Saturday, February 25, 2006
Laissez les bontemps roulez!
We're hosting a small neighborhood gathering in honor of Mardi Gras and, in addition to fried oysters, fresh shrimp, red beans, King Cake and Turbo Dog, we'll be serving up some vegetarian gumbo. My good friend Ella finds that scandalous, so she'll be bringing some meaty gumbo for the carnivores among us (including my 8-year-old, who can't wait to get her hands on REAL meat.)
Here's the meatless recipe, from Vegetarian Times several years ago. I may serve it with their White Corn Grits Souffle as lagniappe if I get my act together. Otherwise, I'll cook up some rice.
Tofu Gumbo
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 lb. okra, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1. Combine garlic, onion, mustard, cayenne pepper, peanut oil, vinegar and brown sugar in large bowl. Place tofu cubes in mixture, and marinate 2 to 24 hours.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, peppers and garlic until onions are translucent and vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, stock, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet, and sauté okra until light brown. Remove from skillet, and add to tomato mixture.
4. Drain tofu, keeping diced onion. Reheat skillet, and sauté tofu until lightly browned. Remove from skillet, and add to tomato mixture.
5. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in skillet, and whisk in flour. Continue whisking mixture, or roux, until it is light brown and smells slightly nutty, for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Reheat tomato mixture over medium heat, and stir in roux 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to stir until gumbo is consistency of gravy. Remove from heat, and serve over rice, or, hopefully, white corn grits souffle.
Here's the meatless recipe, from Vegetarian Times several years ago. I may serve it with their White Corn Grits Souffle as lagniappe if I get my act together. Otherwise, I'll cook up some rice.
Tofu Gumbo
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 lb. okra, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1. Combine garlic, onion, mustard, cayenne pepper, peanut oil, vinegar and brown sugar in large bowl. Place tofu cubes in mixture, and marinate 2 to 24 hours.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, peppers and garlic until onions are translucent and vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, stock, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet, and sauté okra until light brown. Remove from skillet, and add to tomato mixture.
4. Drain tofu, keeping diced onion. Reheat skillet, and sauté tofu until lightly browned. Remove from skillet, and add to tomato mixture.
5. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in skillet, and whisk in flour. Continue whisking mixture, or roux, until it is light brown and smells slightly nutty, for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Reheat tomato mixture over medium heat, and stir in roux 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to stir until gumbo is consistency of gravy. Remove from heat, and serve over rice, or, hopefully, white corn grits souffle.
