So I have been meaning to try the curried tofu from Vcon for a while now, so I did. I even pressed the dang tofu, which I often skip - I'm still not convinced it makes a difference with extra firm tofu, but whatevs. I baked that stuff up and threw it between some really good homemade Dave's Killer Bread, whipped up some curried mayo and slapped some lettuce on those bad boys for sammiches. YUM. The tofu was good, not my absolute fave tofu of all time, and another bummer - the little dude did not care for it at all. So it probably won't be making another appearance for a while, because little dude is usually a tofu hound.
The gratin did pretty well reheating, and was a nice combo of flavors with the curry. Chad and I both decided that it might be better next time if it were in some kind of pie shell, for added texture. But really, isn't everything better in pie shell? Right.
The chard was kind of a weird substitution for a spinach dish I make out of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian - it was ok. A little overcooked.
Overall - not my best effort. And the kitchen is still TRASHED. I should be washing dishes RIGHT NOW!!!!
About the Dave's Killer Bread - this was a pretty easy recipe, and it's great that it's 100% whole wheat. I think I might have yeast issues, because it didn't rise nearly as much as it did in the video - but then again, I don't have a stand mixer, so I subbed by food processor and a dough blade. I also don't have two loaf pans, so I have no idea why I made two loaves of bread at once. I was just following the recipe, I guess. Moral of the story: Halve the recipe next time, and get some new yeast, you cheapskate.
Although I have to admit that this is the next bread recipe I'm trying!
And finally, a question for you, dear reader: What the hell should I do with my head of napa cabbage that the CSA gave me? I'm pretty much a cabbage novice. Help a vegan out.
Last Night Photo Catch-Up
White Bean and Rosemary Soup
Skillet Cornbread
10 comments:
I never thought of making a sandwich with tofu. Why haven't I? Thank you for the idea!
P.S. For the nappa cabbage - throw it into some salad or make cabbage rolls.
I've been meaning to make sandwiches with that blackened tofu recipe....thought it'd be good with some vegan tartar sauce, letuce and tomato. Thanks for reminding me I wanted to do that!!
About your bread.....did you use instant or rapid rise yeast as called for?? If you used regular "active-dry" yeast, you'd need to double your rise time....I've made that mistake before, assuming the two were totally interchangeable.
Was your white bean soup the one from ED&BV? My kids love that soup, I made it a lot last winter.
Napa cabbage......I have no interesting ideas, but it's always good in stir-fry.
mmmmmmmmmmm! don't you just love dave's bread?! hooray for homemade bread! that's the one dan & i make every week - and we halve the loaf 'cause we've only got one bread pan, too (i need to buy another one some day, i just keep forgetting). we don't have a mixer either - just our hands and such - but it comes out alright. we do knead it for a good 7 minutes though - my hands get a little tired! whew! oh, and we've made his bread before and cut the sugar in half and it's been just as yummy, too! mmmmmmmmm!
sorry your meal was a little disappointing. glad the gratin reheated well! as for the nappa cabbage - can you do cabbage cups?! like instead of lettuce cups (filled with tofu and veggies and such) - but with the cabbage? are the leaves big enough to make stuffed cabbage with?! or maybe chop it up and make stir-fry - or pho?! mmmmmmm, pho!
i look forward to seeing what you do with the cabbage! yay!
Hey, Chessa!
Sorry that Silas wasn't a fan of the tofu. I imagine that curry might taste strange to a kid! I feel you on the trashed kitchen - UGH! Good luck with those dishes.
Thanks for linking to that no knead recipe. I kneaded one. I'm such a dork. Anyway, I know you haven't made the recipe yet, but I'm wondering if you think it would be problematic to make the dough before bad and let it sit overnight rather than just four hours?
I had a cabbage conundrum when I got it in my CSA, but I found a yummy recipe for Indonesian Peanut Slaw in Vegan Planet. Give it a try - it's awesome.
I think I've finally mastered yeast. I actually even posted about it, today! Now I have no excuse to make that recipe.
I was also not blown away by the curried tofu, but it wasn't bad. I always press the 'fu, but I think it just depends on what brand you use and how much water it retains.
As for the cabbage, you could always make sauerkraut.
no excuse *not* to make that recipe...
seitanismymotor - No problem! I stole the idea straight outta Vcon. And thanks for the cabbage ideas - I've never made cabbage rolls, but it looks intriguing. Will investigate further.
Carrie - Oooh, blackened tofu sandwiches would be awesome!!! Good idea! And that's a great question about the yeast - mine just says "baking yeast" (kind of a bulk package from our co-op) so you are probably right, I wasn't patient enough with the risings. This is wonderful info to have, and I'm going to get some instant yeast pronto! Thanks!
Oh, and the soup wasn't really a recipe, but I did glance at that recipe and it gave me the idea to finish with lemon juice and olive oil, which made it FANTASTIC.
jessy - that's great about the halving the recipe (and the sugar) for the bread recipe! I'm such a wimp, I never knead bread. Need to get over my no knead issues.
and mmmmm! pho! That's a good idea!
vegannifer - Yeah, I think you would be fine, but I am soooo not an expert on bread! I did however find this recipe - another one by Mark Bittman - that takes 24 hours to make and starts out by leaving it overnight. There is also an article about the difference between these two recipes, which is actually kind of illuminating about the whole process - check it out! I would just give it a try, or maybe if you use the shorter-rise recipe put the dough in the fridge overnight? I think the lower temp will slow the rising process down but not stop it completely. Ok, I just looked it up in my cookbook and it says that in a regular type of french bread recipe you can let the dough rise up to 12 hours refrigerated - just bring it back to room temperature before proceeding. Try it!! I'm totally curious how it would turn out.
And that Indonesian Slaw sounds yummy! Gotta go look that one up.
kati - I have never made sauerkraut, but I bet it would be pretty fun to make! Need to find a recipe. Do you have one you recommend? And your pizza dough looks awesome!
Vegannifer! I think Mark Bittman just updated with more info about no-knead bread just for you! Just kidding, but check this little article out - you should totally try some variations and mail them in! You'd be famous! :D
I love marinated, then cooked tofu sandwiches. I typically go w/ teriyaki (ginger, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, soy, hot sauce). This curry looks good though.
I've been eyeing that dave's killer bread recipe, I think I might have to try it. though I suck w/ yeast now. didn't used to. maybe I will jack up the heat in the house. argh!
Cabbage brings to mind:
*slaw
*somethign to add to salad or a burrito
*braised red cabbase, a side dish that you make with apple juice and vinegar among other things. goes with seitan saurbratten. I use "The Meat-Lover's Vegetarian Cookbook". gross name, great saurbratten. I looked online to see if I could find a similar recipe, and amazingly enough, the braised red cabbage recipe from Millennium is similar. Saurbratten recipe isn't.
bethany - I feel you on the cold house yeast conundrum, because we keep our house COLD. Like I think the highest we have the heat set to at the moment is 62. Yeah. Not so great for the yeast thing.
I love teriyaki tofu! Sandwiches with that sound awesome.
And thanks for the cabbage suggestions. We're out of town now, but that head of cabbage is still taunting me. I'll have to dig in when we get back on Sunday.
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