Herbed Tofu Scramble with Curried Apple Slices

Herbed Tofu Cakes with Curried Apple

http://veggiesonthecounter.com/2011/02/17/herbed-tofu-cakes-with-curried-apple/

(makes 5 cakes)

for the tofu cakes:

370 grams firm tofu, drained, pat dry and crumbled

1 ½ tablespoons shoyu

1 tablespoon vegan mayo

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

1 ½ tablespoons lemon thyme, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons chives, finely chopped

2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped

zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

for the curried apple:

1 large apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon sugar

a pinch of salt

a good squeeze of lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

chopped coriander, for garnishing

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the tofu cakes, except the olive oil. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

2. Divide the mixture into 4 to 5 equal portions. With your hands, shape each portion into patties.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan, over medium-heat. Shallow-fry the patties for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

4. Once the tofu cakes are done, transfer them to a plate and keep them warm in the oven. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same frying pan you used for cooking the cakes and, once hot – but not smoking – add the apple slices, sugar, salt and curry powder.

5. Cook for 5 minutes or until the apple slices are tender and slightly caramelized. Turn off the heat and add a good squeeze of lemon juice to the pan.

6. Serve the tofu cakes with the curried apple slices on top, and garnish each serving with plenty chopped coriander. Serve with basmati rice or any other grain of your liking.

I meant to make the cakes but since I elected not to use two ingredients- vegan mayo and dijon mustard, and these two happened to be essential ingredients for the sticking of the cakes, I ended up making a scramble. Lesson of the day: making food look pretty should not be taken for granted. But, eaten immediately upon its fresh preparation, the meal is delicious, a breakfast, brunch, or late-night meal (especially a late-night meal) fit for a king, or queen in my case. It's healthy, to boot!

I also made a carrot and leek frittata, but I will not post the photo here. It was not very pretty. :( For some reason, my frittata looked more like a scramble than a frittata, but there were still some layers of egg and veggies that looked reminiscent of a frittata. :) Next time I hope to get it better so that I can post a photo up here.

Here's the recipe, though.

Carrot and Leek Frittata With Tarragon

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/health/nutrition/24recipehealth.html?_r=1

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups finely sliced or diced carrot

1 1/2 cups finely sliced leeks

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup finely chopped tarragon

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet. Add the carrots and leeks. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Stir in the garlic, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to one minute, and remove from the heat.

2. Beat the eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Stir in salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, the cooked carrots and leeks, and the tarragon.

3. Clean and dry the pan, and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan, and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

4. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn’t burn. The bottom should turn a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

5. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking, and allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: Six servings.

Note: For four servings, use the same recipe but reduce the number of eggs to six.

Advance preparation: In Mediterranean countries, flat omelets are served at room temperature, which makes them perfect do-ahead dishes. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and they make terrific lunchbox fare. They do not reheat well.

Nutritional information per serving: 167 calories; 3 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 248 milligrams cholesterol; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 123 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 9 grams protein

I'm actually on a healthy eating kick. Cheer me on. :)