Tofu Corn Casserole

Bare in mind: all of these measurements are approximate. I never actually measure anything, just put in what seems right, taste, move on. You can always add more. :-)


Ingredients for the tofu mixture:
1 big block of firm tofu
Personally, I like Wildwood and Wildwood sells tofu in two sizes. One is roughly square, the other more like a rectangle or brick which is twice the size of the square. Go for the brick. If you can’t find Wildwood Tofu, just get a big block of whatever is the firmest.

1 big onion
Chop it up real tiny-like. Keep a good cross‑draft going over the cutting board or use a food processor to keep from crying like a little girl.

2 jalapeno peppers
Chop them up real tiny-like. Maybe get a glove for your left hand. Otherwise be real careful you don’t stick your finger in your eye later, cuz that will suck if you do. If you’re a big sissy, you can throw away the seeds. That will make it less hot, but why would you want to do that?

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
Get the ones that come in a jar drowning in olive oil and chop them up real tiny-like.

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Use good olive oil. The tofu is totally reliant on the other ingredients for flavor and this is one of, if not, the most important.

1/2 a bag or so of shredded sharp cheddar
Life is too short to use mild cheddar.

1 teaspoon curry paste
The curry paste will need to be diluted so that it can mix. It would like to be diluted with milk, but this recipe ain’t got no milk in it so use olive oil and be aggressive.

1/4 cup good red wine

2 cans Green Giant Niblets


Ingredients for the cornmeal mixture:
2 cups corn meal
I am really hazy on this part. Was it 2 cups or was it 1 cup? Was the ratio to water 1:1 or 1:2? I can’t remember. You figure it out. Just remember: mush. That’s what you want. Also, don’t stop stiring while it’s heating.

2 cups water
See above.

1 tablespoon hot sauce
Tapatío, Cholula, Crystal or Tobasco, your choice.

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon butter

 ——- Step 1. Fix the Tofu
Take the big block of firm tofu and dice it. Personally, I don’t find the cube an appetizing shape. So once the tofu has been diced, I like to mix it up on the cutting board into a pile and then chop it a bit, randomly changing it into irregular shapes and sizes that are, I think, a little more food-like in appearance. Don’t get carried away, though.

Step 2. Compress the Tofu
Now put the diced and chopped tofu into a bowl with the finely chopped jalapeno peppers, finely chopped onion, finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, olive oil, and curry paste. Mix this up nice and then press it down tight in the bowl. Cover it with Saran wrap and put it in the fridge overnight.

Step 3. Fry the Tofu
Now take it out and brown it in a frying pan over high heat. Fry a small enough amount at a time as will allow you to get good color in as short a period of time as possible. If you put too much of the tofu mixture into the pan at once it will just bubble and cook, and that’s not what you want. If you do this right a layer of brown goodness will form on the bottom of the pan. De-glaze this with some good red wine and add to the mixture.

Step 4. Make the Casserole
Combine and mix the corn, the cheese, and the tofu mixture and then pour it into the casserole.

Step 5. The Cornmeal Layer
Boil the cornmeal, butter, cumin, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper in water until it reaches the consistency of mush, stirring constantly. Pour this over the tofu/corn mixture like a blanket of yummy corn goodness. You can give it some texture if you want. I like to chop at it with a fork so that it has a rough texture that will brown nicely. But do what you want. Also, sprinkle a little more paprika and/or cayenne over the top just to give it a little color.

Step 6. Bake it, then Broil it
Bake 375o 30 minutes.
Broil for ten minutes or until a little brown on top.
There’s nothin here that really needs to be cooked so once it’s hot enough inside to serve, broiling browns it quick. And then it’s ready for the table. Yum.

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Published:
December 22, 2004 / 1:42 pm
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