PLUMS' Smoky Mac/Spicy Peach Tofu and Tempeh with Charred Purple Beans 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Plum’s Smoky Mac



At *Plum, most of the attention goes to our “Mac ‘n’ Yease,” a vegan
mac ‘n’ cheese from the heavens, with super-secret ingredients. agree
that the Mac ‘n’ Yease should be on everyone’s bucket list, but I’m also a
fan of this smoky, creamy pasta made with vegan mozzarella and cheddar
and our own smoked tofu. You can’t have too many macs in your
repertoire.

To make the pasta, bring a large pot of water and the salt to a boil over
high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package instructions,
until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium sauté pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tofu and
cook until crispy, about 2 to 4 minutes. Put the onion, garlic, and thyme
leaves in the same pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion
is soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the
heat and set aside.

To make the sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk
with the thyme and garlic until hot but not boiling, about 7 minutes. Strain
out the solids using a fine-mesh sieve and set the milk aside.
Melt the buttery spread in a deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over mediumlow heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Make sure this roux doesn’t darken; turn down the heat if it’s in
danger of browning.

Whisk the milk into the roux. Continue to whisk over medium-low heat
until the roux is smooth, about 1 minute more. Stir in the soy cream until
it is thoroughly incorporated, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt
and pepper, and remove the pan from the heat.
Add the cooked macaroni, 4 cups of the cheese, and the red pepper
flakes, and fold together until the macaroni is coated. Scrape the mac
into a large baking dish (3 quarts is about right, or use 2 smaller dishes).
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese and tofu-onion mixture over the
top, then dust with the panko. Bake until the mac is bubbly in the center,
crispy on top, and heated through, about 30 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

*Plum Bistro (Makini's Vegan Restaurant in Seattle)

For the pasta:

2 teaspoons sea salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 ounces smoked tofu (such as Baba's Mesquite Tofu), minced to resemble bacon bits
1 large onion, diced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground Pepper

For the sauce:

3 cups unsweetened soy milk
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted vegan
buttery spread (such as Earth Balance brand)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup **Savory Soy Cream
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
5 cups (22.5 ounces) shredded vegan mozzarella or cheddar cheese (such as Daiya brand), divided
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

**Savory Soy Cream

Makes about 3 cups

This sweet version of our soy cream is a good substitute for whipped
cream and créme fraiche. Like our savory version, it marries well with a
variety of flavorings; try adding almond extract in place of the vanilla,
ground cardamom in place of the cinnamon, or whatever else you can
imagine.Put the milk in a powerful blender, such as a Vitamix if you have.

(The more powerful the blender, the creamier the consistency of the final
cream. You can use a food processor too, but the creams will come out
thinner and a bit oilier.) With the machine running, drizzle in the oil very
slowly, until it is thoroughly blended with the milk. Continue blend- ing
for another minute or so, until the mixture has the consistency of heavy
cream.

(Note that it will become more like a light whipped cream after you add
the lemon juice.) Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and whisk in the
agave syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla and cinnamon to taste. Store the
cream in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a week, It will
firm up to about the consistency of mayonnaise.

1 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 cups canola oil
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 1/4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Vanilla extract, for sweetening (optional)
Ground cinnamon, for sweetening (optional)


from "Makinis Vegan Kitchen"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80336311-makini-s-vegan-kitchen

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Spicy Peach Tofu and Tempeh with Charred Purple Beans

I love this spicy, bright, smoky-sweet dish, alive with the flavors of lime and chipotle.
Use a sweet Riesling when making it. It’s a great use for peaches that
have gone over the edge of ripeness—you want the fruit to be so soft that it'll
smush easily into juicy pieces for your marinade. If you don’t have a gas
range for the charred beans or you want to keep more of their intense purple
color intact,you can toss them with oliveoil,salt,and pepper,and grill them
for a minute or two instead.

Makes 4 servings

2 unpeeled very ripe peaches
2 cups white wine, preferably riesling
1 cup (about 2 ounces) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (From about 4 medium limes)
1% cups olive oil, divided
1(7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (% cup)
2/3 cup Roasted Garlic Cloves (page 10), with a few cloves smashed
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground Pepper
1(B-ounce) pack soy or multigrain tempeh, cut crosswise into four '&-inch-thick pieces
1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu (preferably your favorite local brand), cut lengthwise into five
1/2 inch-thick pieces
Oive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pound purple or green beans, trimmed
1 cup ***Spicy Peach Sauce (recipe follows)

In a large bowl, smash the peaches until the flesh comes off the pit in
chunks. Discard the pits. Add the wine, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, 1 cup
of the oil, chipotles, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper and mix well. Spread
a thin layer of this marinade in a shallow, medium baking pan, reserving
the rest.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to high heat.

Spray the tempeh and tofu slices evenly with cooking spray on both
sides. Grill them for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, flipping them
with a long spatula, until distinct hash marks form. Transfer them to the
baking pan, setting them atop the marinade and pouring the reserved
marinade over. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours, or up to
overnight for more flavor.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 4 cup oil over high heat. Add the
chopped garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add the beans, cooking
them in 2 batches if the pan is crowded. If you're cooking on a gas stove,
shake the pan a bit so the flame leaps inside and begins to blacken the
beans in spots. Shake or use tongs to turn the beans, and cook them for
another minute, until the other side begins to char at the edges and the
garlic begins to brown. Remove them from the heat and season to taste
with salt and pepper.

Heat a medium sauté pan or stovetop griddle over medium heat.
Remove the tofu and tempeh slices from the marinade with a slotted
spatula. (The marinade can be reserved for a second use or used in the
spicy peach sauce.) Working in batches, cook the slices until they're
browned and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. To serve,
put of the beans in each of 4 shallow bowls, arrange a slice of tofu and
tempeh on top, and spoon % cup peach sauce over everything.

***Spicy Peach Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium peach, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
8 Roasted Garlic Cloves or pick out the cloves from the tofu marinade
1 cup white wine
1 to 2 pinches sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes)
Sea salt and freshly ground Pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons vegan buttery spread (such as Earth Balance brand)

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the peach,
chipotles (or more to taste), and garlic, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or
until the mixture starts to brown. Carefully pour in the wine~it will
bubble vigorously or even flame up on a gas range. Reduce the heat to
a simmer, and add the sugar and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper
to taste. Let the sauce simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until it has slightly
reduced. Remove from the heat. Add the cilantro and buttery spread
and stir until the spread has melted and is thoroughly incorporated into
the sauce

‘Makes about 1 1/4 cups

from "Makinis Vegan Kitchen"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80336311-makini-s-vegan-kitchen

Fighting a pinched nerve in my neck. not painful. but my right hand is nearly useless
at his time, have a good evening everyone..