Pairing Wine with Tofu

Here is a vegie-friendly place I just discovered. OrganicVintners.com is an online wine marketplace offering certified organic wines from around the world. The descriptions of the wines tell you which ones are vegan and many offer pairing suggestions for tofu dishes.

from the Organic Vintners website:
Vegan wines. Winemakers, both organic and conventional, are not obliged to declare on the label when they use animal by-products as fining agents to clarify wine. These include egg white (to brighten red wines), casein (a milk protein to make wine taste softer), gelatin (removes bitterness) and isinglass (derived from fish). A vegan wine, on the other hand, uses no animal products whatsoever.

Easy Farm Bread Recipe

I've been asked for this bread recipe many times, so here it is (finally)! Usually, I will just divide this dough in half and plop into 2 bread pans. This morning I was feeling a little more creative (brought on by the -20°F windchill, perhaps), and made a pan of pecan cinnamon rolls, kolaches, and a round loaf to have with soup later on. These were all made from just one recipe of this basic bread dough.

This bread recipe was based on a pizza dough recipe I found in Simply Heavenly! The Monastery Vegetarian Cookbook. I was lucky enough to find this book years ago at a used bookstore. It's full of great fake meat recipe's (for those of us who still miss it once in a while), and one I go back to again and again for inspiration.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups water (120-130 degrees)
2 TBS yeast
3 TBS + 1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 TBS oil (grape seed or olive oil work good)
1 TBS sea salt
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour (white, whole wheat, or a mixture of the 2)
1/2 - 1 cup gluten flour
1 cup ground flax seed

In mixing bowl, add yeast to warm water. Mix in the sugar, oil and salt. Let sit until yeast has done it's bubbling thing (usually 5-10 minutes). It may take longer if the water's not warm enough or your kitchen's a little chilly.

Add the flours and flax seed meal. If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook, put the bowl on the mixer and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Otherwise, do the mixing and kneading by hand. The dough should form a nice ball, not too firm, and not sticky. If it's sticky, knead in a little more flour.

If you're using the electric mixer, take the dough out and knead by hand for a couple minutes. Then you're ready to shape into your bread of choice. For simple bread loaves, just cut the dough ball in half and place in two oiled loaf pans. Brush the top of the dough with plain water and then sprinkle it with sesame seeds and sea salt.

Let the dough rise, about 30 minutes. Bake in a 400° oven for 30 minutes. Take it out and let cool on a rack at least half an hour. The bread continues to cook after it's out of the oven. If you cut into it too soon, you might find the insides a little doughy still.

Enjoy!

Tofu Tonkatsu Dinner

image from the Mount Fuji Company catalog

Tonkatsu is the Japanese word for breaded cutlet. Having been an exchange student to Japan in my high school days, I grew very fond of this entré, perhaps because it reminded me a bit of traditional American comfort food. The tonkatsu sauce is delicious and even my 4 year old loves it.

Ingredients
1/2 pound firm, not silken, tofu, pressed* and cut into slabs
unsweetened soymilk or other non-dairy milk
chickpea flour (or other breading flour)
panko breadcrumbs
3 TBS oil for frying

Dredge the tofu in the flour, then the milk and finally the panko breadcrumbs. (Use tongs or be prepared for very messy fingers!) Place in pre-heated frying pan and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve with rice, finely shredded cabbage, and tonkatsu sauce. The cabbage is a traditional Japanese accompaniment that helps in cutting the oiliness of the fried tofu.

*To press the the tofu, wrap it in a towel, place a cast iron skillet or several cans on top to weigh it down, and leave for 1/2 hour.