enjoyed these so much (and have so many rice paper sheets) that we made them again. Hat tip to Ming Tsai for the idea... on to the photo essay.

Soak the rice paper in warm water until softened, blot them with a towel to remove excess moisture. Place a couple of pieces of stir-fried seitan in the center of the rice paper.



Place about a tablespoon of caramelized onions on top of the seitan.



Place about a tablespoon of shredded Teese on top of the onions and seitan.



Place a few more pieces of seitan on top of the Teese.



Fold the bottom part of the rice paper over the filling.



Fold the top part of the rice paper over the filling.



Fold the right side of the rice paper over the top of the filling.



Fold the left side of the rice paper under the filling.



At this point refrigerate the packets for 15 minutes to let the rice paper firm up which makes it easier to hold its shape later.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, use 1 tbs. of canola oil and fry the packages until crisp on both sides. Serve hot.

Moving on to the Tofu, Mushroom and Pineapple packets.

The tofu was cut into squares and smoked with oolong tea for 20 minutes, and then pan-fried in canola oil until golden brown and delicious. It was then splashed with a little tamari and cooked for an additional minute.

Place the tofu in the center of the rice paper.



Add the caramelized onion on top of the tofu.



The pineapple was cut into squares and lightly pan-fried. It was then placed on top of the onions.



The sliced and cooked mushrooms were place on top of the pineapple.



Then it's the same as before. Fold the bottom of the rice paper over the tofu.



Fold the top of the rice paper over the tofu.



Fold the right side of the rice paper over the top of the tofu.



Fold the left hand side of the rice paper under the tofu.



Again, refrigerate and chill for 15 minutes, then fry as above.

Tags: rice paper, Teese, spinach, seitan, tofu, pineapple, smoker-box, tea, onions, ming tsai, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Tofu alla Grappa, Fennel Risotto

Dinner

Tofu alla Grappa

Fennel Risotto

We decided to break out the vacuum-sealer again, after finding a bottle of grappa hiding in the back of the cabinet.

It's the same technique as the Tofu L'Orange, with the same excellent results.

Tofu alla Grappa

16oz extra-firm tofu

The block of extra-firm tofu was cut into six cutlets and smoked with apple wood for 25 minutes.

marinade

1/4 cup grappa
pinch of salt and pepper

In a small pan, reduce the grappa by half to 2 tbs. and remove from heat.

Place the smoked tofu in a single layer in a vacuum-sealer bag, add the marinade and process. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Remove from the bag and cut a slit in the side of each tofu cutlet, being careful not to poke through the edges.

Pan-fry the tofu in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per side). Add a splash of tamari to evenly coat and cook the tofu for an additional minute. Remove and keep warm.

filling/sauce

olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 tbs. tarragon, minced
1 tbs. parsley, minced
1 1/2 cups of grapes, cut in half

In the same pan, add a little more oil and sweat the shallots and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the tarragon and parsley, stir to combine (If you want to throw and additional shot of grappa in the sauce at this point we won't tell). Add the grapes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove half of the mixture and gently place inside the slit in the tofu. Puree the other half in a blender or use a immersion blender for a more "rustic" look, check for seasoning, reserve and keep warm.

Place the stuffed tofu on a sheet pan and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot topped with the sauce over the fennel risotto.

Tags: tofu, grappa, fennel, risotto, vacuum-sealer, smoker box, apple wood, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Rice Paper Packets stuffed with Seitan, Onion and Teese, Grilled Romaine Salad

Dinner 6/15

Rice Paper Packets stuffed with Seitan, Onion and Teese

Grilled Romaine Salad

...which is just another way to say a veganized version of Ming Tsai's Philly Cheesesteak in Rice Paper.

These turned out so well, the kids want them again ASAP. ;)

A more detailed explanation/method will follow...

Tags: seitan, rice paper, onions, teese, romaine, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Beer Battered Coconut Tofu, Shiitake and Scape Tempura, Summer Rolls

Dinner 6/13

Beer Battered Coconut Tofu

Baby Basmati Rice

Shiitake and Scape Tempura

Summer Rolls

The tofu was smoked with oolong tea, then dropped in a beer batter loaded with dried (unsweetened) coconut and deep-fried at 375F until golden brown and delicious.

Today's found-in-the-back-of-the-pantry-item? Baby Basmati Rice, which was greatly improved upon by adding some of red curry and coconut milk dipping sauce.



While we were deep-frying we also did some tempura with shiitake mushrooms and scape tops (from Rootstown Organics) served along with the aforementioned red curry dipping sauce.



Starting us off was a quick summer roll stuffed with red cabbage, carrot, cucumber, daikon, red leaf lettuce and a rice vinegar and canola oil dressing, topped with black sesame seeds.

Tags: coconut, tofu, tempura, scapes, shiitake mushrooms, red curry, rice paper, salad, black sesame seeds, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Blueberry Bundt Cake

Dessert 6/12

Blueberry Bundt Cake

we're skipping dinner and going straight to dessert... mmmm.

Tags: blueberry, bundt cake, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Ramen

Dinner 6/05

Ramen

Our son is really interested in ramen lately, so we worked on it tonight -- the broth being the main area of experimentation -- kombu, miso, tamari and water -- along with the veggies (mushrooms, carrots, daikon, greens) and tofu.

Tags: ramen, tofu, kombu, miso, tamari, mushrooms, daikon, daikon, carrots, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Thai Basil, Jasmine Rice, Stir-Fried Brussel Sprouts with Star Anise

Dinner 5/26

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Thai Basil

Jasmine Rice

Stir-Fried Brussel Sprouts with Star Anise

A riff on Ming Tsai's version that uses mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with five-spice powder, agave, chives and thai basil between wonton wrappers as ravioli topped with a brown "butter," balsamic and black vinegar sauce.

A really interesting flavor combination that worked well...

Tags: jasmine rice, brussels sprouts, wonton, sweet potato, five-spice powder, star anise, chives, agave, thai basil, ming tsai, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Gulai Pakis (Fiddlehead Ferns in Spicy Coconut Sauce)

Dinner

Gulai Pakis
(Fiddlehead Ferns in Spicy Coconut Sauce)

Put this dish in the "things-to-do-with-fiddlehead-ferns" list. ;)

Fiddlehead Ferns (local), braised in an aromatic coconut milk sauce (chiles, ginger, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, cumin, coriander, lime juice, salt, pepper and coconut milk), topped with sesame seeds. Simple and delicious!

Tags: fiddlehead ferns, coconut milk, chiles, ginger, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, cumin, coriander, lime juice, salt, pepper, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Chiles Rellenos Stuffed with Mushroom, Soyrizo, Plantains and Cheddar Teese, Plantain and Coconut Milk Sauce

Dinner 5/20

Chiles Rellenos Stuffed with Mushroom, Soyrizo, Plantains and Cheddar Teese

Plantain and Coconut Milk Sauce

The chiles rellenos is our standard version with the addition of some mushrooms and the Teese melted under the broiler to holding everything together.

The sauce was something I've wanted to try for a while, leading the dish more towards the Caribbean side of things. A very ripe plantain was blended with a can of coconut milk, 1 tsp. Mexican oregano, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Then it was placed in a saute pan and reduced by 1/3rd.

It was extremely tasty and a nice compliment to the chiles rellenos. About the only thing I'd do differently next time would be to give it some color with annatto/achiote or turmeric.

Tags: Chiles, Mushroom, Soyrizo, Plantains, Teese, Coconut Milk, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Oak-Smoked Tofu Stuffed With Walnuts and Blue Sheese, Horseradish Cream Sauce, Braised Red Cabbage, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Dinner 5/18

Oak-Smoked Tofu Stuffed With Walnuts and Blue Sheese

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Braised Red Cabbage

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

The tofu block was cut into six cutlets, with a slit cut in the middle. We then smoked it for 20 minutes with oak wood chips for a change of pace. The tofu was pan-fried on both sides, and splashed with tamari and the end. It was stuffed with a combination of toasted walnuts and Blue Sheese, then finished in a 350F oven for 15 minutes.

The horseradish sauce was a bechamel (1 tbs. flour, 1 tbs. earth balance, 1 cup of soy milk) with 2 tbs. of horseradish, zested on a microplane.

Tags: horseradish, potatoes, cabbage, blue sheese, walnuts, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Miso & Cola BBQ Tofu, Olive Stuffed Flatbread

Dinner 5/15

Miso & Cola BBQ Tofu

Olive Stuffed Flatbread

We've been playing around with Jacques Pepin's "Tibetan Flatbread" recipe lately, this time stuffing it with minced olives, smoked paprika and Teese as sort of all-in-one tapas dish for an upcoming wine tasting dinner next month. This recipe is extremely easy...

Olive Stuffed Flatbread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 tsp. baking powder
salt to taste

Mix everything together until it looks "gooey" ;)

Filling

1/2 cup olives, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/3 cup Cheddar Teese, shredded

Pre-heat a 10" cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbs. of olive oil and pour in half of the batter, pushing it to the edges with an offset spatula. Scatter the filling, being careful to not get too close to the edges. Add the second half of the batter.

Add about 1 tbs. of water around the edges of dough (this helps the flatbread steam in the pan), slap a lid on the top and cook about 10 minutes on the first side. Flip it over and cook about 5 minutes on the second side.



The barbecue sauce was one of those last minute "what do we have in the fridge?" deals -- some (cane sugar) cola plus some red miso = OMGWTFBBQ!!11!one! ;)

This recipe has much potential for tweaking (different combination of miso/cola's)

Miso & Cola BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup cola
1/2 cup red miso
1 tbs. tamari
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Blend all the ingredients together, check for seasoning.



The tofu was smoked with cherry wood for 20 minutes and then you can either grill, bake or pan-fry the tofu, basting with the BBQ sauce as you go.

We pan-fried this batch until golden brown, and splashed the tofu with a little tamari at the end. We reduced the heat and added BBQ sauce, turning the tofu as needed, until the sauce thickened and the tofu was completely coated.

Tags: miso, olives, flatbread, tofu, bbq, barbecue, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666

Focaccia Pizza with Morel Mushrooms

Dinner 5/08

Focaccia Pizza with Morel Mushrooms

Local morels FTW!



thanks to Jeff at Kent Natural Foods for the epic score!

Tags: morel mushrooms, pizza, focaccia, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666