Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers - Moosewood Collective [13]
serving & menu ideas
Start with Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears. Serve Roasted Ratatouille on Polenta, couscous, or rice, or with French bread. Leftovers taste even better the next day, packed for lunch or folded into an omelet.
tofu hijiki sauté
This sauté makes an attractive and satisfying supper; chilled, it makes a delicious side dish or salad. (See photo)
SERVES 4
TIME: 40 MINUTES
1½ cups short-grain brown rice
½ cup dried hijiki seaweed (½ ounce)
1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces)
3 cups carrot matchsticks
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
In a covered saucepan, bring the rice and 2½ cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered until the rice is tender and the water absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes.
While the rice cooks, make the sauté. Place the hijiki in a small bowl, add warm water to cover by about an inch, and set aside for 15 minutes. Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces or strips. Cut the onions into thin slices (2 to 3 cups).
In a large skillet or wok, heat a tablespoon of the sesame oil. Add the tofu and sauté on medium heat, stirring frequently, for several minutes, until browned. Remove the tofu and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan and sauté the onions and carrots until the onions are golden and the carrots are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the drained hijiki, the reserved tofu, and the soy sauce, and cook long enough to heat thoroughly. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve on the rice.
INGREDIENT NOTES Dried hijiki seaweed is often sold in bulk in natural foods stores, and in many supermarkets it can be found in cellophane packets in the produce section.
Check the produce aisle for bags of matchstick-cut carrots.
roasted vegetable curry
Roasting intensifies the flavors in this fragrant dish, which is easily prepared and requires little attention while it’s in the oven. If you like the flavor of garam masala or commercial curry powder and it’s in your cupboard, use it.
SERVES 4
HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES
BAKING TIME: 25 MINUTES
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
1 onion
½ small head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
CURRY SAUCE
2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger root
2 tablespoons Curry Powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup diced tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 450°.
Peel the sweet potatoes and onion, cut them into ¾-inch chunks, and place them in a large bowl. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets (about 3 cups) and add to the bowl. Add the oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on one or two oiled baking trays. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once after about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together the ginger, Curry Powder, salt, and coconut milk until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes.
After the vegetables have roasted for 20 minutes, pour the Curry Sauce over them and stir to coat. Return them to the oven until tender, about 5 minutes.
serving & menu ideas
Serve on rice and top with raisins and/or toasted nuts, cooked green peas and chopped cilantro, and a dollop of cool yogurt.
Sesame Tofu with Spinach
sesame tofu with spinach
Sesame-crusted tofu is firm and flavorful enough to please even the tofu-phobic. (See photo)
SERVES 4
TIME: 30 MINUTES
1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces)
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
a few drops Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
10 ounces fresh baby spinach, rinsed
salt and pepper
Slice the block of tofu lengthwise into 4 rectangular slabs. Then slice the slabs in half to make 8 roughly square pieces. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate. Press all of the surfaces of each tofu square into the sesame seeds to coat evenly.
Heat the sesame oil in a large