Fried Tofu with Mustard Cream Sauce, Corn Cakes and Wilted Spinach, Okra and Tomato

Dinner 8/23

Fried Tofu with Mustard Cream Sauce, Corn Cakes and Wilted Spinach

Okra and Tomato

A Triple Tofu Tower? Close, but no Kamut bread... ;)

Fried Tofu with Mustard Cream Sauce, Corn Cakes and Wilted Spinach
(serves four)

It's a four part plate...

Part One: The Mustard Cream Sauce

1 cup of soy milk
1/2 block of soft tofu
3 tbs. dijon mustard
2 tbs. soy sour cream

salt (to taste)

In a blender, puree all the wet ingredients together and add to a small sauce pan, bring to a bare simmer, then turn down to low for 30 minutes, whisking occasionally. The sauce should be thick but smooth. If the sauce separates, whisk together before serving.

Check for seasoning right at the very end. If you add salt at the beginning, by the time it reduces, it'll end up being way too salty -- better to add it near the end.

Part Two: The Fried Tofu

1 block of extra-firm tofu cut into 8 rectangular cutlets, the cut diagonally into 16 pieces
tamari and pepper to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. smoked paprika

canola oil

Marinate the tofu with tamari and black pepper for about 30 minutes. Drain and coat the tofu with the seasoned flour. Pan fry with canola oil over med-high heat until golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan and put on a sheet tray in a warm oven.

Part Three: The Spinach

1 tbs. soy margarine
2 tbs. sesame seeds
10oz fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup veg stock

In the same pan as you used for the tofu, toast the sesame seeds in the soy margarine until they give off an aroma. Then, add the spinach and wilt until it gives off most its liquid. Add the seasonings and the veg stock. Continue to cook until almost all the liquid evaporates. Check for seasoning. Keep warm.

Part Four: Corn Cakes (makes 4)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
pepper
smoked paprika

water

3 ears of corn, cut off the cob

1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. soy margarine

If you like your cakes to be uniform, use a ring mold, if not -- that works too ;)

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, slowly add cold water and whisk until it becomes like a pancake batter. Add the corn.

In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil and soy margarine. When it gets hot, add the ring mold (tongs are essential here) and pour in about 1/4 of the total amount of batter into the mold (about 3/4" thick). Let fry for a about 5 minutes until the corn sets up on the bottom and gently remove the mold. Fry for an additional 2-3 minutes. Move the mold to an open spot in the pan and add the second, third and fourth batch. When the cakes have begun to brown, gently flip with a spatula and continue to fry for an addition 5-7 minutes until golden, brown and delicious,


To assemble: Lay one corn cake down in the center of each plate, and add the wilted spinach on top. Add the cream sauce around the corn cakes. Stack the fried tofu on top of the spinach and garnish with additional toasted sesame seeds.

Tags: spinach, corn, okra, tomato, soy milk, tofu, smoked paprika, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666