This Can't Be Tofu! (10 page)

3.
Crumble the tofu into the skillet. Sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly colored but still tender to the touch. Season it with salt and pepper, then add it to the onion mixture. Taste. You may need to add more salt, pepper, mustard, and/or soy sauce before you add the egg.

4.
Add the egg. Divide the mixture into ½ cup portions and shape into rounds or ovals. Lightly brush a nonstick skillet with olive oil, then fry the croquettes until golden, carefully turning them once with a spatula.

MAKES 1
½
CUPS

This is my universal sauce because it can go everywhere and with everything. For years I’ve made it with 1 cup drained yogurt and half as much sour cream, but with such robust seasonings as garlic, cayenne, and dill, tofu can fit into the mix quite easily whether you’re using tofu alone or tofu mixed with yogurt and sour cream
.

1.
Puree the tofu in a food processor with the yogurt and oil until perfectly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

2.
In a mortar, mash the garlic with the salt until smooth, then add it to tofu-yogurt mixture along with the dill and cayenne. Scrape into a serving bowl and refrigerate for an hour so that the garlic-dill-cayenne mixture will suffuse the sauce with its flavor. Just before serving, garnish with a swirl of additional oil and a pinch of cayenne or paprika.

Variations:
In place of dill, use a mixture of chopped dill, basil, parsley, and mint. Or, if you’re a fan of fresh coriander, replace the dill with finely chopped cilantro. Watercress and chives are another, more peppery combination.

MAKES ABOUT
½
CUP

A simple mayonnaise is made unique by adding tamari. It’s a good sauce to use on simply prepared tofu dishes, like the
Bachelor Tofu Sandwiches
, the
Oregano Crusted Tofu
, or grilled tofu
.

Mix everything in a small bowl and season with pepper to taste.

Use this mayonnaise to bind a chicken salad, a tuna salad, or a Waldorf-type salad of apples, celery, jicama, and pine nuts
.

1.
Puree the tofu with the olive oil and mayonnaise in a small food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides and puree again.

2.
Add the garlic, cilantro, sugar, lime zest, half the lime juice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth and green. Taste for salt and lime juice, adding more, if needed. Scrape into a bowl and chill until ready to use.

Here’s an all-tofu mayonnaise, but your family may never suspect, especially if you add a tablespoon or more of prepared mayonnaise—a good idea if you’re nervous about it. This will keep, refrigerated, for up to five days
.

1.
Put the tofu in a food processor with the mayonnaise, if using, and oil. Puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides.

2.
Add the garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt, and puree until smooth. Taste for salt and season with a little pepper. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Mustard
Mayonnaise:
Increase the mustard to 4 to 5 teaspoons, or to taste.

Garlic Mayonnaise:
Coarsely chop 4 to 6 cloves unblemished garlic. Pound in a mortar with ½ teaspoon salt until the garlic breaks down into a smooth puree, then stir it into the mayonnaise.

Saffron Mayonnaise:
In a small mortar, grind 2 pinches saffron threads, then cover with 1 tablespoon boiling water. Let steep several minutes, then stir it into the mayonnaise.

Roasted Pepper Mayonnaise:
Puree ½ cup roasted peppers until smooth with 1 garlic clove and a pinch of cayenne and add it to the mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise
with Capers and Fines Herbes:
Stir into the mayonnaise 2 tablespoons rinsed capers, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons each chopped tarragon and snipped chives.

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
Add 1 teaspoon pureed chipotle in adobo sauce into the mayonnaise. Taste and add more if you prefer it hotter. In place of lemon in the mayonnaise, use fresh lime juice.

If you’re a cilantro lover, you could find yourself using this versatile recipe as a dressing, dip, or sauce—on sandwiches; spread over seared tofu or grilled fish; definitely with grilled, roasted, and steamed vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, eggplant, or asparagus. It works amazingly well as a dip for vegetables or a spread for sesame crackers. Toss it with slivered cabbage for an unusual slaw. It will keep, refrigerated, for about 1 week
.

Combine the tofu, chile, lime zest and juice, sour cream, and oil in a small food processor, and puree until completely smooth, stopping several times to scrape down the sides. Add the cilantro and scallion, and puree just enough to make a flecked, pale green sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scrape into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chives.

The texture of a thin mayonnaise, this sauce can be drizzled over cubes of soft fresh tofu, as a dressing for a romaine salad or cole slaw, or spooned over grilled fish or chicken. It also gives sautéed vegetables a finish that’s as good as it is unexpected
.