Cooking workshop recipes: Braised ginger-mustard Tofu Sandwich and Basil Nayonnaise

Braised ginger-mustard Tofu Sandwich

This is a great way to introduce tofu to those that may have found it offensive in the past. If you choose not to press the tofu, please allow for an extra 3-5 minutes cooking time for each side.

Serves 8

1 block extra firm organic tofu, preferably pressed and frozen overnight*
1/4 cup organic canola or peanut oil(this will give it a slightly peanutty flavour)
1 inch ginger, minced
2 tbsp organic whole grain mustard
2 tsp low-sodium organic tamari, soy sauce or bragg's liquid aminos
2 tsp organic maple syrup (most maple syrup is organic, but w/o certification)
1 tbsp organic orange juice (can substitute for pineapple juice)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp miso paste(optional)
Ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chili sauce or dried red chili flakes(optional)

preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cut tofu into 8 slabs (cutting widthwise). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray and place the tofu slabs onto to sheet. in a bowl, whisk together oil, ginger, maple syrup, tamari, juice, garlic powder, maple syrup and chili sauce. Add mustard and stir carefully, taking care not to damage the grains, season with ground pepper (the tamari is salty so additional salt is not needed). Spoon 1/2 of the mixture onto tofu slabs ensuring that each is coated well. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turn tofu over after 8 minutes and baste with additional mustard mixture.Bake until golden brown.

Serve on Organic whole wheat toast with basil nayonnaise, organic red onions, organic tomatoes and organic lettuce mix.

Other options:

- omit chilis and add 1/2 tsp dried organic rosemary
- increase chili amount, add 1 tsp of vegetarian fish sauce and 2 tsp dried organic basil, use peanut oil for this.

*To press tofu, cut block into half slabs widthwise and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Cover the tofu with another plate (right side down), ensuring that the plate entirely covers the tofu. Place a 5 lb weight on the top plate-make sure that the press is stable (ie. not about to tip over)-and leave for 30 minutes, drain off excess water. I find two or three hard-cover first year science text books work great as weights. Freeze drained tofu and thaw in fridge or microwave before use.


Basil Nayonnaise

to serve on sandwiches or as a dip for veggies.

1/4 cup vegannaise, nayonnaise or some other vegan mayonnaise (or mayo if you swing that way)
1 tbsp dried organic basil or 2 tbsp fresh organic basil finely chopped
1 tsp organic maple syrup
1 tsp rice vinegar or organic dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove of organic minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a bowl, for best results cover and let flavours mix in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.

makes approx 8 servings (depending on how much you love nayo)