Tofu Turkey

You asked for it, so here it is just in time for the festive season. It doesn't look much like a Turkey (more like a tofu casserole) but with loads of sage, stuffing and a crispy bean curd skin this is a de rigeur dish at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This recipe loosely based on the recipe of the same name in the "Almost No-Fat Holiday Cookbook".

If you have your own stuffing recipe, you can use it or try the one below. Marinating the tofu for a few days helps develop the flavours, but a few hours is enough if you're in a hurry. The recipe can be made the day before, requiring it only be put into the oven. It also freezes well for 6 months (make one for Thanksgiving, with one for Christmas in the freezer!).

Chinese Bean Curd Skin is the only really "odd" ingredient in the recipe. Try a chinese grocery store or in a Japanese store it would be called "Yuba". When soymilk is heated, there is a "skin" that develops on the surface (similar to cow's milk) which is skimmed off and dried to create this wonderful delicacy. It keeps for a long time dried, and when rehydrated it is used as a wrap and becomes very crispy.

Ingredients:

2 lbs (blocks) extra-firm tofu
3 sheets of dried Chinese Bean Curd Skin
3 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
5 tsp dried sage
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
sesame oil

6 cups Stuffing or recipe below

Stuffing

1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cups fresh whole wheat bread cubes
1 cup vegetable broth/stock
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp savory pinch of dried rosemary
salt and pepper

Lightly fry the the onion and celery in vegetable oil until soft. Combine with the other ingredients and mix.

Instructions for Assembly

3 or 4 days before (3 or 4 hours if you're in a hurry), slice the tofu into 6 long slices per block. Combine the water, soy sauce, yeast flakes, sage, onion powder, thyme and rosemary in a large bowl and mix. Marinade the tofu slices in the bowl, shaking or stirring it occasionally.

Cover the dried bean curd in warm water while making the stuffing.

Lightly oil a 9 in. X 9 in. square baking pan with sesame oil. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with the soaked bean curd skin, leaving a lot of the skin overhanging the edges to cover over the top.

Remove the tofu from the marinade (left over marinade can be used for making gravy if wished). Place one third of the marinated tofu in the bottom of the pan. Cut the slices to ensure a snug fit. Top this layer with half of the stuffing. Layer another third of the tofu on top, and then layer the remaining stuffing. Place the rest of the marinated tofu on top and wrap the overhanging bean curd skin over the top. If you're making the recipe ahead of time, it can now be covered and refrigerated until time to bake.

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Bake the casserole uncovered for 1 hour. Loosen the edges gently and invert it onto a serving plate. Cut into pieces and serve with gravy or cranberry sauce.