tofu — Recipes POST HERE

As the summer is still in full force and your grills are getting much attention I wanted to give you a yummy spicy side dish: Rajas.

Rajas are roasted poblano peppers that have been cooked with corn and some type of cream or cheese. I love crema agria but you can use sour cream, Crème fraîche, cream cheese, or any type of soft cheese. Regardless of what cream or cheese you use it will add a tangy and creamy flavor.

It is very common that you serve Rajas with a steak or carne asada. For us veggies I made a grilled peppered tofu!

Yields: approximately 2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 block extra firm tofu
3 poblano peppers
1/2 small onion
1/2 cup yellow corn
1/4 crema agria
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Nutritional yeast to taste
1 large lime

- Roast poblano peppers in broiler, open flame, grill, comal, skillet whatever is easiest for you. Roast them until they have blackened.
- In the meantime, drain, wash, and dry off tofu block.
- Cut tofu into 1/4 inch fillets. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper on each side and a dash of salt.
- Once peppers are roasted, drop into a plastic bag for about 1 minute. The steam will help to make it easier to remove the skins. Remove as much of the skins as possible.
- Place tofu fillets on the grill, grill pan, or comal. Make sure it’s really hot before you do so. Grill each side for about 3 minutes.
- Once tofu is done sprinkle nutritional yeast on each side while still hot.
- Grill corn and then remove kernels. If using frozen corn drop it into a hot skillet to char for about 3-5 minutes. Works almost the same.
- Cut poblano peppers open. Remove all seeds and veins if looking for a very mild taste. Then cut into 1/8 inch strips.
- In an extended skillet, heat the olive oil (over medium heat) then add corn and onions. Sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Now add the poblano strips and sauté for about another 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add crema agria. Mix well until all of the items are incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Lastly, add some lime juice to every piece of tofu and cut as you please.
- Serve immediately.

Spicy, sweet, smoky, and creamy.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

First, thank you to all whom have served this beautiful country. Although I am not a natural born citizen of the United States, I am forever grateful for the beauty and success that this country has provided me. Therefore, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the brave souls who have put their life on the line for this mesmerizing country.

While most of America is grilling today I will be using my comal instead. I live in the middle of NYC and I have no grill. Therefore, I improvise with my handy comal and trust me it gives anything a great flavor.

Mojo de Ajo simply means “in a bath of garlic” and it is a very popular sauce used all over Mexico. You often find it with seafood but I have decided to make it my own today by using it on tofu. I wanted something other than a regular BBQ sauce on this day and of course a touch of my Mexico in the recipe. In addition, this sauce is so good that you can use it on anything: lobster, steak, shrimp, any fish, etc. If you are vegetarian/vegan then this will be a new dish you can add to those grilling days!

I hope you enjoy.

Yields: approximately 4 plates

Ingredients for Tofu:
1 block of organic, non-GMO, extra firm tofu
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 chipotle in adobo
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon lime juice

Ingredients for Brown Rice Salad:
1 cup brown rice
2 quarts water
1 orange bell pepper
1 tomato
1 small onion
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 large lime
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 pinch of sweet paprika
Salt to taste

- Drain, wash, and dry your tofu very throughly. You want it to be very dry before it hits the comal or grill. Cut it into 1/4 inch slices. The dry it some more by placing on paper towels.
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add your brown rice. I have found that this is the best way to cook brown rice perfectly every time. Lower the heat to low/medium and allow the rice to cook. In about 25 minutes your rice will be cooked and all you will have to do is drain all the water. Perfect brown rice in no time.
- While you give your tofu enough time to dry, slightly smash your garlic cloves and add them to your olive oil in a small pan. Under low heat, allow the cloves to release flavor until they are slightly golden. Once golden, remove from heat and cool off.

- Chop all your vegetables in the meantime: tomato, onion, and bell pepper. Place in a bowl and add the juice of a large lime.
- By now, your olive oil should be cooled enough. In a food processor, place your olive oil, garlic cloves, vegetable broth, chipotle, black pepper, salt, and lime juice. Then blend all of the ingredients until very smooth. Place aside on a bowl.
- Your rice should be cooked by now and drained off. You are now ready to add all of the chopped vegetables with lime juice to the brown rice. Now add cumin, black pepper, sweet paprika, salt, and top with chopped cilantro. Mix well.
- Now on to the tofu. Brush some regular olive oil and a pinch of salt to both sides. Then place on comal or grill under medium heat. Do not turn until edges are starting to show a golden color (about 4 minutes). Flip tofu and grill the second side (about another 4 minutes). Remove from heat.
- As soon as you remove the tofu from the heat smother, yes smother, your mojo de ajo sauce on both sides. Rest tofu in sauce for about 5 minutes, flip, and add more sauce. I have found that this method allows the tofu to gather great taste, yet it still keeps the texture and taste of the grill without burning it. If you marinate tofu before grilling it for some reason it never acquires a grilled texture very well.
- Keep tofu in a warm place until you are ready to serve. Brown rice salad should be cold.

Provecho!

Feel free to post your comments or questions.

AMDV

Recipes POST HERE

Rajas with Grilled Peppered Tofu

Tofu al Mojo de Ajo