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Pour the tahini in a smaller bowl for dipping the cauliflower.

Serve warm or let stand at room temperature.

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Kopanisti

Kopanisti is a type of cheese only made in the Cyclades islands of Greece. Like Champagne and Parmigiano-Reggiano, kopanisti is kopanisti only if it’s made in its country and region of origin. As such, the recipe below is an approximation of the real deal. One can dream, though.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup feta cheese

1 medium-size red bell pepper,

roasted (For how to roast a

pepper, see page 194.)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of salt

Ground black pepper

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, process the feta for 1 minute, until somewhat whipped. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and process for another minute. Add the roasted pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and lemon and process until well blended. The color will be burnt orange. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the olive oil. Whiz for another minute. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.

Serve at room temperature.

Makes 1 cup

EGGPLANT ROUNDS, ROASTED OR GRILLED

INGREDIENTS

1 medium-size globe eggplant

(about 1 pound)

Salt, for leaching

Cooking spray or vegetable oil

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat the oven to 400°F or prepare your grill.

Slice the eggplant into ½-inch rounds. Place the eggplant on a rack in a single layer and sprinkle salt on top to help release the water content. Allow to leach for about 15 minutes.

With a towel, pat the eggplant dry.

Thoroughly grease two baking trays with cooking spray. Place the eggplant rounds in a single layer on both trays. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, turn onto their second side, and roast for an additional 10 minutes, for a total of 25 minutes.

(On the grill: Using a brush, grease the grate. Grill using the direct method, making sure the eggplant does not burn. After 7 to 10 minutes, turn to grill on their second side. Yes, you can do this on a grill pan.)

Makes 4 servings

Tofu Barbecue ★ True-Blue Baked Beans ★ Vinegar Slaw

TOFU BARBECUE

The idea: Tofu barbecue. Not baked tofu with some tangy sauce slapped on top, but marinated and slow-cooked over wood, so that you can really taste the spice and smoke, like a brisket. A few rounds of testing revealed good flavor on the outside, but nada on the interior. We even tried one of those flavor-injector gizmos. I was about to hang up my cockamamie experiment, when my friend Jeanne suggested putting it in the freezer. As it turns out, freezing tofu changes both its texture (from cheesecakey to striated and chewy) and porousness (from No way, Jose, to Bring it on!). The result: Knee-slapping tanginess. It delivers both spice and smoke, just like that brisket. In fact, I’d like to make a declaration: Freezing takes the oxymoron out of tofu barbecue. Served up with baked beans and vinegar slaw, this is one helluva plate.

KITCHEN NOTES: Just as with ribs or brisket, tofu barbecue is a weekend/ leisure time project. A block of tofu needs 24 hours in the freezer, then about 3 hours of thawing time. (You may also try thawing in the microwave, in 2-minute increments). And that’s before you start the coals. Because of its newly acquired absorbability, the tofu needs relatively little marinating time—30 minutes is sufficient.

One last note: Given the time commitment involved, it’s worth smoking two full-size blocks of tofu, which will keep in the fridge for five days for leftovers of the best kind. One batch of spice rub is plenty for two blocks.

INGREDIENTS

1 (14-ounce) package

extra-firm tofu

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground New Mexico

chile pepper (between paprika

and cayenne in heat)

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon granulated onion

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground fennel seed

Vegetable oil, for brushing

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Remove