Tofu Marsala

Back to some old favorites that I haven't made in quite a while, Tofu Marsala.    I was at Costco to load up on some things the other day so I bought a big pack(obviously everything is huge their right) of baby bellas.  It only took two meals to use up the 24 oz pack, I guess when my son snacks on them while I am preparing the meal  they seem to dwindle down quite quickly.  Before I move on to this fabulous recipe here are some food items that I go to Costco to purchase because of the best deals, maple syrup, nuts, frozen mixed fruit, organic salad mix, tofu-sometimes & organic spices. 

Moving on...I have been using this Tofu Marsala recipe for years now and love it.  It does use some tomato paste in it and I don't think the authentic version uses any tomato but it works here.  As always you can adjust the spices, marsala etc.. but it's a good base for a nice meal.  My adjustments are in parenthesis.

  

Tofu Cutlets Marsala
from Eating Well

• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained, rinsed and cut crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices(I slice mine a bit thinner)

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 2 large shallots, minced(small sweet onion, finely diced)

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme( I use more)

• 6 cups sliced cremini, or white mushrooms (about 10 ounces)or baby bellas

• 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Preparation


1. Whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Pat tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge 4 tofu slices in the flour mixture, add them to the pan and cook until crispy and golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place the tofu in a small casserole dish with lid to keep warm.  Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the remaining tofu, adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent scorching.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, shallots/onion and thyme to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the shallots are slightly soft and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Marsala and simmer until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.

Whisk the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch with broth and tomato paste in a small bowl. Stir into the mushroom mixture, return to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy, about 4 minutes. To serve, spoon the hot sauce over the tofu.(I add the tofu slices back into the mushroom sauce to completely coat the slices and let sit for a minute or two before serving).

Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sorghum/spelt pancakes with sauteed bananas. Can you smell the sweet, carmalized smell of the bananas and cinnamon? Yum. I made these for my son who had his knee lock up on him again last week. I felt bad for him unable to walk and being very uncomfortable so I thought at least this might take his mind off of the pain for a bit. It did thankfully!

For lunch I used up left over veggie burger that I made the previous night. It was a very tasty recipe that I will have to post at a later date when I make them again. Served in a rice tortilla, shmeared with hummus, lettuce, cucumber and grated carrot.

For dinner....drum roll please. Tofu Marsala, mash taters and steamed brocollini. The potatoes were made with veggie broth and drizzled with a delicious olive oil from Global Gardens that's located right here in the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos. I will post more about this olive oil next time. In the mean time check out the recipe below from EATING WELL.com. If you can use fresh thyme, use it. Note my changes in the parenthesis.

4 servings
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used spelt flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained, rinsed and cut crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, minced (or medium sweet onion)
1 teaspoon dried thyme(or 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme)
6 cups sliced cremini, or (baby bellas)

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine

1 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
(you can also use sage to change it up a bit for the cooler weather and for a different taste)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Pat tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge 4 tofu slices in the flour mixture, add them to the pan and cook until crispy and golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place the tofu on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the remaining tofu, adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent scorching.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, shallots and thyme to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the shallots are slightly soft and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Marsala and simmer until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
Whisk the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch with broth and tomato paste in a small bowl. Stir into the mushroom mixture, return to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy, about 4 minutes. To serve, spoon the hot sauce over the tofu. (I put the tofu back into the saucepan to soak up sauce a bit then plated it)

Ingredient Note: Marsala, a fortified wine, is a flavorful and wonderfully economical addition to many sauces. An opened bottle can be stored in a cool, dry place for months—unlike wine, which starts to decline within hours of being uncorked.