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6 slices stale or lightly toasted bread, cut into 2-inch

pieces

1½ cups thinly sliced shallots (5 or 6 shallots)

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly (about

3½ cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

10 ounces well-washed, chopped spinach (about 8

cups)

Custard: 1 pound soft tofu

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ cup vegetable broth or water

¼ teaspoon salt, if using water or sodium-free veg-

etable broth

PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F.

Sauté the shallots in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 7 more minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard: Place all custard ingredients in a blender or food processor. Crumble the tofu as you add it. Puree until completely smooth, scraping down the sides to make sure you get everything. Set aside until ready to use.

To the pan with the shallots and mushrooms, add the garlic, herbs, peppers, and salt. Sauté for another minute. Add a handful of spinach and use tongs to mix with the mushrooms and shallots. Continue adding spinach by the handful as the previous bunch wilts and makes more room in the pan. This should take about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat, move vegetables to the side of the pan, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Just try to get as much oil as you can to cover the bottom of the pan to keep things from sticking. Toss in the sliced bread and mix to distribute.

Pour the tofu custard over everything. Use a spatula to smush the tofu into the veggies and bread. You want to get things as coated as you can without outright mixing it up.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. The strata should be firmed and lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice into eight pieces, and serve.

BLUE FLANNEL HASH

SERVES 4

TIME: 40 MINUTES

An all-American favorite gets a makeover with the unusual and earthy-tasting blue potato. Although blue potatoes have been cultivated in South America for hundreds of years, it’s only recently that they’ve become widely available in the United States. Simple seasoning and gentle cooking bring out the best flavors in these precious blue tubers. Craving a real sausage flavor? Toss in some crushed fennel seeds along with the tempeh. Sometimes purple potatoes are also called blue potatoes, but either kind will work here.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ pounds blue potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cut into ½-inch dice

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 medium onion, cut into ½-inch dice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

PREHEAT A large, heavy-bottomed pan (cast iron would be ideal) over medium-high heat.

Pour in the oil and let it heat up. Add the potatoes and tempeh, and mix. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and again.

Add the red pepper flakes and onion, and mix. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring whenever you feel like it.

Add the soy sauce and cook for another 3 minutes. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

GREEK TOFU BENEDICT

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT AN HOUR

This rustic, charming brunch specialty performs all kinds of feats. Roasted red peppers stand in for salmon and Dill-Tahini Sauce for the hollandaise in a luscious Mediterranean take on the classic Benedict. Serve over Diner Home Fries (page 71) or an English muffin. You can also opt to go Greek all the way and serve over sliced, toasted pita.

Note: The tofu method is the same as for the Tofu Florentine (page 72), but you can also use Grilled Italian Tofu (page 128), if you prefer.

1 recipe Broiled Tofu (page 126)

1 recipe Dill-Tahini Sauce (page 215)

2 roasted red peppers (page 33)

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