Something Old, Something New

When I made the Quinoa with Caramelized Onions earlier in the week (something old), it made a ton. I knew I needed to find something to make with it that would compliment the flavor without copying it. Another Jack Bishop recipe, Spicy Pan-Glazed Tofu (something new), was a perfect match. Now, I have to be honest. I'm still struggling with tofu. I like it crumbled and squeezed dry, then cooked, but slab o'tofu still leaves me cold. It has the texture of over-fried eggs. Plus, I made roasted Brussels sprouts again, which eclipses every other food group in my kitchen. Plus, I pretty much had a toast orgy when I got home tonight. I was starving, it was cold, and toast just sounded good. So, my appetite didn't exactly have a razor-sharp edge by the time I got dinner on the table.

With that said, though, I can still be objective about this. The warm, cinnamon undertones of the quinoa dish, and the sweetness of the caramelized onions, called out the sticky, warm notes of maple syrup and balsamic vinegar in the tofu glaze. In this preparation, the tofu is sliced, patted dry, and pan-fried to develop a golden brown crust. The glaze ingredients are then poured into the pan with the tofu, where the crispy cutlets absorb the flavor but still retain their chewy texture and crisp exterior. I turned my back at a crucial moment, though, and let the syrupy glaze absorb completely into the tofu. I think I would have liked this better had I had some of the glaze to drizzle over the tofu. I really liked the glaze, and I can see using it over a crumbled tofu/browned mushroom mixture, or even to glaze braised and browned tempeh.

And I just need to work on my tofu attitude.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Dried Cherries, Chard, and Walnuts

Copyright: Jack Bishop, A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen

Chewy, sweet dried cherries are a tasty addition to a pasta sauce made with chard and garlic. Red chard is pretty in this dish. If you can't get chard, try spinach.

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds chard, stems and thick center ribs discarded, leaves washed, shaken to remove excess water, and chopped (about 10 cups)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for cooking pasta.

2. Place the walnuts in a large, deep saute pan or Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium and toast, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the nuts, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small plate.

3. Add the oil and garlic to the empty pan and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. (Do not let the garlic burn.) Add the damp chard, stir to coat the leaves with the oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the chard has wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cherries, remove the pan from the heat, and cover to keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Toss the pasta, chard, and toasted walnuts together, adding cooking water as needed to moisten the pasta. Serve immediately.

This recipe was discussed here.