a few days ago kris mentioned that one of the few things he misses about eating meat is a pecan crusted chicken sandwich that he got from some (no longer in existence) place in boston. it was perfect timing as we had just recently made a miso-tahini breaded tofu that i thought needed a little something extra. pecans to the rescue! we put the tofu on sandwiches (cause that was half the point) with this bread from smitten kitchen (which is wonderful and you should all run off and make some now). the tofu would be equally tasty on it's own or perhaps as a salad topping. i don't know if it satisfied kris's craving, but it was a success nonetheless.
pecan crusted tofuingredients:
miso (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
tahini (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
water
extra firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch(ish) slabs
pecans (maybe about a cup)
olive oil
either by hand or in a food processor, finely chop the pecans (careful not to make them too powdery, you still want some little chunks). place in a shallow bowl.
in another shallow bowl, mix together equal parts miso and tahini. add a splash of water to thin it out so it is about the consistency of mustard.
heat a pan with a thin layer of olive oil over medium heat. spread a layer of the miso-tahini mixture on one side of the tofu (i found that using a butterknife is easiest). place miso side down in the pecans, spread the other side and flip to coat.
cook on each side for a few minutes until browned. after both sides are cooked place on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes more to bake the tofu through a little more.
-d
even when i use extra firm tofu, it comes out all crumbly and non-darcy-tofu-like ... what do i do?!?!
ReplyDeleteI hate to be a party pooper, but I've never really been a fan of meat-acting tofu :P I have a worry that the tahini and miso might not be able to stand up to the behemoth flavorless block of tofu. Also, I often have the same problem as Jill up there. Any suggestions? I might marinate the tofu overnight and up the seasonings (soy sauce or Dijon?) to fit my cravings.
ReplyDeletealrighty let's see, some thoughts of tofu....
ReplyDeletemy jill, as far as crumbling tofu, it might be the brand. we usually use nigari which is firmer than most other kinds. it's not floating in water so it's a bit drier. also, if your tofu tends to crumble i say embrace it and experiment with different tofu scrambles.
chris, i wasn't really thinking of this as meat acting tofu while making it, more just flavors that i like that i thought we be good together. i liked the lightness of the miso and tanini with the toasted nuttiness from the pecans. that being said, one of our most delicious breaded tofu creations was made by coating the tofu with a whole grain dijon mustard and then coating it with panko. and of course marinating it is always yummy too (soy, ginger, sesame oil, chili flakes).
i also think tofu requires patience. it can be a bit fragile so be careful when flipping it around. or if making a scramble give it plenty of time to get nice and brown and crusty.
This was amazing.
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