Tofu andSweet Potatoes

LORI

ingredients

1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 8 (1/4 inch thick) slabs. Wrap in a dish towel & press for 30 minutes under a heavy pot or brick to remove excess water.
1/4 cup light agave nectar (available everywhere now)
1/2 cup shoyu soy sauce (I used regular)
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 TBS lightly packed brown sugar.
For the slaw:
3 TBS. rice vinegar
1 tsp. light agave nectar (add more if you like a more sweet tangy taste)
1/2 tsp. sea salt, or more too taste
2 TBS. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 TBS. canola oil (Tal uses 1/4 cup safflower oil)
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned (save yourself time & buy the julienned carrots in a bag)
1/2 daikon radish, peeled and julienned (I bought this--never had one before--but when I unloaded my groceries I couldn’t find it)
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 scallion, thinly sliced (Tal juliennes)
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds (Tal uses mixed black and white sesame seeds)
For the sweet potatoes:
2 very large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced. (I short-cutted with pre-cut sweet potatoes from Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup thick Cashew Cream (Tal uses 1/2 cup) *recipe to follow
1 TBS. Earth Balance (Tal uses 2 TBS.)
1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded and minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions

1
Make the tofu:
2
1. Make the tofu: Place the tofu in a single layer in a shallow nonreactive dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining tofu ingredients. Pour over the tofu and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and arrange it in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
4
3. Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrupy glaze, about 8 minutes.
5
4. Heat an outdoor grill or preheat a grill pan over medium high-high heat. Transfer the tofu slabs from the baking sheet to the grill and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, or until grill-marked. Turn the tofu over and generously brush with the glaze; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until grill-marked. Remove the tofu to the baking sheet, turning it over so the glazed sie is down, then glaze the top side.
6
Make the slaw:
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1. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, agave nectar, salt, lime juice, and soy sauce. Continue whisking vigorously in one direction as you slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Add the remaining slaw ingredients to the bowl and toss to coat.
8
Make the sweet potatoes:
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1. Cook the sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Put the sweet potatoes, Cashew Cream, Earth Balance, and chipotle pepper in a bowl and use a portable or stand mixer to whip up at medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. If you have a whisk attachment for your mixer, use it! Season with salt and pepper.
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Assemble the dish:
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1. Place one quarter of the sweet potatoes in a scoop in the middle of a serving plate. Top with one quarter of the slaw. Place 1 tofu slab on the top of the slaw, and 1 slab angled against the sweet potatoes and slaw, as in my picture. Repeat with remaining ingredients.