BBQ Tofu Sandwich

With my wife away, my son enjoys having tofu as much as he can. This was a great simple recipe that combines two of his favorites, mushrooms and BBQ sauce.

Marinate the tofu in your favorite BBQ sauce. I jazzed mine up with a little extra garlic and chili powder, salt and pepper and a touch of oil.



Cook the tofu in a touch of oil about 5 minutes a side. Adding more sauce to taste.



Heat a small pan and saute sliced onion then add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper.



To prepare the sandwich, place the warm tofu on bread, top with more sauce and the mushrooms and onions.

Coconut Curry Tofu

I was looking for something to make for dinner that I new my wife wouldn't like but that me and the kids would, this curry and tofu dish was right on, as she is no fan of either, especially with the additional coconut crust.

Coconut Crusted Tofu with Curry Sauce
1/2 small onion diced
1 Tbs butter
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1 - 3 Tbs curry powder to taste
1 - 3 tsp Garam Masala to taste
2 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 can coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste
chili sauce or powder to taste

Tofo, pressed, then cut into wedges
flour
2 eggs, whipped with a touch of water
toasted coconut
oil for frying

To prepare the sauce, warm the butter in a sauce pan and add the onions. Cook over medium for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.



Add the dry seasonings and cook another minute.



Add the tomatoes and cook another minute.



Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low to simmer and thicken. Season with salt and pepper and chili sauce to taste.




To prepare the tofu, prepare three dishes near the stove. The first with flour, the second with the egg wash and the last with the toasted coconut.

Warm the pan and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Dip the tofu pieces in the flour, then the egg, then the coconut and straight into the hot pan.

Fry for a couple minutes a side until lightly browned.




Serve with rice and a drizzle of the curry sauce.

Peter Reinhart's almost Caramelized Onion Marmalade

I first came across this recipe in American Pie, Peter Reinhart's book about his quest for great pizza.

I thought I would give it a try to add to a salad and knew that it could be used on sandwiches and pizza later in the week. The onions are not fully caramelized, but the sugar and Balsamic give a nice sweetness.

I cut the recipe in quarter, as I only had one onion on hand.

Balsamic Onion Marmalade
1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 large yellow or white onions, sliced into thin strips (aka, julienned)
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place oil in medium skillet set on medium-low and add onions. Cook for about 10 minutes until they soften, turning to prevent browning.



Turn up the heat to medium and cook another 10 to 15 minutes unit soft and translucent. Then add the sugar and turn to coat. Cook another minute or two.



Make a ring with the onions and add the balsamic in the middle, then fold in the onions to coat.



Turn off the heat and remove the onions letting the juices drip back into the pan. In a colander, press the onions to remove the juices, then gentle heat the mixture until it thickens.



It should turn syrupy. Do not over cook at this point or it will become too think.



After a minute or so, turn off the heat and add the onions back in, turning to coat. Season with salt and pepper.



This can be used on pizza or sandwiches or even eaten straight from the container.